How EditMe sets film base and shadow density automatically on iPhone
Last updated 2 June 2026
EditMe reads density straight off your scanned negative when you open it, so you do not have to guess the conversion. It samples two anchor points per color channel automatically: the clear film base at the edge of the frame, which sets the white point of the negative (Dmin), and the deepest shadow in the image (Dmax). Because both points are read from the actual scan, the inversion is anchored to the real film rather than to a generic default. You refine the look from there with the tone tools. Everything runs on the device, with no cloud and no account.
Why density is sampled instead of guessed
A scanned negative has two anchor points that decide everything downstream: the lightest part, which is the unexposed film base at the edge of the frame, and the darkest part, which is the deepest shadow in the picture. In film terms these are Dmin (minimum density) and Dmax (maximum density). If the inversion uses the wrong values for these, the result looks flat, hazy, or color-cast no matter how many sliders you push afterward.
EditMe sets both for you by reading the density off the scan automatically when you open a negative. It samples the clear film base and the deepest shadow per color channel, and those values become the Dmin and Dmax the conversion is built on, so the inversion is keyed to your actual frame instead of an assumed average. From there you refine the result with the tone tools.
How the automatic density sampling works
- Open your scanned negative in EditMe.
- On load, EditMe reads the clear, unexposed film base at the edge of the frame per channel. That sets Dmin, the white point of the negative.
- In the same pass it reads the deepest shadow in the image per channel. That sets Dmax.
- Review the inverted result. Because both density points came off the scan, the base haze and the orange mask of a color frame are accounted for from the start, and the tone tools have less work left to do. You refine from there.
You do not pick or tap anything. EditMe pins both the film-base white point (Dmin) and the deepest shadow (Dmax) in one pass, which is usually the single biggest improvement over a guessed conversion, so the conversion is fully anchored to your frame before you start editing.
How it compares
| Factor | EditMe | By hand |
|---|---|---|
| Film base (Dmin) | Read off the clear film edge automatically per channel | Eyeball a black point and nudge sliders |
| Deepest shadow (Dmax) | Read off the darkest shadow automatically per channel | Guess where true black should land |
| Color negative mask | Per-channel Dmin and Dmax neutralize the orange mask | Fight the cast with white balance later |
| Where it runs | On the device, no cloud, no account | Varies |
| Starting point | Anchored to your actual frame | A generic default you correct afterward |
Frequently asked questions
What is Dmin and Dmax on a film negative?
Dmin is the minimum density, the clear unexposed film base at the edge of the frame, and Dmax is the maximum density, the deepest shadow in the picture. They are the two anchor points of the negative. EditMe reads each one automatically off the scan when you open a negative.
Where does the film base reading come from?
From the clear film at the edge of the negative, outside the actual picture, where there is no image. That unexposed area is the film base, and EditMe reads it automatically as Dmin, the white point of the negative. You do not tap anything.
Do I have to set both points myself?
No. You do not set anything. EditMe samples both the clear film base (Dmin) and the deepest shadow (Dmax) per channel automatically each time you open a negative, in one pass, so the conversion is fully anchored to your frame without any manual step.
Does this help with color negatives and their orange mask?
Yes. For a color frame EditMe normalizes each channel separately, so the per-channel Dmin and Dmax it samples automatically neutralize the orange mask up front, instead of leaving it for you to correct with white balance afterward.
Does any of this upload my scan to a server?
No. EditMe runs on the device with no cloud and no account, so sampling density and inverting the negative all happen locally on your iPhone or iPad.
Is EditMe free to use?
EditMe is free to download and runs on iPhone and iPad. The film-negative inversion and the core editing tools are free. Some advanced tools are part of an optional EditMe Pro subscription.