ScanMate drum scanner DIY maintenance, troubleshooting, mods

Yes it's possible because the focus motor only moves the lens a small distance.

Did it work before polishing? I ask because failed focus can be a result of many other things.
 
Yes it's possible because the focus motor only moves the lens a small distance.

Did it work before polishing? I ask because failed focus can be a result of many other things.

Yes, I tested with the scratched drum. The focus was perfect.
Then I delivered with my car a bumpy ride to home.
After I didn't tested, the drum goest to polishing.
After polishing out of focus.
 
Hi, I find the problem.
The scratches was too deep and we polished too much. 1mm.
The film far from the lens and the scanner can't focusing.
The conclusion: I need a new drum!
Please let me know if anyone knows a drum for sale.
Thank you.
 
Thank you for the hint with the lamp!

Does it work with a negative it8 target too?
I only know it8 targets for slide film

There are no it8 targets for negative film. The idea is that if you use any transmissive it8 to make yourself a profile, you can use it on your negative scans. The negative will have more accurate colors this way. You know, red is red even on a negative until you make it into a positive.

Basically same idea if you would make a profile for the reflected scanning, anything you scan on it will then have correct colors. Just that positive it8 targets took this a step further when every film had separate IT8 targets for perfect output.

Overall it's always good to have a profile for the hardware, otherwise it's hard to convert the file into any other profile like for editing, paper profile for printing or for web.
 
There are no it8 targets for negative film. The idea is that if you use any transmissive it8 to make yourself a profile, you can use it on your negative scans. The negative will have more accurate colors this way. You know, red is red even on a negative until you make it into a positive.

Basically same idea if you would make a profile for the reflected scanning, anything you scan on it will then have correct colors. Just that positive it8 targets took this a step further when every film had separate IT8 targets for perfect output.

Overall it's always good to have a profile for the hardware, otherwise it's hard to convert the file into any other profile like for editing, paper profile for printing or for web.

Thank you for your answer!
So if i understand you right, i can use my it8 Target let´s say from a Velvia Slide to profile the Scanner for using this profile as a standard for negative scanning.
 
Thank you for your answer!
So if i understand you right, i can use my it8 Target let´s say from a Velvia Slide to profile the Scanner for using this profile as a standard for negative scanning.

Ideally profiling will make the scanner output match the original's colours. While profiling for a positive won't help with the orange mask of the negative, it will reproduce it more faithfully, which in theory should make the inversion proces easier. I highly doubt you'll notice much of a difference in practise though, but would be glad to be proven wrong.
 
Hi, I find the problem.
The scratches was too deep and we polished too much. 1mm.
The film far from the lens and the scanner can't focusing.
The conclusion: I need a new drum!
Please let me know if anyone knows a drum for sale.
Thank you.

Try stick to the drum thick polycarbonate film and then negative film.
 
An idea for killing wetmount - install holographic diffuser (LSD) at the end of light tube so that light spot will be maximally diffused thus hide scratches :)
 
Hello!

I just joined RFF and am very interested in drum scanners. I just picked up an SM5k and trying to get it all calibrated and ready to scan.

@NetSoft2k Pali is a good friend of mine, who's been instrumental in this journey (e.g. hurting my pocket book bahaha).

Look forward to it!
 
Try stick to the drum thick polycarbonate film and then negative film.

Yes, just use some material (adhesive tape) on both edges of the film to raise the film from the drum a little. See if you can acquire focus that way.

Then make semi-permanent ridges like that on your drum or have holes cut out of the drum in the shape of typical film sizes that you will be scanning. No need to wet mount ever again, no newton rings and nothing between your light source and you precious film... ;)
 
I have attempted to have holes cutout from a crazed drum before and it went horribly bad. Everything looked great but as soon as mounted the drum on a scanner, it was clear that the drum was not balanced and would shake the scanner quite dramatically. It was cut using a CNC machine and I can't imagine if someone could cut it any better.

Just a fyi before anyone attempts to get a drum cut for negatives.

Pali
 
I have attempted to have holes cutout from a crazed drum before and it went horribly bad. Everything looked great but as soon as mounted the drum on a scanner, it was clear that the drum was not balanced and would shake the scanner quite dramatically. It was cut using a CNC machine and I can't imagine if someone could cut it any better.

Were the holes cut symmetrically?

Maybe such drums with holes were only used on certain serious drum scanners and not on "desktop" drum scanners?
 
Were the holes cut symmetrically?

Maybe such drums with holes were only used on certain serious drum scanners and not on "desktop" drum scanners?

Yes, the holes were cut symmetrically. I know that the Scanmate scanners don't like the drum to be out of balance. Even mounting a single 4x5 slide film will throw it out of balance and you'll get increased wow & flutter.

Pali
 
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