Choosing a film scanner

[Zenjitsuman]

With the Nikon LS-5000 can you scan longer panoramic 35mm based film like Xpan, Horizon and Noblex 35mm? These are essentially two 35mm frames wide shot on regular 35mm film.

 

[joachim]

With the Nikon LS-5000 can you scan longer panoramic 35mm based film like Xpan, Horizon and Noblex 35mm? These are essentially two 35mm frames wide shot on regular 35mm film.

No. The stepping motor covers about 38 mm. If you want Nikon you need an MF unit.

 

[joachim]

I use a Nikon V with both Nikonscan and Vuescan. They're both great, but Nikonscan's better with 6 frame unmounted strips because it drives the motorized carrier more accurately (with expensive accessories, 5000 can handle whole uncut rolls). Vuescan can be adjusted with more subtlety, which isn't necessarily a big advantage. Vuescan's Infared and Nikonscan's Ice are equally good.

Fuji Astia is incredibly high resolution and has virtually no grain, scanned with Nikon V at 4000ppi and enlarged to 12X18. Fuji Neopan 400, rated at 800 with R-09 is gorgeous at 12X18 (neutral black due to Quadtone). Printing with Epson 2200, OEM pigments using Quadtone.

Which Vuescan version are you using? The accuracy of the stepper for the strips was improved in Vuescan [FONT=Comic Sans MS, Arial]8.4.55, see http://www.hamrick.com/vuescan/vuescan.htm#changes

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[pevelg]

I use a Nikon 5000 with Vuescan. I'm very happy with the image quality, but the real benefit is the improvement to my workflow. The 5000 is very fast, and with a little "tinkering", it can be made to scan an entire roll without the roll film adapter. You simply set the exposure based on the film being used, hit scan and walk away. Comeback about a half hour later and you've got both RAW and JPEG scans for 36 exposures. I use the JPEGs for proofs, and I use the RAWs for anything worth spending time on. If you like to scan entire rolls, I highly recommend this scanner.

What is this "tinkering" that you are speaking of I ask? Can you enlighten me, as I really don't want to spend more money to buy the adapter!!! 😀

 

[Quinn Porter]

What is this "tinkering" that you are speaking of I ask? Can you enlighten me, as I really don't want to spend more money to buy the adapter!!! 😀

You can find more info here:
http://www.jumboprawn.net/jesse/cams/scanners/nikon-coolscan-4000-sa30/nikon-scanner-roll-feeder.html

 

[ZebGoesZeiss]

The Nikon software is not yet compatible with Leopard, according to various internet sources. Nikon has said it will fix this, but hasn't yet. Silverfast (which is pricey) works with Leopard now.

I only know because I've been looking into it, too.

Well, I'm on Leopard (OS X 10.5.2) and using Nikon Scan 4. No problems so far. I actually didn't think about it when I purchased the scanner two weeks ago. Anyway, no problems at all. In fact, it runs better than some programs that are (supposedly) supported... 😀

 

[JTK]

Quinn...

Have you had any grief at all with your scanner following this modification? Any special tricks other than the modification?

What do you think about the suggestion, made elsewhere, of a switch instead of hard-wired connection?

 

[Quinn Porter]

Quinn...

Have you had any grief at all with your scanner following this modification? Any special tricks other than the modification?

What do you think about the suggestion, made elsewhere, of a switch instead of hard-wired connection?

I've had no troubles. I took the SA-21 to a television repair shop and they did the soldering for $5. Of course I can only speak to my experience, but I don't see the point of a switch.

 

[galavanter]

Well I just ordered a refurbed 4000 model from B&H. It is the same price as the new V, with only a 90 day warranty instead of a year, but I want to convert the SA-21 like Mr. Porter did. A visit to the TV repairman is in my future. Thanks for the link and info on that.

I don't know how sophisticated B&H's website is, but the refurbed 4000 is still listed as available in the "Used" dept. I just called them and they said my order was good to go, but the fellow I spoke with couldn't tell me if there were any more available.

As of this writing KEH also has a New V available with the full Nikon warranty for the same $550.

 

[petercs]

Well, I'm on Leopard (OS X 10.5.2) and using Nikon Scan 4. No problems so far. I actually didn't think about it when I purchased the scanner two weeks ago. Anyway, no problems at all. In fact, it runs better than some programs that are (supposedly) supported... 😀

Interesting. I had crashes with Coolscan5000/Niconscan/iMac/Tiger. So switched to Coolscan5000/MacbookPro/Leopard/Silverfast. With very good scan results. Silverfast is a very good program regarding scan / pic processing algorithms. But it's UI is crap as is the stability. Silverfast uses the Nikon supplied drivers. So it crashes quite often. Heard that Lasersoft 'might do their own drivers' but cannot wait for that.

So moved on to Vuescan. Vuescan has a simpler user interface than Silverfast, and can do less. But did not have e single crash so far. Vuescan uses it's own drivers. It is a Mac OS universal binary. Compared to the Nikon drivers Vuescan is reactive. E.g. if you press 'abort' then the scanner will stop allmost immediately. Try this with Nikonscan or Silverfast. It may eventually stop sometime ... or not. You simply get nervous and just switch of the scannner. With Vuescan you can use your Mac for other stuff (pic post processing etc) in parallel. Nikon drivers as in Silverfast or Nikonscan will totally use up you CPU.

I am not yet fully happy with the Vuescan results though. As said above Silverfast still has a small lead (on slides at least). Hopefully I figure out a good workflow with Vuescan. To finally not have to rely on Nikon or Lasersoft to write Leopard drivers. By the way Vuescan has a raw scan file mode, maybe I give postprocessing via Photoshop a try.

I already recommend the Coolscan5000/Vuescan combo. Even more if you use Mac OS X.

Peter