Negative Archiving Question

Thanks to those who answered my previous scanning questions. I now have an
additional question about archiving (mostly 35mm negatives).

Again, I'm using my HP ScanJet 4570c to scan family negatives. The highest
quality setting with the HP scanner and its software is an output at 2400 dpi
in TIFF format (and those are the settings I use).

 >From my prior posting, some replied that I should use a sharpening program
before I make prints because negative scans tend to be "soft." I have noticed
an improvement in print outputs when using my FocalBlade plug-in inside Adobe
Photoshop.

My Question is this...when I save the negative scan as a TIFF, I open Adobe
Photoshop and simply crop the negative and save it again as a TIFF. (I assume
I haven't decreased the quality of the scan because I kept the scan as a TIFF).
I then use my FocalBlade plug-in (and sometimes other plug-ins as well) to
tweak the cropped TIFF and save it (including the changes) as another TIFF file
(using a different file name so as to not overwrite the original (but cropped)
TIFF. I then print the sharpened TIFF file. Should I archive BOTH the
cropped-only TIFF AND the additional sharpened TIFF I created? In the future,
I'll most likely just open up the sharpened TIFF and print that with no further
modifications, BUT it's possible with future advances in software that I'd just
want my plain scanned TIFF back (that was cropped). Do most hobbyist and
professionals keep archives of the original scans AND doctored files as well?
I would guess that if I re-tweak the already-tweaked TIFF files, that I'll
loose some quality or detail and that it would be better to simply re-tweak the
original (just plain cropped TIFF). Thanks in advance for any suggestions.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->

On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 15:34:19 -0800 (PST), xtx99.DeleteThis@aol.com (Xtx99) wrote:

 >Thanks to those who answered my previous scanning questions. I now have an
 >additional question about archiving (mostly 35mm negatives).
 >

I repl;y with a caveat... I use a Nikon Film Scanner. I have an HP
flatbed with the slide attachment. I have scanned film on the HP...
but result is garbage.. due to the compartively low effective
resolution on the flat bed.. So, with my Film scanner at 24 bit
color I keep the original raw scan file. I export this file to
uncompressed TIFF without modification. I import the TIFF file to
Paint Shop Pro, depending on its destination, I either create a Paint
Shop Pro image and optimize for printing, or I create jpg for the Web,
I correct these images as required. I save them .,.. the original raw
file, so I have all the info for future work, the jpg for the Web if I
created one, and the Paint Shop Pro for printing...

Jim<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->