Minolta 5400 on the way!

[matti]

I finally found a Minolta 5400 filmscanner I could afford! As they still seem to go for a lot new I bought on Second hand. It will be interesting to see if it can pull more out of th dark parts and produce better grain sharpness from my Tri-X negs than my CanoScan 4200F can.

I will be able to test it in a week. As it is second hand, does anyone have an idea of a checkup I should do when it arrives, so I know that it works ok? What have the problems been with these scanners?

/matti (I'm over 100 now! posts, that is)

 

[matti]

Sharp grain!

Sharp grain!

Seems to work fine. I actually love to finally have sharp grain on my Tri-x! All people seem to complain about the grain but not me, no.

See the enclosed 100% crop of my son, and tell me I am wrong.

Now I am waiting to try out some sensia 100 that I shot on a sunny day in the skiing pist.

/matti

 

[Nikon Bob]

matti

I saw your original post but couldn't tell you what to check to see if it was working OK. Good to see that you are happy with the 5400 and the results that you are getting. I am very happy with my 5400 but don't use silver based B&W film. I think some members are using the Neat Image program to modify the look of the grain in a photo, so that is always an option if grain becomes bothersome.

Nikon Bob

 

[GeneW]

Matti, I'm glad you found a 5400. Like Nikon Bob, I like mine very much. I use silver-based B&W film exclusively and rarely find a scan I think too grainy. I think you'll enjoy the scanner.

Gene

 

[matti]

What I ment was that finally the grain looks like film grain, and not like unsharp digital noice, like on my old flatbed scanner. Here it reminds me of looking through the loupe when doing wet copying in the darkroom.

I actually did try Neat Image. But I think the grain looks better. At lest in B&W. Maybe if I shoot 400 colour, I'll try to eliminate it by scanning slightly out of focus or using Neat Image.

/matti

 

[gregarpp]

I have used almost all of the Canon and Minolta scanners.
The minolta 5400 is the best of them. There is supposed to be a newer 5400II out.. I am surprised that didn't drop the old 5400 prices.
I sold my 5400 when I bought my Maxxum 7D. (probably should have kept it)