Issues with Minolta Scan Elite 5400

[swmlon]

I've recently borrowed a friends Minolta Scan Elite 5400 and for the past day I have been scanning negatives, mostly black and white, none of which have been good. I am using the latest version of Vuescan, on the preview and scan there are streaks going right across the whole frame (as shown in attachments). I don't know what is causing this issue, I have set up view scan in line with the example in the link below as changing with the settings does very little. Except for the Make Gray From box, when I set this to green the streaks are less pronounced but they're still there. Is this a hardware or software issue? I'm thinking the latter as my friend has no problems getting scans from the scanner.

http://125px.com/articles/photography/digital/vuescan/

Thanks

 

[Never Satisfied]

Hello, I sold my 5400 a while back and remember that it did a similar thing with vue scan.

I think from memory I removed vue scan and reloaded it and this fixed it.

I always got better results with the Minolta software, have you tried to use that?

Cheers Andrew.

 

[swmlon]

I don't have the Minolta software, and as far as I've read, it can be used on Win7 64-bit.

I've have uninstalled and deleted the Vuescan folder on the C: drive a couple of times to no avail.

 

[Never Satisfied]

What happens if you scan without there being a neg in the holder, do you get a plain white image or does this have streaks also?

 

[shiro_kuro]

Give the trial version of Silver Fast a try and see what that does ............ good luck

 

[swmlon]

I haven't tried that.

If I don't get the lines, does that mean then the problem is with the negatives? I doubt that would be the issue as I've tried a lot of different negatives with the same results. But I'll try this.

If I do get the lines, then I assume it's likely to be a hardware issue?

What happens if you scan without there being a neg in the holder, do you get a plain white image or does this have streaks also?

 

[foolproof]

Mine started doing that ever so slightly in the highlight areas and only when used with Vuescan. Normally don't use Vuescan as I use the Minolta software but was experimenting. Never did it before then and no os changes that I know of so no idea. Didnt bother reinstallation, I just left it and went back to my usual ways.

 

[Never Satisfied]

Hello again, I have had a quick google search and it appears as though the old Minolta soft ware won't run with Windows 7 even if you had the disc, but I did find this article http://www.hamrick.com/vuescan/minolta_scan_elite_ii.html in respect to tuning the vue scan software to the Minolta Scanner.

I hope this helps, Andrew.

 

[swmlon]

I have calibrated the scanner before I scanned each negative to see if this would have an impact, but it didn't, I would still get the streaks.

Thanks for the link Andrew, although I have tried this method half and dozen times to no avail.

 

[Sparrow]

... I've not seen anything like that on my 5400, which is the MkI version but two things spring to mind:

Firstly, I always scan in colour in tiff format regardless of the media type, why would one discard 2/3s of the data the scanner is capable of delivering? I'm always careful to mask the frame so there are no large clear areas at the edge to muck-up the exposure. With monochrome I check all sharpening, dust and grain removal is switched off.

Secondly, that pattern of lines looks very like some sort of harmonic, a bit like some AC interference on the DC power-supply, like a rectifier or capacitor that was becoming defective.

 

[Michiel Fokkema]

With some tricks the Minolate software will run under win 7 64 bit. I know because I do it.
unfortunate i can't exactly remember but it has to do with reverting to the Vuescan driver instead of the Minolta driver.
So, you install the Minolta driver and then in the settings you specify the Vuescan driver.
i got the solution in this group:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/multipro/
Same fix also works for the 5400 and the Multipro

 

[Never Satisfied]

I had to get replacement neg holders for my Mk 1 5400 because the original holders used to catch and cause a blank spot, can you try the mounted slide holder and see if that makes a difference?
Andrew

 

[swmlon]

... I've not seen anything like that on my 5400, which is the MkI version but two things spring to mind:

Firstly, I always scan in colour in tiff format regardless of the media type, why would one discard 2/3s of the data the scanner is capable of delivering? I'm always careful to mask the frame so there are no large clear areas at the edge to muck-up the exposure. With monochrome I check all sharpening, dust and grain removal is switched off.

Secondly, that pattern of lines looks very like some sort of harmonic, a bit like some AC interference on the DC power-supply, like a rectifier or capacitor that was becoming defective.

I was thinking this might be the case regarding interference, but I don't know how to test this and how to fix this if this is an issue.

And I've tried using colour tiff and the results are even worse, more pronounced lines.

I had to get replacement neg holders for my Mk 1 5400 because the original holders used to catch and cause a blank spot, can you try the mounted slide holder and see if that makes a difference?
Andrew

I unfortunately don't have the slide holder to try this out.

 

[Michiel Fokkema]

I found this:
http://www.fixya.com/support/t872019-minolta_dimage_scan_elite_5400_vista

 

[Sparrow]

I was thinking this might be the case regarding interference, but I don't know how to test this and how to fix this if this is an issue.

No me neither, unless you have another compatible power-supply and can test by substitution

 

[swmlon]

I found this:
http://www.fixya.com/support/t872019-minolta_dimage_scan_elite_5400_vista

Where can I get the Minolta software? I don't have the disks that came with the scanner anymore.

 

[Never Satisfied]

I'm sure you'll find some on the net.

 

[foolproof]

Apparently it's now gone from the Minolta site it used to be on. Might have to be a cd rip, zip and send job

 

[swmlon]

I think I might have found it, but I can't check the link until I get home from work. The link can be found here.

 

[BobYIL]

Start from here..

http://sabatino.name/minolta-dimage-scan-elite-5400-windows7-new-driver