Nikon Scan / Mac OSX Leopard (10.5)

[Mark Wood]

Having just read the thread about Vuescan jogged my memory. I was wondering if anyone had tried to install Nikon Scan on a Mac with the latest operating system (OSX Leopard/10.5) and whether or not it works. (I was thinking of a fresh install on a new machine rather than updating the operating system on an existing machine where Nikon Scan works.) Nikon haven't updated this software for a long time and their web site isn't overly clear with its advice.

 

[LeicaM3]

Having just read the thread about Vuescan jogged my memory. I was wondering if anyone had tried to install Nikon Scan on a Mac with the latest operating system (OSX Leopard/10.5) and whether or not it works. (I was thinking of a fresh install on a new machine rather than updating the operating system on an existing machine where Nikon Scan works.) Nikon haven't updated this software for a long time and their web site isn't overly clear with its advice.

It does work on 10.5.1

 

[MikeL]

Hi Mark,
I haven't noticed NikonScan quitting unexpectedly (😉 ) any more than usual with Leopard. At some point I'll get around to learning Vuescan, but right now I'm just used to it and don't mind the occasional problems. I'm running a 9000 with firewire. I don't know how things are with USB.

 

[Mark Wood]

Many thanks, that's very helpful. I have to install it for the first time on a new iMac, so I was just concerned that there might be a problem with the installer.

Mark

 

[M. Valdemar]

Nikon Scan will work as a standalone app in Leopard.

The Photoshop plugin will NOT work in Leopard on Intel Macs, it has not been recompiled as a binary. It will not even show up in Photoshop.

It will work if you use the workaround to start up Photoshop in Rosetta, but then it will be extremely slow. (Highlight>GetInfo>Check "Startup in Rosetta")

The best bet is to use Vuescan. You lose some functions such as batch thumbnails but you gain speed and better scans.

It is inexcusable for Nikon not to exert the small effort required to keep it's software on recent products up to date.

 

[Mark Wood]

Sounds good as I always use it stand alone application anyway. I've always preferred the colour negative scans from Nikon Scan to those from Vuescan but the latter is usually excellent with transparencies.

It's a pity Nikon haven't kept their scanner software up to date, especially as they now effectively have a monopoly on affordable (decent quality) film-only scanners. I wonder how long it will be before we see them disappear altogether...? (The scanners that is, not Nikon...!)

 

[portia]

Upgraded to Intel Mac with Leopard, and just installed Nikon Scan 4, works FINE so far, as the separate application (not in PS), in fact, seems to work better than when it was running on Leopard on PowerMac.