Which film scanner

[neilsphoto]

Hi all

This post may belong elsewhere on this forum but at least I know people here do scan film. So here is the question.......

My Minolta 5400 scanner is leaving or maybe I should say scanning streaks from left to right on my film. These are only or appear to be only a few pixels wide and they are white in color.

I really don't use the scanner much lately, like lately being a year or so. At one point when I was using it the carrier got stuck in the scanner and I had to take the 5400 apart somewhat to get it out. Last time I used it I had no streaks though.

I've been a Vuescan user for years. For laughs I will try Silverfast and see if the streaks stay.

So is there anyone out there repairing Minolta scanners?

I looked at B&H and see these Plustek scanners. Nice price at about a 1/3 of what the Minolta cost. I see Nikon still has some scanners. I poked around eBay to see what was out there.

So who is using what these days? Repairs and service anywhere for the Minoltas?

I really want to use my "M". Digital is nice but TX is in the blood.

Thanks

Neil

 

[aad]

Vuescan would cause streaking/banding on my Minolta SDIV.

 

[neilsphoto]

I've been trying the Silverfast demo tonight and I get no lines or streaks at all. Weird that after 4yrs of using Vuescan these lines only appear now. So I may buy Silverfast instead of a scanner.

I did find some references to the repairs of others on some forums and most were really unhappy with Minoltas' repairs. Hope I don't need one!

Neil

 

[Frank Petronio]

I found an inexpesive mint Minolta Dual Scan IV for B&W w Vuescan and couldn't be happier, although when I dies I guess I will either buy another or spring for a Nikon.

 

[tomasis]

It is interesting since I had much problems with Vuescan using Minolta Dualscan III. This always struggles, sometimes it hangs up after 20 minutes.

Please tell how is like using Silverfast compared to Vuescan? I'm also considering to buy a Silverfast too.

 

[Rafael Macia]

Minolta has a technical hotline. The tech people know Minolta 5400's (I have a Scan Elite 11)
toll free 877 462 4464
Rafael

 

[neilsphoto]

Well I'm sure there are more pros and cons to Silverfast than I learned in 2 hours. I got the demo for Silverfast AI.

Pros: cleaner better scans than I get from Vuescan BUT Vuescan used to work fine. I'm pretty sure I am usinfg V 8.4.4 of Vuescan.

Lots of controls and the UI is sometimes easier and more intuitive than Vuescan. The exception was I couldn't figure out how to advance the film carrier past frame #1. I found it finally but it took an hour, no kidding.

Many many choices of film to help dial in the whole unit and from there PS like curves/levels etc for adjustments.

Scans at 5400dpi far far faster than Vuescan but I only tried a single pass scan. It will of course get slower with more passes or samples. I was totally satisfied with single pass with the Vuescan and rarely did more. I understand the reason to do more but I was OK with one.

Cons: I think if I buy it I will have fewer cons. That's because I'll learn how to use it. I haven't made a print with it yet. Tough to really judge till I print it.

One con may be price. I bought the Pro version of Vuescan 4 years ago with unlimited free upgrades for less than $100 I think.

It may be because I got a demo for an expensive version of Silverfast that when I go to the store I am only directed to buy what I demo'd but this is $299 and up SW. Somewhere on Silverfast site I saw a "basic" version for $49, and another for $119. I may have to demo those to find out unless someone out there wants to.

So I have to see how it prints, watermark and all. When all I did was scan film and make prints @ 3yrs ago I was and still am into the look of the thousands of images I've done over almost 40 yrs in this with 22yrs of that as a pro. I'm not a retired guy by far.

I really like the look of film, grain, warts and all. I scanned my TX and TMZ 3200 and made my prints with a 2200 using the BO (black only ink) method and got the grit I was looking for. Now after using MIS UT7 for awile I've gone to QTR in the 2200 with super reliable OE inks. I still like the look, maybe more than BO.

Fast forward to shooting digital for the last 3 yrs and I add grain to my images. I just have to scuff them up. I CAN do a super clean super smooth version for a client when I do have one but other than that I need some grit.

I have added "grain" in Alien Skins' exposure to ISO 1600 images from my D3. 1600 ias too clean! The D3 at 12,800 looks on screen to be less grainy/noisy than the Silverfast/Vuescan images at 3200. On screen I say. I have 12,800 prints that are good to the point of absurd in regards to grain/noise/detail. They really feel like fast film.

Anyway. I'm not done here. I really don't want to put $399 into SW I use so seldom. I also don't want to buy a scanner. I want to shoot more film but in reality I don't. I must (I hope!) have some gems in all the notebook of negs I have. Would be a shame to never harvest them.

Neil

 

[Cron]

Hi all!

why don't use the original Konica Minolta Software? I have the 5400 II and have no problems until now. I am no software or scanner specialist so please excuse this question if it sounds unprofessional in your ears.

thanks

 

[neilsphoto]

I found the the supplied SW was really poor at scanning silver based B&W films. It flat out couldn't scan TMZ 3200. I trying some prints from TMZ 3200 now that I did in Silverfast.

I do so little color film I can't remember if it was OK with that or not.

Neil

 

[JPSuisse]

Hi there,

I'm usuing a Nikon 5000 and also have an Epson Photoperfection V750. I know both are expensive... Also I'm usuing Vuescan and it works well.

One thing I want to point out. I think that both Nikon and Silverfast need to have their heads examined. Ed Hamrick from Vuescan an A+...

The reason why I didn't opt for Silverfast was because they told me that I needed to different applications of Silverfast to use both scanners... Something about otpimal usage of each CCD chip. THAT I BELIEVE WAS A BOGUS LIE! Anybody who's done any programming work just uses a different module or whatever... Vuescan simply recognizes the scanner and presents the options applicable for that scanner... Very good.

I asked Nikon several specific questions on how their products work about for instance the resolution of the stepping motor, etc. They just replied that "all this is a company seceret."

Meine Güte!

As for the Epson V750, I really don't have enough experience yet to say, if it's good or not.

Cheeers,

JP

 

[neilsphoto]

Back to one of my posts up there I did find pricing. There is a basic version $49 and the "AI" version $104. that would suit most everybody.

I've been doing more trials with it today and I am very very pleased. I forgot how good a nice scan can look. My M cameras and lenses haven't been getting much use but that has got to change. EVerything I'm scanning is from an M6 and various lenses.

Why Vuescan is now not working well with my 5400 I don't know. Silverfast is working, the scans are great and the bottom line is that my B&W prints with my workflow of 2200,QTR and my new best friend Ilford Gold fiber silk paper are stunning.

Neil