Analog film photography and cameras

Dunno how much you can expect from a low / mid range scanner either? Not clued up about PlusTeks but from what I've read they're not on par with a Minolta or Nikon scanner

If you have the negative, and if it is exposed and developed properly in the first place,
make a nice big print of it, and scan this using a flatbed scanner if avaiable.
BW film does not really like to be scanned, it likes to be enlarged on paper.

And IMHO the major issue about that picture is that it's sloping.

Little curve adjustements (though there's not a lot to gain) and turning / perspective transforming in PS.

The PlusTek was bought some years ago on a whim - I wouldn't expect it to compare favourably with something costing perhaps ten times the price, but it's what I have.

The failings of this particular negative are probably representative of where I was in the late 70s - I have some that are better, many that are worse, and a greater number still that have disappeared through house and career moves. Reading books helped, or at least prompted me to be more careful - I think I have improved since then...

I'll try working from a print (CanonScan LiDE20 - again, what I already have) but not immediately: there's an autocycle to re-assemble and significant cleaning (dust from anglegrinder and paint overspray) before I get the enlarger out.

Perspective correction, rotation, greater subtlety with control curves - thanks for pointing me in the right direction - I'll keep trying.