OK. Most likely if you are importing the full 12 bits/channel into photoshop, and doing the level adjustments while still in 16 bit/channel mode, you are doing the correct thing. This should be more or less equivalent to setting the points in the scanner. [Some folks scan, import 8 bits/channel, and then adjust levels; this can greatly increase the quantization noise.] Sounds like your method should work well. It sounds like you perhaps heve two additional issues: The image dynamic range is very high. You may need to try a technique where you mask off the flames and the dancer separately, and apply different level settings to each. If you are lucky, you may be able to do this in photoshop from your single raw scan. If not so lucky, you may need to make two scans, this time using the scanner white/black adjustments. One scan for the dancer, (the flames will look crappy. And one scan for the flames, (the dancer will look crappy. The second issue appears that with areas of the negative being somewhat underexposed the grain may be emphasized more than usual. I don't remember from your original post, but was this using conventional B&W film, or was it using the C-41 process B&W stuff? The C-41 stuff does get considerably more grainy if underexposed. I suspect, once you get all your level adjusted, you can then convert to 8 bit/channel mode, and use the Home version...