Plusteck 7400 / VueScan problems

[x-ray]

I purchased a new Plustek 7400 last week with the idea of using VueScan with it. While I like the results from the 7400 I really dislike Silverfast software.

Here's the problem, I'm running a Mac Pro with 2 quad core processors and plenty of ram. My OS is OS X 10.6.8 which runs great. The silverfast software is installed and runs properly but the Vuescan will not display a preview and does not display a scan. With transparencies the preview comes up black and B&W negs come up white. I'm using the correct version as the 7400 shows up in the pulldown. Also the motors in the scanner run through the process but nothing on the screen.

Using silverfast the preview and scans work properly.

I've re installed viewscan a half dozen times and tried a variety of different settings including default. NO LUCK.

Any thoughts or have any of you had this problem?

I absolutely hate silverfast so if I don't get the vuescan resolved the scanner gets returned.

Plustek if you're reading this post, please provide a simple acquire app that does nothing other than run the scanner, let you set resolution, crop, select film / pos, neg BW and color and an input profile. Corrections should be made in an app like photoshop not a poorly executed do everything app like silverfast that tries to do everything but does nothing well.

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

x-ray, I've run VueScan on 10.6.8 so it's not an OS compatibility problem.

I have gotten impossibly bad results when I have the options set wrong. I just suggest making sure you have all the options set at Vuescan defaults, and run it in the full "Guide me" mode.

 

[mdruziak]

Here's the problem, I'm running a Mac Pro with 2 quad core processors and plenty of ram. My OS is OS X 10.6.8 which runs great. The silverfast software is installed and runs properly but the Vuescan will not display a preview and does not display a scan. With transparencies the preview comes up black and B&W negs come up white. I'm using the correct version as the 7400 shows up in the pulldown. Also the motors in the scanner run through the process but nothing on the screen.


Plustek if you're reading this post, please provide a simple acquire app that does nothing other than run the scanner, let you set resolution, crop, select film / pos, neg BW and color and an input profile. Corrections should be made in an app like photoshop not a poorly executed do everything app like silverfast that tries to do everything but does nothing well.

Make sure you send VueScan a note about your problem.

I hear you about the simple scan program. Or R&D group is looking at ways to simplify the film scanning process.

 

[Roscoe]

Any resolution to your issue? I have a 7400 coming soon and hope to start scanning without any real issues. I haven't actually used Vuescan with my epson as the bundled software works OK, but I'd like to have all my options available. Running the same OS.

 

[cabbiinc]

I'm not a Mac guy. But going from the scanners page on Vuescan's site:
http://www.hamrick.com/vuescan/plustek_opticfilm_7400.html

On Mac OS X prior to Lion, you need to use VueScan x32 with Rosetta. To do this:

1. Click on the VueScan icon while holding the Control key
2. Choose 'Get Info'
3. Check 'Open using Rosetta'

So be sure that you're using the 32 bit version of Vuescan and not the 64 bit version. http://www.hamrick.com/files/vuex3290.dmg

 

[srtiwari]

I run the 64bit version of Vuescan (9.0.20) on my iMac, with OSX 10.6.8 - with no problems.

 

[cabbiinc]

I run the 64bit version of Vuescan (9.0.20) on my iMac, with OSX 10.6.8 - with no problems.

The 32 bit stipulation is because the driver that Ed Hamrick has for the scanner in question, in this case the Plustek 7400, is a 32 bit driver. My HP scanner requires the 32 bit program (if I want to scan film) where as my Canon and Nikon scanners work just fine with the 64 bit program.

 

[x-ray]

No resolution to the problem. I wasted way too much time and sent the scanner back.

There certainly was no problem with the scanner itself. I simply do not like Silverfast software and never have. It has been bundled with a couple of scanners I've owned and each time went to VueScan. For some unknown reason it just would not work this time.

I will say that you will love the 7400 / 7600 if you can stand the software. The Plustek is without question the best reasonably priced scanner for 35mm that I've seen. If you capture in 16 bit, do no sharpening or any adjustments during the scan and do what I call a raw (not file format) scan doing all adjustments and sharpening in photoshop you can get some stellar scans.

I did a side by side test (tossed the files so I can't post) with my Fuji (cross field) Lanovia Quattro prepress scanner. The cost difference in the two scanners is about $30k. The Fuji was without question better I every respect but I was amazed that the overall quality of the Plustek wasn't $30k different.

At first glance the Plustel looked a tiny bit sharper but tonality and gradation between tones was more abrupt and not as smooth. I finally concluded the difference was probably due to the LED light source in the Plustek vs a cold cathode diffuse source in the Fuji. This I'd the most common light source in high end scanners like the Fujis, Kodak, Creo, Agfa, Imacon & etc. The cold cathode source smooths grain, broadens tonality and helps with dust and scratches. If you have good clean dust and scratch free negs the Plustek is great but the LED light source will kill you when imperfections are present. If I had kept the machine I was going to give a couple of drops ok Kami fluid a try on some of the old scratched negs.

Back to the comparison, dynamic range was very good with the Plustek and would handle most contrasty negs but the Fuji had considerably more dynamic range. From experience the extra dynamic range of the Funi is rarely needed except in the most extreme cases. What I did find with the Plustek was it would start to compress tones in very dense and contrasty highlights and shadows. Information was there. It separation of close tones and detail in those areas seemed to challenge the scanner.

Again let me say I was comparing the Plustek to the top of the line Fuji prepress machine and the quality was shockingly close.

If Plustek offers the scanner particularly in a 120 or 4x5 version with a scanning app that only scans / sizes and allowas 16 bit scans with no corrections I would be very interested in one.

 

[Roscoe]

Thanks very much for the comment on the 7400. It should be on its way soon (asked for b-day present) and i'm looking forward to it. My biggest concern was not the software since I've never used vuescan or silverfast, but if I would be happy compared to the epson v500 I've been using. Great with 120, but pretty lacking with 35mm. Some knock the epson software compared to vuescan, but to be honest, it works fine for me. So maybe I'll have no problem working with a new to me silverfast. I'm pretty good at adapting to whatever works.

 

[mdruziak]

X-RAY - Did you send Ed Hamrick from VueScan an email? He knows how to get a hold of me if he needs anything. If you like, drop me a note at markdruziak at plustek.com.

 

[Teuthida]

One more vote for the Plustek 7400. Great machine for the price, and we owe a debt of gratitude to Plustek for keeping a reasonably priced 35mm scanner available.

I dob't mind the Silverfast. It works, although its interface is the usual jumble of nonsense that it scanning software. Why cant someone make a straightforward interface for scanner software? If one exists, I havent found it yet.

 

[Roscoe]

I got mine last week and have been working with it every evening. Absolutely great scanner for the money and three steps above my epson flatbed in quality. And I started with silverfast, which seemed to work, but was impossible to navigate and way too complicated. I purchased vuescan the first day based on all the good feedback but was disappointed when I got the white or black screens for a preview as the op described. Read back thru this thread and tried the Rosetta option and voila!! Works great! Now I just need to refine my work flow to squeeze the most from the machine as well as the software.

 

[250swb]

Were you using the latest version of Vuescan, it has recently been upgraded to fix some problems with Plustek scanners?

Steve

 

[Mablo]

I picked up a 7400 yesterday. Mine includes a free upgrade to Silverfast 8 which seems to be more user friendly than the 6.6 version.

Someone told me you can get the Vuescan Pro version for the price of Standard version if you show them your Silverfast license? is that true or is someone just pulling my leg?

 

[Roscoe]

How can you tell if you get the free upgrade? Purchased mine last month and didn't see any obvious info. Probably won't matter though as I picked up the basic version of Vuescan the next day anyways. It would be nice if I could have the Pro version instead of the Silverfast upgrade..

 

[Mablo]

Roscoe, you need first to register your current Silverfast version. Then navigate to Silverfast.com website, click "upgrade" and give them your serial number. The website will tell you if your serial number is valid for an upgrade. If it is, they will send you a new serial number which you better save carefully.