Using the Plustek 120 tips, tricks, how-to's

[beezil]

Hello Gang,

thought i'd start a thread pertaining to using this scanner day-to-day.

until a definitive guide comes out with all the cool whiz-bang tips, tricks and how-to's, let this thread serve that purpose.

 

[beezil]

I'll go first! I need help with something that is bugging the hell out of me!

I am not an expert, far from it. my only other scanner is a nikon coolscaniv and i use vuescan for that.

but plustek+silverfast is new territory.

I cannopt for the life of me figure out how to size my view so i can properly experience the preview

seems like it's stuck in a zoomed-in mode, and the magnifying glass is stuck toggling one way in, and one way out. I am stuck with the option of 21 and 26%

not much help.

here's what it looks like trying to preview a mounted 35mm slide

gotta be something simple right?

here's your chance to make me feel like an idiot!

-bj

 

[beezil]

this is ridiculous.

i'm really beginning to hate silver flop.

it's unworkable.

 

[rdocksey]

I experience the same problem; I find that using pilot mode sometimes gets the preview to include all the 35mm frames in the film holder but it's not reliable. My 'workaround' is to use the overview function, refresh thumbnails and then double click one frame at a time and work that way.

 

[beezil]

Tried that

It circles back around to the blown up view

I have a frame and image off the screen

I cant zoom out. I cant re-center

Does this in 120 as well

 

[Bob Parsons]

Initially I had exactly the same problem. The solution is not intuitive since it can be contradictory if your'e scanning negatives. I'm assuming the workflow pilot is turned off. Unlike the Nikon LS 8/9000 the scanner does not appear to know what size film carrier is inserted. Irrespective of whether you are scanning a positive or negative you have to first click on the "transp" icon (just below the workflow pilot icon) and choose the film format. You can now move across to the "negative" icon and choose positive, Kodachrome or negative. It's having to first click on the "transp" icon to choose the format that I found confusing when scanning negatives.

So far I'm pleased with the scanner performance. I hope there will soon be a glass AN carrier. Some of the 40 year old 6x6 and 6x7 negatives I have are bumpy and not flat due to long term storage in envelopes.

Hope this helps, Bob.

 

[kanzlr]

Has anyone figured out how to batch scan?
I thought you use the JobManager and add the frame currently previewed. But there seems to be no button in the JobManager to add the current frame?

thanks

 

[fventura]

Tried that

It circles back around to the blown up view

I have a frame and image off the screen

I cant zoom out. I cant re-center

Does this in 120 as well

When you click on overview, what shows?

If all else fails, it happened to me, I did a re set to Silverfast, it is in the service dialog, bottom left, when you just open the software. (splash screen)



You'd need to re enter your preferences after that.


Fabio

 

[kanzlr]

Overview shows all items in my film holder after a refresh scan, but I see no way to add them to the job manager.

Also, like in Vuescan, I'd like to do a preview scan of everything, adjust each frame individually, and then hit "scan" to do the full scan.

 

[fventura]

Overview shows all items in my film holder after a refresh scan, but I see no way to add them to the job manager.

Also, like in Vuescan, I'd like to do a preview scan of everything, adjust each frame individually, and then hit "scan" to do the full scan.

....Have you watched the videos on SilverFast site?
I have never used Vuescan, but I do hear a lot of good things about it, and so it seems eventually they will support the OP 120.


Sorry i couldn't help.

 

[kanzlr]

thanks a lot for trying, though 🙂
I have watched the videos and read the PDF docu, unfortunately, the buttons they mention do not show up at all *g*

well, VueScan will be there some day, so meanwhile I'll do human driven batch scanning 😉

 

[beezil]

....Have you watched the videos on SilverFast site?
I have never used Vuescan, but I do hear a lot of good things about it, and so it seems eventually they will support the OP 120.


Sorry i couldn't help.

I watched them too, read the documentation .....hell, i even purchased Mark Segals 40-dollar PDF on silverfast8.

Now, I haven't read all 380 pages of it yet.....

yeah, that's right, 380 pages for scanning software.

I don't rememeber reading ANYTHING on vuescan, but i know how to use it.

Something is goofy with my set-up. I am not above saying it's probably my dumb a--

i have no control over preview size or centering.

i did a quick scan trying to address some of the things you guys mentioned (thank you btw) and for whatever reason, it's goofy.

I'll give it another go later on today, but i am getting frustrated with this thing.

 

[fventura]

I watched them too, read the documentation .....hell, i even purchased Mark Segals 40-dollar PDF on silverfast8.

Now, I haven't read all 380 pages of it yet.....

yeah, that's right, 380 pages for scanning software.

I don't rememeber reading ANYTHING on vuescan, but i know how to use it.

Something is goofy with my set-up. I am not above saying it's probably my dumb a--

i have no control over preview size or centering.

i did a quick scan trying to address some of the things you guys mentioned (thank you btw) and for whatever reason, it's goofy.

I'll give it another go later on today, but i am getting frustrated with this thing.

Just to be sure, if things are not responding correctly, etc,
Did you do a software reset? ( Splash page, service dialog )


I also unplugged the scanner when doing that...


I had Silverfast and the scanner go a bit crazy with the frames not aligning etc, that fixed it


Fabio

 

[mdruziak]

A couple tips.

Batch scanning isn't completely implemented yet. LaserSoft Imaging is working on it. In the mean time, you can use the ADF Scan mode. See the last few steps in this posting: http://plustekusa.blogspot.com/2013/01/plustek-opticfilm-120-quick-start-your.html It isn't a perfect solution but it is a temporary workaround.

Regarding the frame alignment issues. If you are on a PC make sure you download the latest drivers from the Plustek website. Mac or PC users: restart SilverFast, go into the Service Dialog and select Reset Software. That should take care of the alignement issues. There will be a new driver release for Mac in the next week or so. Watch our Facebook page, Twitter or the Download page on Plustek.com

 

[beezil]

A couple tips.

Batch scanning isn't completely implemented yet. LaserSoft Imaging is working on it. In the mean time, you can use the ADF Scan mode. See the last few steps in this posting: http://plustekusa.blogspot.com/2013/01/plustek-opticfilm-120-quick-start-your.html It isn't a perfect solution but it is a temporary workaround.

Regarding the frame alignment issues. If you are on a PC make sure you download the latest drivers from the Plustek website. Mac or PC users: restart SilverFast, go into the Service Dialog and select Reset Software. That should take care of the alignement issues. There will be a new driver release for Mac in the next week or so. Watch our Facebook page, Twitter or the Download page on Plustek.com

thanks Mark, i'll give that a shot tonight

 

[beezil]

resetting the software has re-centered and re-sized the previews correctly, but now that i can see the image, and have run several scans, i can see that my image (of known good focus) is totally out of focus. it's not even close.

now what?

 

[fventura]

resetting the software has re-centered and re-sized the previews correctly, but now that i can see the image, and have run several scans, i can see that my image (of known good focus) is totally out of focus. it's not even close.

now what?

The actual scan , or the preview? I think the preview doesn't look good, unless you go 100%

If I know the image, I don't zoom to save time.

 

[beezil]

The actual scan , or the preview? I think the preview doesn't look good, unless you go 100%

If I know the image, I don't zoom to save time.

both.

and silverfast reverts back to the un-centered/zoomed-in problem, even after a software re-set.

i am scanning the test target as we speak

 

[fventura]

both.

and silverfast reverts back to the un-centered/zoomed-in problem, even after a software re-set.

i am scanning the test target as we speak

..crap, this sucks. Sorry to hear that.
It has been working decent for me.

 

[beezil]

now its getting stuck on scanner initialization and simply crashing....over.....and over.......and over........

i'm done with this.

it's ridiculous.

taking a break before i take a hammer to it.