borrel
Børre Ludvigsen
Does any one on this list use a Microtek ArtixScan 120tf? Barring the noise it makes, the final results are excellent - when I manage to make it work. However, the user interface is driving me nuts! The native Microtek software is incomprehensible. VueScan which is normally quite good always starts halfways into the first 6x6 frame. Silverfast does a prescan no matter which button is clicked, it makes odd offsets between 6x6 frames, it's impossible to understand how to udjust frames start and ends, there seems to be no provision for 6x8 frames. I also have an Epson 4990. Its software allows me to do a prescan of whatever is on the scanning table and then select the frames I want scanned one by one. Is there no way I can do this with the Microtek? Right now I'm trying to scan Minox 8x11mm frames. I've given up the Microtek in favor of the 4990, but it has the Newto ring problem as the film touches the glass bed. Is there anyone on this list who has tamed this beast?
- Børre
- Børre
BillBingham2
Registered User
I never was impressed with the company, but no first hand experience with thier products, just people high up who worked there.
Good luck.
B2
Good luck.
B2
bclayt
Newbie
Has anyone figured this software out? I am having the same problem. Why can't things just be simple?!
scottyb70
Well-known
I have the micro tek and compared it to the scan of the nikon 9000. I meets or exceeds it, but the software can be a pain. Forget the microtek software and use vuescan 1st the try silverfast. I have the glass holder for my 120 film. I do prescan in Vuescan and if the picture is off you can use the frame offset to adjust.
In silverfast it is done by using a button and then clicking on the edge of the prescanned image.
In silverfast it is done by using a button and then clicking on the edge of the prescanned image.
SteveM
Established
I couldn't get the Microtek scanning software to work either, but the scanner (M1) came with Silverfast and it works very nicely. As noted above, do a prescan, then it is possible to click the corner of images and drag a scanning frame over it. Multiple frames can be set up for batch scanning. In order to view the frames, you need to select scan type (reflective or transparency), film type, and scan type (color, gray) to see the image preview correctly.
Steve
Steve
fbf
Well-known
I don't know how you can tolerate the noise... it sounded like chainsaw to me.
The scanning quality however was excellent. The scanner weighs a ton...
back to the topic, I never used the microtek software. I always use vuescan and it worked very well for me.
The scanning quality however was excellent. The scanner weighs a ton...
back to the topic, I never used the microtek software. I always use vuescan and it worked very well for me.
borrel
Børre Ludvigsen
I'm still struggling with this scanner, but I have done some things which have increased my tolerance for it, its reliability (to some degree) and the image quality it produces (which when successful, is excellent). Here are some of my remedies:
- First of all, allow the scanner to start up properly. The filmholders are slotted at the leading edge as a means of identifying the film format they carry. It appears that the leading edge (or some other indexing mark on the holder) is used to index the positions of each film frame. This means that when correctly positioned, film frames will always be in the same position.
- Turn the scanner on. (Always eject film holders before turning the scanner off.) Let it go through its startup motions and settle down to wait for the film holder. When it's ready, insert the film holder and give it enough of a careful nudge for the scanner to start pulling it into the correct start position. Allow the scanner to go through its indexing motions completely and to settle down BEFORE starting the scanning software.
- I have placed the scanner in a separate room away from the rest of the family and bought a noise cancelling head set. They must have designed this scanner in an extremely noisy environment not to notice that it's an instrument of audio torture. I use an older laptop with a firewire port for the scanning. My laptop runs Mac OS X 10.6.
- Make sure the right software is installed on the computer. This applies to drivers (the Microtek Scanwizard software HAS to be installed even though you don't use it for the correct drivers to be installed) and scanning software. Either SilverFast or Vuescan work although both have miserable interfaces. Not having the correct versions of software (for your operating system) results in very erratic behaviour.
- Finding the latest software for the 120tf at Microtek's site is feat of great courage and patience. I have found no newer firmware for the 120tf than 1.6, but the firmware installed on my 120tf is 1.8. I have the feeling we are struggling with an orphan although Mac OS X 10.4 is mentioned on their site. Neither is SilverFast's use manual very forthcoming about the 120tf.
- Taming the software: READ AND UNDERSTAND the user manual. Bear in mind that the machine is made in Japan and SilverFast (SF) in Germany. (SF is often a bit too general, referring to functionality present in one type of scanner and not in the 120tf.) My scanning sequence for a filmstrip is: Set film type, run the image overview, Prescan one of the images by selecting it and clicking OK, run the Job manager, select the images to be scanned, add them to the batch, select the first one, click the pencil, set the scanning parameters (film type, resolution, Negafix, etc.), SAVE the settings, select the frames to be scanned, click the Copy button, approve the settings to be copied, unselect the pencil, and hit Start. (Don't expect the file naming convention chosen to work. If you find out how, please tell me.)
- The crucial element in scanning with the 120tf is focus. Keeping the film flat helps, but getting the beast to focus properly is another matter altogether. While SF mentions several modes of focussing, the 120tf accepts either autofocus or none. i have noticed that turning autofocus off, doing a (small) prescan, and then going back to autofocus helps forcing the thing to focus properly. It is somewhere mentioned that the 120tf uses contrast in the negative for focusing, but the focus point is always in the center of the crop frame. If that is an area with no contrast edges, focus will presumably be hit-and-miss. (There's probably something I've missed here.) Use the optional glass film holder for MF. It also works for other, smaller formats, but takes a lot of coaxing and frame adjusting as it has indexing slots only for MF, not 135. Try mounting cross-curled 135 film emulsion side up in the glassless holder where the cross bars help hold the film flat. (I'm just now experimenting with this method, so no conclusions yet.)
- "Adjustment of film strip position" can be used to position 135 frames properly in the MF glass holder. However, it might appear that the scanner needs to be turned completely off and then back on for it to forget the indexing position induced with that function.
Considering the hours I've spent struggling with this machine and the arcane software that works with it - why on earth can't it work like the software for my Epson 4990? (Do and overview, chose the frame to be scanned [or let it do it for you], chose your settings, and scan!) - I would probably have saved myself, everyone around me and the environment a lot of pain, frustration, and money by buying a super expensive Imacon in the first place. Then I'd be left with a real orphan hooked up to an old G3 machine at best, nursing and nudging it along on SCSI connectors. At least the 120tf has Firewire and when I set aside time and patience enough, the results are terrific.
The odd thing is that somehow I like the thing, because I still feel I haven't given it its due attention and because comments on the Nikon MF scanner don't appear to be very much more encouraging.
- Børre
- First of all, allow the scanner to start up properly. The filmholders are slotted at the leading edge as a means of identifying the film format they carry. It appears that the leading edge (or some other indexing mark on the holder) is used to index the positions of each film frame. This means that when correctly positioned, film frames will always be in the same position.
- Turn the scanner on. (Always eject film holders before turning the scanner off.) Let it go through its startup motions and settle down to wait for the film holder. When it's ready, insert the film holder and give it enough of a careful nudge for the scanner to start pulling it into the correct start position. Allow the scanner to go through its indexing motions completely and to settle down BEFORE starting the scanning software.
- I have placed the scanner in a separate room away from the rest of the family and bought a noise cancelling head set. They must have designed this scanner in an extremely noisy environment not to notice that it's an instrument of audio torture. I use an older laptop with a firewire port for the scanning. My laptop runs Mac OS X 10.6.
- Make sure the right software is installed on the computer. This applies to drivers (the Microtek Scanwizard software HAS to be installed even though you don't use it for the correct drivers to be installed) and scanning software. Either SilverFast or Vuescan work although both have miserable interfaces. Not having the correct versions of software (for your operating system) results in very erratic behaviour.
- Finding the latest software for the 120tf at Microtek's site is feat of great courage and patience. I have found no newer firmware for the 120tf than 1.6, but the firmware installed on my 120tf is 1.8. I have the feeling we are struggling with an orphan although Mac OS X 10.4 is mentioned on their site. Neither is SilverFast's use manual very forthcoming about the 120tf.
- Taming the software: READ AND UNDERSTAND the user manual. Bear in mind that the machine is made in Japan and SilverFast (SF) in Germany. (SF is often a bit too general, referring to functionality present in one type of scanner and not in the 120tf.) My scanning sequence for a filmstrip is: Set film type, run the image overview, Prescan one of the images by selecting it and clicking OK, run the Job manager, select the images to be scanned, add them to the batch, select the first one, click the pencil, set the scanning parameters (film type, resolution, Negafix, etc.), SAVE the settings, select the frames to be scanned, click the Copy button, approve the settings to be copied, unselect the pencil, and hit Start. (Don't expect the file naming convention chosen to work. If you find out how, please tell me.)
- The crucial element in scanning with the 120tf is focus. Keeping the film flat helps, but getting the beast to focus properly is another matter altogether. While SF mentions several modes of focussing, the 120tf accepts either autofocus or none. i have noticed that turning autofocus off, doing a (small) prescan, and then going back to autofocus helps forcing the thing to focus properly. It is somewhere mentioned that the 120tf uses contrast in the negative for focusing, but the focus point is always in the center of the crop frame. If that is an area with no contrast edges, focus will presumably be hit-and-miss. (There's probably something I've missed here.) Use the optional glass film holder for MF. It also works for other, smaller formats, but takes a lot of coaxing and frame adjusting as it has indexing slots only for MF, not 135. Try mounting cross-curled 135 film emulsion side up in the glassless holder where the cross bars help hold the film flat. (I'm just now experimenting with this method, so no conclusions yet.)
- "Adjustment of film strip position" can be used to position 135 frames properly in the MF glass holder. However, it might appear that the scanner needs to be turned completely off and then back on for it to forget the indexing position induced with that function.
Considering the hours I've spent struggling with this machine and the arcane software that works with it - why on earth can't it work like the software for my Epson 4990? (Do and overview, chose the frame to be scanned [or let it do it for you], chose your settings, and scan!) - I would probably have saved myself, everyone around me and the environment a lot of pain, frustration, and money by buying a super expensive Imacon in the first place. Then I'd be left with a real orphan hooked up to an old G3 machine at best, nursing and nudging it along on SCSI connectors. At least the 120tf has Firewire and when I set aside time and patience enough, the results are terrific.
The odd thing is that somehow I like the thing, because I still feel I haven't given it its due attention and because comments on the Nikon MF scanner don't appear to be very much more encouraging.
- Børre
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bagdadchild
Established
Börre, are you familiar with the Scanmate drum scanners? Plenty of those pop up on the used market in Scandinavia and they produce better scans than the Imacons at a fraction of the price. There are also some pre press flatbed scanners on the market from time to time.
bclayt
Newbie
Borrel,
I can't thank you enough. I really appreciate all of your time and info -- you have saved me weeks of heartache. It is so frustrating trying to tame these beasts alone. Once I get some good scans, I promise to post what I have learned.
bclayt
I can't thank you enough. I really appreciate all of your time and info -- you have saved me weeks of heartache. It is so frustrating trying to tame these beasts alone. Once I get some good scans, I promise to post what I have learned.
bclayt
Leigh Youdale
Well-known
I just gave my Microtek i700 flatbed away to a family member because it is regarded as 'obsolete' by the manufacturers and there is no software that drives it now in Snow Leopard (MacOSX). And they don't intend to provide a patch or upgrade.
I've bought an Epson v700 which I'm still learning to use but it is simple to operate. If you're running Snow Leopard v10.6.x then I think you have an insoluble problem with the Microtek scanner.
I've bought an Epson v700 which I'm still learning to use but it is simple to operate. If you're running Snow Leopard v10.6.x then I think you have an insoluble problem with the Microtek scanner.
borrel
Børre Ludvigsen
No, I'm not, but I would certainly like to know if that "used market" is anything other than fleeBay. Any suggestions?
I have an Epson 4990 flatbed with all the BetterScanning bells and whistle holders and ANR glass. It just doesn't scan precisely enough to show real grain. It just shows up as elongated noise.
- Børre
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borrel
Børre Ludvigsen
Here's an update on the Microtek 120tf now that I've finally been able to set aside a day to figure out how to solve the main problems of focusing and positioning.
After trying to figure out how to focus manually with SilverFast, I gave up on it. SF has either autofocus on or off and that's it. The latest version of Microtek's own Scanwizard no longer supports their own scanner, so the only alternative is VueScan.
I turned Vuescan's manual focus feature on, chose a very small scan area and tested a series of five focus distances (-1 to +1 mm) on various film holders and noted the best focus distance for each. As little as 0.10mm difference is quite noticeable. VueScan's manual focus actually over rides the scanner's autofocus (which is touted as "excellent" in various reviews).
Keeping film flat is a problem which can be solved in various ways. With 135 film which usually curls with the emulsion on the convex side, the film strip can be mounted with the emulsion side up which allows the struts in the lower part of the holder to keep the film flat. The other alternative, which also applies to 120 film, is to use the ANR glass film holder which I ordered from Adorama. That option has the "advantage" of placing 4 surfaces of dust collectors between the light and sensors and one layer of glass between the film and sensors.
Positioning frames with VueScan is not as easy as with SF, but not as hopeless as I first thought. Y-offset in the Crop menu does it provided you have chosen the right film format for the particular film holder. The 120tf seems very sensitive to the way it's started up. Start it up BEFORE the scanning software, let it go through its startup motions, insert the film holder with film in place, allow the scanner to go through its indexing motions and finally start VueScan. Note that the upper cover part of the holder has small teeth that fit into the sprocket holes of 135 film. These pull the film along into position where the gaps between frames are supposed to fit over the struts in the lower part of the holder. The manual for the 120tf states that the upper cover needs only be pulled far enough for the gaps to cover the struts.
When VueScan finally was giving me the scans I wanted with sharp, clear and well focussed grain, horizontal bands (in portrait mode) started turning up as 1 pixel thick lines. The scanner had been going for 6 hours by then. Turned off for a few minutes and changed the thick, shielded Firewire cable with a thinner one with several turns around a ferrite choke. When it was turned back on, the lines were gone.
The only problem that remains are almost imperceptible, horizontal bands where the grain appears slightly out of focus. The same artifacts have previously showed up on scans made from SF, so I'm assuming it's a characteristic of the mechanics of the scanner. Maybe my scanner needs oil.
- Børre
After trying to figure out how to focus manually with SilverFast, I gave up on it. SF has either autofocus on or off and that's it. The latest version of Microtek's own Scanwizard no longer supports their own scanner, so the only alternative is VueScan.
I turned Vuescan's manual focus feature on, chose a very small scan area and tested a series of five focus distances (-1 to +1 mm) on various film holders and noted the best focus distance for each. As little as 0.10mm difference is quite noticeable. VueScan's manual focus actually over rides the scanner's autofocus (which is touted as "excellent" in various reviews).
Keeping film flat is a problem which can be solved in various ways. With 135 film which usually curls with the emulsion on the convex side, the film strip can be mounted with the emulsion side up which allows the struts in the lower part of the holder to keep the film flat. The other alternative, which also applies to 120 film, is to use the ANR glass film holder which I ordered from Adorama. That option has the "advantage" of placing 4 surfaces of dust collectors between the light and sensors and one layer of glass between the film and sensors.
Positioning frames with VueScan is not as easy as with SF, but not as hopeless as I first thought. Y-offset in the Crop menu does it provided you have chosen the right film format for the particular film holder. The 120tf seems very sensitive to the way it's started up. Start it up BEFORE the scanning software, let it go through its startup motions, insert the film holder with film in place, allow the scanner to go through its indexing motions and finally start VueScan. Note that the upper cover part of the holder has small teeth that fit into the sprocket holes of 135 film. These pull the film along into position where the gaps between frames are supposed to fit over the struts in the lower part of the holder. The manual for the 120tf states that the upper cover needs only be pulled far enough for the gaps to cover the struts.
When VueScan finally was giving me the scans I wanted with sharp, clear and well focussed grain, horizontal bands (in portrait mode) started turning up as 1 pixel thick lines. The scanner had been going for 6 hours by then. Turned off for a few minutes and changed the thick, shielded Firewire cable with a thinner one with several turns around a ferrite choke. When it was turned back on, the lines were gone.
The only problem that remains are almost imperceptible, horizontal bands where the grain appears slightly out of focus. The same artifacts have previously showed up on scans made from SF, so I'm assuming it's a characteristic of the mechanics of the scanner. Maybe my scanner needs oil.
- Børre
bclayt
Newbie
I've had a chance to make a bunch of scans, and the results are amazing. I followed the advice from above and everything actually worked!! Thanks again. I figured out a trick for anyone scanning 645.
I have a bunch of mounted 645 chromes (glassless gepe) and used to scan them, in their mounts, in my old scanner. I really like doing it that way because I don't have to worry about all of the dust that comes with glass holders. The film stays nice and flat and it's much easier to handle.
Carefully take the glass off the holder (be careful not to break them -- hard to replace) and simply place the mounted slide right in the holder (it fits perfectly!). The autofcus works fine -- I'm sure the manual focus will work too.
I used tape to keep the mount from moving, but I don't want to do that for much longer. I am trying to come up with a more permanent solution. Maybe someone has a suggestion.
I have a bunch of mounted 645 chromes (glassless gepe) and used to scan them, in their mounts, in my old scanner. I really like doing it that way because I don't have to worry about all of the dust that comes with glass holders. The film stays nice and flat and it's much easier to handle.
Carefully take the glass off the holder (be careful not to break them -- hard to replace) and simply place the mounted slide right in the holder (it fits perfectly!). The autofcus works fine -- I'm sure the manual focus will work too.
I used tape to keep the mount from moving, but I don't want to do that for much longer. I am trying to come up with a more permanent solution. Maybe someone has a suggestion.
scottyb70
Well-known
Do you notice the bands when you zoom up to actual pixels in photoshop? I noticed them also. It looks like a small band is in focus then the next is out of focus?
borrel
Børre Ludvigsen
They look like the images below. I'm hoping that changing the firewire cable to one with a choke on helps, but I haven't had the chance to do a lot of scanning to check yet. Can't remember if those artifacts are peculiar to VueScan or if they also showed up with SilverFast when the scanner had been going for several hours.
- Børre
- Børre
scottyb70
Well-known
No I don't get those lines.
borrel
Børre Ludvigsen
"Good". All the more reason for it to be the cable between the scanner and computer catching noise. Try a different cable, or wrap a few turns of your cable through a ferrite choke.
- Børre
- Børre
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borrel
Børre Ludvigsen
Sorry! I didn't notice that you were referring to the out-of-focus banding. At the time the lines were my biggest problem. It turns out that all my problems with artifacts can be put down to incompatible software. I was scanning on a Powerbook G4. After switching to a MacBook Pro (Intel) those problems are gone.
And yes indeed! I do also have the out-of-focus banding. It's only really obvious at 100% magnification, but then it really shows up and is very irritating as in this 4000dpi scan of a frame of FP4:
The bands are horizontal by the arrows. Some not as pronounced at others. Here is the original:
Could it be lubrication, variations in power supply, ... ? It's very sad now that I have the scanner under reasonable control with VueScan.
- Børre
borrel
Børre Ludvigsen
Here is the latest on the "out of focus banding" problem (which is also discussed here: 120TF Banding Issue on the LaserSoft forum). There is a suggestion from Ed Hamrick (VueScan) who has had a report of a similar problem, that "the source of the problem was interference on the power line. Try using a small battery powered UPS or plugging it into a different power source." When I get back from the Middle East, I'll try regulating the power supply to the scanner and report on the results.
- Børre
- Børre
borrel
Børre Ludvigsen
There is now a line noise suppressing isolator between the wall socket and the scanner. With VueScan (running under Mac OS X 10.5.8) there is still out of focus banding. So I'm now running Microtek's own Scanwizard Pro TX 7.51. NO BANDING, it detects frames nicely and there's a decent job handler. I haven't figured out profiles for B&W negatives yet, and the scans take forever - in the order of 14 minutes (!) for a 6x7 negative at 4000dpi, but the results are EXCELLENT. There is a sample at full size and smaller here: http://abdallah.hiof.no/photography/artixscan120tf/ The largest one is untouched except for conversion from TIFF to JPEG. Example of full resolution detail below.
- Børre
- Børre
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