d30gaijin
Noctilusting
Since there isn't Lomo topic here I thought I'd post this here just for the heck of it.
I just got a Minolta San Dual IV scanner and have been trying to do something with it. Lots of ugly scans, which gives me a much better appreciation for what I have been asking of my local photo processors. Be that as it may, this is the first reasonably decent scan I have gotten from the Scan Dual IV. It was shot with a Lomo LC-A on some color negative film I don't remember.
This image has been through Photoshop Elements 3.0 after scanning, then saved as JPEG, then to a GIF, and then back to a JPEG (via ACDSee) because I couldn't save it as a JPEG in PS Elements the second time around, for whatever reason. Obviously I am still learning.
Don
I just got a Minolta San Dual IV scanner and have been trying to do something with it. Lots of ugly scans, which gives me a much better appreciation for what I have been asking of my local photo processors. Be that as it may, this is the first reasonably decent scan I have gotten from the Scan Dual IV. It was shot with a Lomo LC-A on some color negative film I don't remember.
This image has been through Photoshop Elements 3.0 after scanning, then saved as JPEG, then to a GIF, and then back to a JPEG (via ACDSee) because I couldn't save it as a JPEG in PS Elements the second time around, for whatever reason. Obviously I am still learning.
Don
Gordon Coale
Well-known
Hmmm. My images from my camera bag post this morning keep showing up. What have I done?! Sorry.
back alley
IMAGES
i told you guys, the place is haunted!
Mike Richards
Well-known
There's been a lot of discussion on this subject on the Leica forum. Many of the members prefer VueScan software with their Minolta scanner. If you're not a Leica forum member, try:
http://www.leica-camera.com/cgi-bin/discus_e/discus.pl?pg=flogin
Then enter as guest and click on search. Enter minolta and vuescan, and you'll get a lot of useful postings.
VueScan is available on line for free trial. The free version leaves watermarks, and you'll have to pay for it to get rid of them. It's not too expensive -- $50 for the standard version and $90 for the professional.
http://www.leica-camera.com/cgi-bin/discus_e/discus.pl?pg=flogin
Then enter as guest and click on search. Enter minolta and vuescan, and you'll get a lot of useful postings.
VueScan is available on line for free trial. The free version leaves watermarks, and you'll have to pay for it to get rid of them. It's not too expensive -- $50 for the standard version and $90 for the professional.
iMacfan
Established
Hi,
I must say I don't see what all the fuss is about with this VueScan software. Maybe it's because I'm using a Mac, but I tried the free trial and it seems slow and totally unintuitive. The Minolta software is far from perfect, but does seem to allow a good amount of control and is fairly self-explanatory after a little bit of trial and error. Also, it allows you to scan direct into Photoshop Elements.
One thing, though - When I've been using the software as a standalone application, and scanning a large scan with ICE, it has a tendency of quitting the program, not letting me start the scanner again until I restart the computer. Anyone else found this on a Mac or PC, and if so are there any fixes - I think the software is up to date. (Oh, and I'm using a 5400)
Thanks,
David
I must say I don't see what all the fuss is about with this VueScan software. Maybe it's because I'm using a Mac, but I tried the free trial and it seems slow and totally unintuitive. The Minolta software is far from perfect, but does seem to allow a good amount of control and is fairly self-explanatory after a little bit of trial and error. Also, it allows you to scan direct into Photoshop Elements.
One thing, though - When I've been using the software as a standalone application, and scanning a large scan with ICE, it has a tendency of quitting the program, not letting me start the scanner again until I restart the computer. Anyone else found this on a Mac or PC, and if so are there any fixes - I think the software is up to date. (Oh, and I'm using a 5400)
Thanks,
David
R
RML
Guest
iMacFan, I agree with you on VueScan. I've tried it but found it completely unintuitive to use. I tried for over 10 minutes to get the frame lines set up such that they would select the entire strip (I was trying to scan some shots from my Holga-shot 35mm films and my Noblex-shots 35mm panorama shots, both being double the length of normal 35mm frames). I simply could not get it right. In frustration I almost broke my keyboard but came to my senses in time and uninstalled the program. To this day I'm trying to find a way to scan double length negs on my SD3. VueScan is not the program for me.
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GeneW
Veteran
VueScan? Couldn't live without it. It's the only scanning software I've used (on five different scanners no less) that pulls out all the potential of the scanned image
Gene
Gene
peter_n
Veteran
I've read critical comments on the Viewscan user interface on several forums. I have a new SD4 and I'm very happy with the supplied Minolta software. But then I'm not printing from the scans, just using them for the web.
Mike Richards
Well-known
I didn't mention it in the previous posting, but I also don't use VueScan. I have Nikon Scan 4 on my iMac and am quite pleased with it. I understand that VueScan has a nasty learning curve, but many prefer it over supplied software.
ddimaria
Well-known
iMacfan said:
Here's a fix to what you are referring to. This we enable you to restart the software without restarting the computer. Go to : Home Folder, Library, Preferences, DiMage Scan, and then trash the MFSLiblnit file. Once it's out of that folder you can restart the software. I am about to try Vuescan precisely because of these crashes with the 5400 and Mac.
d30gaijin
Noctilusting
OK, I think I'm starting to get the hang of this scanning thing. Of course it helps when one sits down with the manual and really goes through it.
This was shot with my M6 and 90mm f/2 Summicron-M on Agfa RSX slide film.
This was shot with my M6 and 90mm f/2 Summicron-M on Agfa RSX slide film.
R
RML
Guest
That's a mighty fine shot!
kafrf
Established
d30gaijin said:
That's a keeper! Great shot and looks to be scanned very well.
iMacfan
Established
ddimaria said:
Thank you very much - I'll find that very useful.
S
StuartR
Guest
Great scan D30Gaijin. It reminds me of a bungee jumping bridge outside of Queenstown, NZ that I visited as a kid.
In any case, as for vuescan, I did not find it very useful when I tried it. In fact, it completely screwed up my scan multi pro. When I tried to use the normal software, it told me that the scanner was already in use. Finally, the KM tech support told me about the above fix. I am actually not too happy about that, as it is not something anyone would be able to figure out on their own. The scanner and software should be able to reset themselves fully when you do a hard reset...this is a flaw in my opinion. On the upside, the scanner has excellent quality. Scanning just takes a bunch of practice...just like a darkroom. There is no way around it.
In any case, as for vuescan, I did not find it very useful when I tried it. In fact, it completely screwed up my scan multi pro. When I tried to use the normal software, it told me that the scanner was already in use. Finally, the KM tech support told me about the above fix. I am actually not too happy about that, as it is not something anyone would be able to figure out on their own. The scanner and software should be able to reset themselves fully when you do a hard reset...this is a flaw in my opinion. On the upside, the scanner has excellent quality. Scanning just takes a bunch of practice...just like a darkroom. There is no way around it.
kafrf
Established
GeneW said:
Gene, I use VueScan on occasion, but I can't say that I've used it to its full potential. I use NikonScan regularly and find the interface much more intuitive. Any tips or hints on using VueScan, or links to sites where it is discussed in detail?
Ken
GeneW
Veteran
Warren, your scan looks excellent! You're on your way!
And, of course, Wayne Fulton's scan tips site: http://www.scantips.com/
I use the scanning software that comes with my scanners quite often for col work, but I find them to be of less use for B&W. The main thing, for me, is not to try to get a scan that looks like a finished product. I try instead to acquire a very broad range of information from the negative -- the results when I do it right look downright muddy -- but that's what Photoshop is for. In VueScan I set the black point and white point both to 0. I find both my KM software and Epson software tend to clip blacks and whites resulting in scans that are too contrasty and that lose highlight and shadow detail.
There's a guy named Mendel (I think) on photo.net who only scans to VueScan RAW and processes the entire raw image in Photoshop. He's posted detailed instructions but it sounded like a fair bit of work.
I'm not a VueScan zealot -- the interface is crude and it takes some while to learn to use it well -- but I'm a satisfied customer ...
Gene
There's nothing in one spot but lots of threads at photo.net and the majority of stuff is on comp.periphs.scanners -- and as with any ng, the good with the bad -- but it's an active place.kafrf said:
And, of course, Wayne Fulton's scan tips site: http://www.scantips.com/
I use the scanning software that comes with my scanners quite often for col work, but I find them to be of less use for B&W. The main thing, for me, is not to try to get a scan that looks like a finished product. I try instead to acquire a very broad range of information from the negative -- the results when I do it right look downright muddy -- but that's what Photoshop is for. In VueScan I set the black point and white point both to 0. I find both my KM software and Epson software tend to clip blacks and whites resulting in scans that are too contrasty and that lose highlight and shadow detail.
There's a guy named Mendel (I think) on photo.net who only scans to VueScan RAW and processes the entire raw image in Photoshop. He's posted detailed instructions but it sounded like a fair bit of work.
I'm not a VueScan zealot -- the interface is crude and it takes some while to learn to use it well -- but I'm a satisfied customer ...
Gene
S
StuartR
Guest
I have found this as well. My cure for it in black and white is to scan as a positive, setting the black and white points just outside the edges of the histogram, and then invert, level and tweak in photoshop. But like Gene said, it is much better in general to get a very flat or muddy image from the scanner and correct it in photoshop.
GeneW
Veteran
Good tip, Stuart! I overdeveloped a couple of rolls of film last week and this technique of scanning as a positive saved the day!StuartR said:
Gene
d30gaijin
Noctilusting
RML & Ken,
Thank you for the kind words.
And thank everyone for the advice. I will try Vuescan, since it's free to try, but I am starting to get the hang of the Minolta software and it seems to be doing what I need. I don't intend to use it for prints at this time, just for web sharing. I thought about getting the Minolta 5400 but it was over twice the price of the Scan Dual IV, and for my intended use the SDIV seems like it should meet my needs. Naturally, those need are subject to change down the road.
Interestingly, I find Photoshop Elements 3 a step backward from 2. Granted it is simpler, or more intuitive, for new users but it seems limited for more experienced users (IMHO), with one exception! For use with a digital camera shooting in RAW it has one of the best RAW converters I've used (PS Elements 2 has no RAW converter at all).
Don
Thank you for the kind words.
And thank everyone for the advice. I will try Vuescan, since it's free to try, but I am starting to get the hang of the Minolta software and it seems to be doing what I need. I don't intend to use it for prints at this time, just for web sharing. I thought about getting the Minolta 5400 but it was over twice the price of the Scan Dual IV, and for my intended use the SDIV seems like it should meet my needs. Naturally, those need are subject to change down the road.
Interestingly, I find Photoshop Elements 3 a step backward from 2. Granted it is simpler, or more intuitive, for new users but it seems limited for more experienced users (IMHO), with one exception! For use with a digital camera shooting in RAW it has one of the best RAW converters I've used (PS Elements 2 has no RAW converter at all).
Don