16 bit scans

[Perks]

I am using sliverfast 6.6 and a plustek 7200 with a windows 7 laptop. I want better scans and feel that moving up to 16bit may help. I cannot get vuescan to work, despite trying a number of versions and help from the manufacturer.

Can anyone tell me if I would see great benefits from buying the silverfast ai version, as it is very expensive.

Has anyone else had this problem or have any other suggestions?

 

[williaty]

16 bit scans will offer a significant improvement in tonal quality if you're doing significant editing in Photoshop (or equivalent software).

Have you contacted the guy who makes VueScan to try to get help with it exporting 16 bit scans? I would definitely do that before paying for Silverfast.

That being said, I have both VueScan (with a Coolscan 5000) and SilverFast (with a V850) and I cannot get nearly as good of results out of VueScan. That's simply a matter of the control the two programs offer. With SilverFast, I can get the software to stop messing stuff up and allow me to set exactly how I want the result to look. With VueScan, there aren't as detailed of controls and you can't completely prevent the software from altering the image. If I could afford a Silverfast Ai Studio license for my Coolscan, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Specifically, the Expert mode tools under the Negafix/CCR panel in Silverfast allow me to lock the min and max points in each color channel and adjust the curves in each color channel. Those two functions allow me to make MUCH better scans in Silverfast than I can in VueScan. It's an awful lot of money for that power, though!

 

[mod2001]

With VueScan...you can't completely prevent the software from altering the image.

Of course you can!!!

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1660995&postcount=3

For color I use Vuescan and Colorperfect, Silverfast comes not even close whatever settings you use.

Yogi

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I am using sliverfast 6.6 and a plustek 7200 with a windows 7 laptop. I want better scans and feel that moving up to 16bit may help. I cannot get vuescan to work, despite trying a number of versions and help from the manufacturer.

Can anyone tell me if I would see great benefits from buying the silverfast ai version, as it is very expensive.

Has anyone else had this problem or have any other suggestions?

Andrew,

What isn't working with Vuescan? Is it refusing to function at all, or is it scanning but without the quality you expect?

 

[Perks]

I should have mentioned I am talking about scanning black and white, i then edit with lightroom.

Chris, I can't get vuescan to "find' the scanner. Despite intalling the driver from their page.

 

[williaty]

Of course you can!!!

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1660995&postcount=3

For color I use Vuescan and Colorperfect, Silverfast comes not even close whatever settings you use.

Yogi

Yes, I've tried those instructions before. You still can't get VueScan to completely leave things alone even if you follow those instructions.

 

[Scapevision]

Yes, I've tried those instructions before. You still can't get VueScan to completely leave things alone even if you follow those instructions.

I scan as raw output not tif, and vuescan wouldn't do ****, not even dust removal. So maybe you're doing something wrong, I get full control over my raw output

 

[mod2001]

You still can't get VueScan to completely leave things alone even if you follow those instructions.

Do you have an example? Can't see that Vuescan changes anything with this settings, neither in RAW nor in TIF.

Yogi

 

[willie_901]

The advantage of 16 bit scans is the digitized output models the data with more fidelity. Analog signals are continuous. During digitization you convert continuous data into discontinuous data. As the number of bits increases, the digital model for the data improves. With an infinite number of bits the digitized data would be continuous too. As mentioned earlier doubling the bit steps results in more tonality control during rendering. 8 bit digitization creates a maximum of 256 colors per channel. 16 bits increases the maximum number of colors to 65,356. For B&W work you get more shades of grey.

My description is oversimplified because some display software uses more bits for the green channel. But the principle is the same.

 

[Perks]

Thank you William, that was my general understanding. I didn't realise the difference was so great however. I have been particularly dissatisfied with the shadows blocking up, so it seems to me that I will be aiming for 16bits.

Can anyone offer advice on getting vuescan running? Ed hamrick has been very kind and had me install multiple versions but I just can't get it to recognise the scanner.

 

[Perks]

I took the plunge and am very happy I did so, have not printed yet but am enjoying the difference in tonal quality.

What's great is the difference with the '7200' dpi scan, i understand its not truly that high resolution but it is better, at 8bit it was no diffrent to 3600.