Mac OSX 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and Nikonscan?

I was a happy Nikon Scan user right up to the recent upgrade to OS-X 10.6.7 when it has stopped working. It starts and crashes in spectacular fashion. I now use Vuescan for Black and White and Silverfast for colour work. Silverfast is a complete pain in the backside to use, but the results seem good. Vuescan is miles ahead in my opinion in the quality of the B&W scans. Of course that is only my opinion and your mileage might vary.
 
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No doubt the choice of scanning software is a personal one. I have no problem with Nikon Scan on my mac-mini running 10.6.7 but have heard other stories like yours.

I really like Silverfast but, like you, consider it to be a pain. Still, the Nega-Fix option can work astoundingly well for some films. I finally installed Vuescan a few months back and consider it to be no better than OK. Right now I mostly use Nikon Scan for 35mm B&W and Silverfast for C-41.

Jim B.
 
My computer with Tiger to start, now latest SL version, still works with original KM5400 disk as originally installed.

The new computer that came with SL, WILL NOT ACCEPT the original disk file. I found new software on the net, downloaded, unstuffed with stuffit, and installed. Scanner still works.

The new Mac will also not accept a copy of what works on the old computer even though both work on SL latest version. Took me a day of fooling around.

Bottom line, once in and working it seems ok. Difficult to install from scratch with later OS not made for it.

Two choices are Vuescan which works, but you need to profile the scanner to optimize it. Otherwise it will not easily be color corrected. Or get Silverfast. And you may need to profile that too.
 
OS 10.6.8 is the last version to support power PC software. 10.7.1 does not run Nikon Scan 4.x any more. Non OEM software might continue to upgrade but at some point they will also stop supporting old gadgets.
I just finished a 1 month project using a PC, windows XP and AutoCad 2010 (pro drafting software). I felt I was so back in 20th century by the feel and ways about these.

Keep your old computer paired with old software and old dependent gadgets. They need not go obsolete as a whole system.
 
My experience was just the opposite, could never see why would anyone bother with NikonScan. Good hardware does not necessarily come with the best software (look at X100). And if the software requires a specific platform for no apparent good reason, it is already flawed. All it should really need is generic USB (or firewire) support to be easily compiled on any OS.

All the available information that can be captured from film with the scanner can be digitized by any of the major scanning software programs; why bother and regulate your computing environment by the caprices of Nikon?

I like Vuescan because it also works with my Epson V700, is well supported and frequently updated. Besides, for a while I had neither a Mac nor Windows platform, and it is the only thing that works with Linux or *bsd. Epson's software appears to be much better designed, but I still do not use it for these reasons.
 
Probably Vuescan is the way to go. Unfortunately I tried it a couple of times and find not easy to set the various parameters as I was doing with NikonScan, which I learned to use and satisfies my needs. When I'll decide to upgrade to a more modern system (or computer) I'll keep the i-mac just for scanning in conjunction with the 5000 ed.
robert
 
I've kept 10.6.8 on an external boot hard drive, and use that when I need to. I'd like to use Vuescan, which I own, but don't find it easy to learn. Maybe if I gave up the "old stuff" and had to sink-or-swim, I'd master it. But I would miss ICE on Nikon Scan and infrared cleaning with Silverfast 6. I'm not ready to pay $400 or whatever they want for SF 8, which seems to have a poor reputation even among SF fans like David Brooks of Shutterbug.

The eventual problem I see is that Apple seems to be requiring new computers boot from the OS it was sold with, or an update to that. So it looks like if I buy a new Apple computer with the upcoming OS, I won't be able to boot from 10.6.8, even via an external drive. I guess one could always buy /keep an older machine, but eventually this road seems to be a dead end.
 
Just installed Nikon scan 4.0 and it seems to work fine. MAcbook 10.6.8, Nikon coolscan 5000ed

However I also updated to 4.0.2. but when I check the 'About Nikon scan' button it only says 'Version 4.0.0 en' instead of 4.0.2. Is this normal or did the updating go wrong.

How can I check if the update is running?
 
Roel said:
Just installed Nikon scan 4.0 and it seems to work fine. MAcbook 10.6.8, Nikon coolscan 5000ed

However I also updated to 4.0.2. but when I check the 'About Nikon scan' button it only says 'Version 4.0.0 en' instead of 4.0.2. Is this normal or did the updating go wrong.

How can I check if the update is running?
Click to expand...

Where did you download your copy of NS4?
I'm trying on the nikon site and it's bungling.
Thanks
 
robert blu said:
Probably Vuescan is the way to go. Unfortunately I tried it a couple of times and find not easy to set the various parameters as I was doing with NikonScan, which I learned to use and satisfies my needs. When I'll decide to upgrade to a more modern system (or computer) I'll keep the i-mac just for scanning in conjunction with the 5000 ed.
robert
Click to expand...

I dumped all the manufacturer scanning apps ages ago when the Epson, Polaroid, and Minolta scanning software was so buggy they drove me to distraction. I've been using Vuescan since 2000 ... never even loaded the NikonScan app when I got my first Nikon scanner.

Vuescan takes some learning, but I get excellent scans out of it and continued support. It drives both my Coolscan V ED and Super Coolscan 9000 ED beautifully on OS X v10.8.4. I wouldn't use anything else.

G
 
Godfrey said:
I dumped all the manufacturer scanning apps ages ago when the Epson, Polaroid, and Minolta scanning software was so buggy they drove me to distraction. I've been using Vuescan since 2000 ... never even loaded the NikonScan app when I got my first Nikon scanner.

Vuescan takes some learning, but I get excellent scans out of it and continued support. It drives both my Coolscan V ED and Super Coolscan 9000 ED beautifully on OS X v10.8.4. I wouldn't use anything else.

G
Click to expand...

Thank you Godfrey. Was looking at an alternative although Nikonscan seems to work:
-Can I expect better scanning/image results with Vuescan?
-Does vuescan also support batch scanning with Sa-21 and Sa-30?

Thnx
 
Roel said:
Thank you Godfrey. Was looking at an alternative although Nikonscan seems to work:
-Can I expect better scanning/image results with Vuescan?
-Does vuescan also support batch scanning with Sa-21 and Sa-30?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what "better" means in this context. I've never used NikonScan so I don't know what its output looks like. And I scan to capture all the data for rendering, not to produce a finished product, so I don't know whether what looks great to me in a scan meets your needs.

I don't recall the model numbers.. I have the motorized 35mm 6-exposure strip feeder and the motorized APS feeder for the Coolscan V. Yes, Vuescan allows batch scanning with both of them. It also allows batch scanning with the Coolscan 9000's various negative carriers.

G
 
Godfrey said:
I'm not sure what "better" means in this context. I've never used NikonScan so I don't know what its output looks like. And I scan to capture all the data for rendering, not to produce a finished product, so I don't know whether what looks great to me in a scan meets your needs.

I don't recall the model numbers.. I have the motorized 35mm 6-exposure strip feeder and the motorized APS feeder for the Coolscan V. Yes, Vuescan allows batch scanning with both of them. It also allows batch scanning with the Coolscan 9000's various negative carriers.

G
Click to expand...

Thanks Godfrey!
I will see how stable Nikon scan turns out to be and depending on that try Vuescan.
 
Ok, I charged up my old BBP17 that still has OSX 10.5.8 . Was able to download and unwrap NS4 and it works great with the LS50 and 6strip feeder. Not so true with my newer mac running the latest OSX 10.8.4 and Vuescan v 9.2.23. The Vuescan is not controlling the scanner for some reason. I emailed Mr Hamrick he told me to do a default options command and check USB. No luck... Anyway for now it's going to be the old machine as LS50 workhorse. Is there a reason for me to get the NS4.2 update? I'm worried about rocking the boat.
 
f16sunshine said:
... Not so true with my newer mac running the latest OSX 10.8.4 and Vuescan v 9.2.23. The Vuescan is not controlling the scanner for some reason. I emailed Mr Hamrick he told me to do a default options command and check USB. No luck...
Click to expand...

That's odd, it sounds like a regression. I'm running VueScan 9.2.2 from both MacBook Air and Mac mini running*OS X 10.8.4, no problems whatever driving both Super Coolscan 9000 and Coolscan V.

I'll download VueScan 9.2.3 this evening and see if it has any problems with my systems.

G
 
So after running nikonscan 4(.0.2) for a week on the macbook os 10'6.8 the Nikon software suddenly won't start anymore. Even after installing again it wil not work.

Also i tried the Silverfast 6'6 I have for the Plustek 7600I but that one doesnot recognise the Nikon 5000ed..

Will spend tomorrow figuring out what to do. Even if I go over to Vueescan or if i get the Silverfast to find my Nikon scanner (do I need a driver for the Nikon?) i want de Nikon software to work too.

Roel said:
Thanks Godfrey!
I will see how stable Nikon scan turns out to be and depending on that try Vuescan.
Click to expand...
 
Roel said:
So after running nikonscan 4(.0.2) for a week on the macbook os 10'6.8 the Nikon software suddenly won't start anymore. Even after installing again it wil not work.

Also i tried the Silverfast 6'6 I have for the Plustek 7600I but that one doesnot recognise the Nikon 5000ed..

Will spend tomorrow figuring out what to do. Even if I go over to Vueescan or if i get the Silverfast to find my Nikon scanner (do I need a driver for the Nikon?) i want de Nikon software to work too.
Click to expand...

In all honesty, I wouldn't waste much time with NikonScan. It hasn't worked properly in a long time on OS X, based on what I've read on various forums around the net.

Vuescan is working very well for me. Just downloaded 9.2.24 ... I'll install it later or tomorrow. Gotta run right now.

G
 
Godfrey said:
In all honesty, I wouldn't waste much time with NikonScan. It hasn't worked properly in a long time on OS X, based on what I've read on various forums around the net.

Vuescan is working very well for me. Just downloaded 9.2.24 ... I'll install it later or tomorrow. Gotta run right now.

G
Click to expand...

OK. Just purchased Vuescan. Will scout now for some good info on best way/settings to scan 35mm b&w negatives with Vuescan. (Any tips or links will be appreciated.) Hope the batch scanning with my 'fixed' (for 36 frames) sa21 adapter will work.

In the mean time I also will be trying to get Nikon scan to work again..
 
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