PPRC
Pakon Planar Raw Converter
Batch-convert planar .raw files from your Pakon F135/F135+ scanner into editable 16-bit TIFFs with consistent roll-wide color and reliable orange mask removal. Process on modern macOS, Windows, or Linux.
A 38-exposure roll is processed and inverted in 2.7 seconds on a MacBook Pro (M1, 2020).
Ten years after it was first released in 2006, PPRC now uses a fast multi-threaded pipeline and its own negative inversion pipeline to keep colors consistent across rolls.
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- Shared roll-wide color profiling, so consecutive frames do not drift because each one was analyzed in isolation.
- Automatic outlier rejection, so backlit shots, large dust spots, and unusual frames do not skew the shared profile.
- A new multi-threaded pipeline. The demo roll processes 38 exposures in 2.7 seconds on a 2020 M1 MacBook Pro.
Why use PPRC?
Consistent Roll-Wide Color
PPRC analyzes the batch together to compute one shared baseline, then automatically excludes frames that would skew the rest of the roll.
Full 16-bit Output
Uses the full scan data your Pakon captured, avoiding the 8-bit limitations of standard exports and leaving more room to edit.
Batch-First Workflow
Designed for folders of scans, not one-image-at-a-time tweaking. Point it at a roll and get a cohesive set of editable TIFFs back.
Neutral & Editable
Output is intentionally neutral and data-rich, giving you maximum editing headroom in your preferred workflow.
Fast
Carefully optimized, multi-threaded pipeline. A full roll processes in seconds, not minutes.
Automatic Dimension Detection
Automatically detects frame dimensions: half frame, XPan, and other non-standard formats just work.
Tunable & Repeatable
Dial in contrast, tone, and color to taste, then save it as a reusable config so future rolls start exactly where you left off.
Slide Film & B&W
Not just C-41. --mode e6 keeps slide film positive (no inversion); --mode bw inverts black and white to clean greyscale. Both give you 16-bit output.
Works With Your Tools
Use --mode raw to get uninverted linear 16-bit TIFFs for use with any other inversion tool.
Flexible Output Naming
Fully configurable folder naming and placement make batch exports easier to manage.
Cross-Platform
Works on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Scan on your Pakon machine, process anywhere.
macOS Quick Action
Right-click any folder and select "Process with PPRC". No terminal needed.
What PPRC is not
PPRC is not a negative inversion editor. It doesn't offer manual color correction or creative grading controls (tools like Negative Lab Pro, Grain2Pixel, ColorNeg, or NegPy are designed for that). PPRC is fast, automatic, and produces output that is intentionally neutral and data-rich rather than punchy or stylized. The goal is to quickly process a whole roll while preserving data so you can make decisions yourself in your preferred workflow.
That said, many users find PPRC's inversion is all they need, and rarely reach for those tools. Give it a try and see what you think.
FAQ
Why might I want to use a .raw workflow with my Pakon, why not just save from PSI?
PSI produces decent images but works with more data internally then discards much of it when saving to 8-bit. PPRC preserves the full sensor data and gives you a neutral starting point with more dynamic range. See the 8-bit vs 16-bit Pakon comparison.
How do I run PPRC without using the command line?
Once installed, it's a single command. On macOS you can install a Finder Quick Action to get a right-click "Process with PPRC" option, no terminal needed.
Does PPRC lose the Kodak color science?
The familiar Pakon look comes from Kodak's film-type lookup table, keyed from the film's DX code. That table was not updated for many current film stocks, so PSI often falls back to a generic path anyway. PPRC derives a neutral profile from the roll's own image data instead, giving you a clean starting point to finish downstream.
Does PPRC replace the Pakon F135+ scanning software?
No. You still use PSI or TLXClientDemo to run the scanner. PPRC is a 16-bit film scanning utility for the next step: extract Pakon raw files from your scan workflow and convert those planar raw files into editable TIFFs.
How does the color inversion work?
PPRC comes with its own inversion pipeline tuned for Pakon raw scans. All images in a batch are analyzed together to compute a shared color profile, which produces more consistent results than analyzing each frame individually. The brightest and darkest pixels are ignored so large dust spots don't skew the profile, and outlier frames (e.g. backlit shots) are automatically excluded. For best results, process a whole roll together. Read more →
Can I use my own inversion tool instead?
Yes: run with --mode raw to get 16-bit TIFFs without orange mask removal, ready for Negative Lab Pro, ColorPerfect, Vuescan, or any other tool. That said, it's worth trying PPRC's own inversion first, especially if you haven't tested it since the 1.0 ground-up rewrite.
Get started
You'll need Node.js v22+ installed, then install PPRC globally via npm. For best color consistency, run a whole roll together when possible.
npm i -g pakon-planar-raw-converter@alpha
pprc --dir /path/to/raw/files