Dimage Scan Dual II tips

[bippi]

Hi,

Is someone out here using or has uses Scan Dual II and Vuescan and has some tips to share with us. Preferably on scanning color films, but B&W scanning tips are welcomed to.

Do you normally scan all of your film or do you choose a few to scan? I dont have a lightbox and I really dont know how to pick the best shots of a film with out one.


Thanks.
Bippi

 

[Bob Michaels]

I used a Scan Dual II with Vuescan for many years and only bought a Multi Pro because I wanted to get the most out of my MF negs.

The SD II / Vuescan combo will give you about as good a print as you can get from a 35mm neg or chrome. There has not been great advancements in scanning technology the way we are used to with digital cameras. The only thing the SD II does not have is Digital Ice which I just don't use anyway even though I now have it.

tip: Vuescan has many possible adjustments. They are there mostly for people who do not want to later tweak the scan in an image editor like Photoshop. Use the basic parameters in Vuescan to insure you are not clipping any of the data in the extreme highlights or shadows, then make your adjustments in your image editor where you have much more control. Your scans will look flat but you will end up with the best files for printing and do it easier that way.

I review my negs on a $40 lightbox and maybe scan 3% of them for further review / work / printing. However, I have no use for simply good photos and seek only those that are extraordinary. Others may want to deal with a larger number of frames. If you don't own a lightbox, then you should buy one. And buy a decent loupe as well. You will have them to be very useful tools to have.

Come back after you have been doing this for a while and have specific questions.

 

[bippi]

Hi Bob,

Thanks for a quick reply. I will be back with specific questions if I will have them later on. But for now I will go out and pick up a lightbox and a loupe.

Thanks again Bob