Minolta scan dual IV

[peter_n]

Todd all I've done so far is scan 3 negs, 2 with Easy Scan and 1 with the regular software. The one with the regular software scanned perfectly, I didn't need to do anything with the image. Tomorrow when I fire up the scanner again I'll look for the exposure values presets in the software.

I have to say that the online help has been a joke so far and the manual isn't that well written either. Good job the scanner seems OK... 🙄

 

[Scarpia]

I have had this scanner for several months and have scanned some recent color negs and some color slides (Kodachrome) and tri-x negs about 40 years old. I have not yet printed any but the Kodachromes taken of my son when he was 1 year old (he is now 33) are excellent. I scanned at 3200 ppi with an output of 360 dpi.
I used the regular scanning utility and not Easy Scan. I will have to scale down in order to post and can do this tomorrow if anyone wants to see it. The Kodachromes required no correction as best as I can remember.
The odd thing is when I transfer a good color negative scan from the scan utility to Photoshop Elements 2 the colors seem to fade causing me to make additional corrections that probably would not have to be made if I left well enough alone.
Kurt M.

 

[Todd.Hanz]

My scans of slides do the same, I think you can specify the color output (SRGB, Adobe RGB, etc) and that may help out.

Todd

 

[Scarpia]

Thanks Todd.
Kurt M.

 

[nwcanonman]

Yep, Minolta's built in software is suck-a-licious. I love Vuescan Pro.

 

[Graham Line]

My scanner is the SDIII, not the IV, but the differences aren't all that huge. The Minolta software has an OK cropping facility (adjust the dotted frame in the prescan) and there's no reason to scan parts of the frame you are certain you will never use.
Saving the highlights is trickier, because the Minolta software is fairly crude. The SDIII software has a series of tabs available in the 'prescan' mode that let you make some adjustments. The tabs are arranged so that the workflow goes from left to right. Very easy to make the corrections once you get the hang of it.
Lately I've been scanning BW neg films as BW neg with 1x sampling and getting acceptable results but it's very dependent on the quality of the original negs -- and most commercial processors doing conventional BW seem to overdevelop.
The clipping comment is intriguing. I see this with a couple older film types and some images, but not across the board.

 

[PatrickT]

Sorry to resurect this thread from the dead, but does anyone know if the IV will scan 120 roll? I'm on a budget here and am thinking about getting one. How does everyone like theirs?

Thanks!
Patrick

 

[Todd.Hanz]

Patrick,
no it is only for APS and 35mm. The Epson flatbeds are a good alternative to a dedicated medium format scanner, esp. when you compare the cost. I use an Epson 2450, it's about 6 or 7 years old so the newer models are even better, good luck.

Todd

 

[Doug]

Minolta does offer the Scan Multi Pro, which does up to 6x9cm...

 

[PatrickT]

Thanks guys. I think I will mainly be doing 35mm (as I have just gotten into rangefinders after having bought a GSN 🙂 ) but my Dad likes to piddle in medium format (we have a few TLRs). Does the Dual Scan IV offer a lot more quality than a flatbed? I see myself mainly scanning negatives anyway...

Thanks!
Patrick

 

[peter_n]

Does the Dual Scan IV offer a lot more quality than a flatbed? I see myself mainly scanning negatives anyway...

The general consensus is that a film scanner does a better job than a flatbed. I'm only using my DS IV for web stuff and it does a pretty good job. They cost around $250.