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cellison

cellison

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May 1, 2007
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Hello all,

I've started seeing strange artifacts when scanning with my Nikon Coolscan V ED. The attached image the same frame scanned with the film inserted in the alternate direction for the right pic.

coolscan_v_problem.jpg


I think the scanner needs a trip to Nikon for service but before I do I thought I'd ask here to see if anyone has any ideas.

Thanks,
Chris
 
Its caused by flare, which is a serious problem with Nikon's scanners. The edge of the neg must touch the edge of the film holder mask opening or light coming through the film base at the edge causes flare. If the mirror inside the scanner is dirty, the flare gets worse. I just took my 8000ED apart and cleaned it, but it was a very involved job. Even with it clean, the neg must be properly lined up or you'll get some flare.
 
Chriscrawfordphoto said:
Its caused by flare, which is a serious problem with Nikon's scanners. The edge of the neg must touch the edge of the film holder mask opening or light coming through the film base at the edge causes flare. If the mirror inside the scanner is dirty, the flare gets worse. I just took my 8000ED apart and cleaned it, but it was a very involved job. Even with it clean, the neg must be properly lined up or you'll get some flare.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the quick reply. Any suggestions on how I can make sure it's properly lined up? I'm inserting the film into the scanner and it gets pulled in. I'm not sure how I can make sure the edge of the neg touches the edge of the film holder.

Is there any point in sending it to Nikon?
 
cellison said:
Thanks for the quick reply. Any suggestions on how I can make sure it's properly lined up? I'm inserting the film into the scanner and it gets pulled in. I'm not sure how I can make sure the edge of the neg touches the edge of the film holder.

Is there any point in sending it to Nikon?
Click to expand...

With the automatic holder that sucks in the film itself, not much you can do. I think. My scanner doesn't have that option, its all manual holders only, so I am not 100% sure.

If the scanner is old, been used for several years, it could benefit from having its mirror and lens cleaned. It made a big difference in scan quality beyond the flare issue when I cleaned mine.
 
Well I'm glad someone else has this problem - I thought I was being victimised!

Same scanner as Chris above. (Just had a thought - maybe it's people called Chris who are being victimised! :eek: ).

Interesting info from Chris C. I usually use the auto strip feeder, but I'll have to give the manual holder a try and see if I get the same problem. I've also had the scanner apart to give the mirrors a good clean and wondered if I had gotten something wrong in reassembly.

attachment.php
 

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ChrisN, yours is a bit different with those two well defined lines sticking down. I don't think you got anything wrong in reassembly though that could cause that.
 
ChrisN said:
Well I'm glad someone else has this problem - I thought I was being victimised!

Same scanner as Chris above. (Just had a thought - maybe it's people called Chris who are being victimised! :eek: ).

Interesting info from Chris C. I usually use the auto strip feeder, but I'll have to give the manual holder a try and see if I get the same problem. I've also had the scanner apart to give the mirrors a good clean and wondered if I had gotten something wrong in reassembly.

attachment.php
Click to expand...

Chris overload!

I'm looking into the FH-3. If a good cleaning and that adapter solves the problem I'll be happy. Otherwise I'm not sure what to do. :(

Chris E.
 
I suppose I can use my V700 in the meantime

v700.jpg


It's fine for reduced for web scans but the full size 3200dpi 1:1 scans are no where near as sharp as the Coolscan :(
 
It happens on images with bright areas (skies usually) at the edge of the frame. The pic I'm using as an example is also frame 2 on the strip so it's not just happening on the first image scanned from a strip (although that one is usually the worst).

I took the scanner apart and cleaned the mirror as per this page and below is the result. Nothing changed.

after_mirror_clean.jpg


I'm not thrilled with the idea of spending money on the FH-3 film strip holder only to potentially find out it still has the same problem.

Grr.

Chris E.
 
Chriscrawfordphoto said:
It is happening because a little bit of clear film base shows in the film gate, letting raw light in to cause flare.
Click to expand...

I ordered the Nikon FH-3 Strip Film Holder which at the very least should help with single leftover negs and negs on the ends of the strips.

I came up with a goofy solution in the meantime. I scanned the negative twice... once with the strip inserted in one way, the second with it inserted the opposite way. I opened both scans in Photoshop and did a File - Automate - Photomerge. Once I had the two images aligned I just cropped out the artifacts and voila! Seemed to work rather well.

goofy_solution.jpg


Thanks for all of your help and suggestions everyone.

Chris E.
 
Chriscrawfordphoto said:
Nice, that did work well!
Click to expand...

The scanner is so fast that it's not really a huge deal to scan it twice and merge the images in PS. If I have to do this for problem negs once in a while I'm ok with that. All that matters is the end result and it's still somewhat less effort than wet printing ;)

Here's hoping the FH-3 works as well as people seem to say it does.

Chris
 
I never worry about it.
Either I crop it or leave it.

Good suggestion on the twice scan trick. It may come handy if I have a real keeper that has this problem.
 
cellison said:
I ordered the Nikon FH-3 Strip Film Holder which at the very least should help with single leftover negs and negs on the ends of the strips.

I came up with a goofy solution in the meantime. I scanned the negative twice... once with the strip inserted in one way, the second with it inserted the opposite way. I opened both scans in Photoshop and did a File - Automate - Photomerge. Once I had the two images aligned I just cropped out the artifacts and voila! Seemed to work rather well.
Click to expand...

That's fantastic! I have this problem too. Thanks for this great and simple solution. I never thought of doing that! I also ordered that holder.
 
Last edited:
The sky is falling!

The sky is falling!

Chicken Littles should go home to rest.

The flare is cause by the film holder not cinching the negative flat all around the edges, or by the inept user installing a short cropped negative in the holder leaving a gap at frame's end.

If the folks who cut the negative in sections aren't careful this happens (a lot!). The only cure is to move the bad frame far enough into the holder so it is completely cinched all way 'round, an extra step and a hassle. Sometimes the frame cannot be saved if the area isn't the sky.

What I saw posted would easily be touched up in Photoshop.
 
Dektol Dan said:
Chicken Littles should go home to rest.

The flare is cause by the film holder not cinching the negative flat all around the edges, or by the inept user installing a short cropped negative in the holder leaving a gap at frame's end.

If the folks who cut the negative in sections aren't careful this happens (a lot!). The only cure is to move the bad frame far enough into the holder so it is completely cinched all way 'round, an extra step and a hassle. Sometimes the frame cannot be saved if the area isn't the sky.

What I saw posted would easily be touched up in Photoshop.
Click to expand...

Hey Dan if you had read the previous posts you'd know that I don't have a film holder. I'm using the SA-21 that came with the Coolsacn V ED which automatically retracts the film into the scanner. The other thing you'd had noticed is that the image I posted IS NOT at the end of a strip.

Of course it can be "easily be touched up in Photoshop" but why would I not try to find out what's causing the problem in the first place? I did come up with a workaround.

You can keep your comments about "inept users" to yourself thanks.

Chris E.
 
I got the FH-3 film holder today and rescanned the negative...

fh-3.jpg


Problem is gone. Thanks to everyone with help and suggestions.

Chris
 
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