[Leica] OT: Anyone has a Minolta Elite 5400 scanner?

[richard-lists at imagecraft.com (Richard)]

I have been very happy with the Nikon LS-4000, especially with the bulk 
film adapter, I can scan a whole roll w/o any effort. However, I understand 
that due to the LED light source, the Nikon scanner is more similar to a 
condenser enlarger and scanning B&W negatives tend to produce more contrast 
and "blocky" image and the light source also amplifies the dust and 
scratches. I have read that the Elite 5400, especially with its "grain 
dissolver" (see http://www.scanhancer.com/) is more similar to a diffuser 
enlarger and thus does not have the problems than the Nikon scanners have. 
Notably the new Elite 5400 II does not have the grain dissolver, so either 
Minolta solves the problems some other ways or that they think it's not a 
problem for a majority of their users, which probably use color film.

Anyway, does anyone have an Elite 5400? If you are local to the Silicon 
Valley, may I perhaps borrow it for an afternoon? Barring that or if you 
are not local, may be I can send you some negatives to scan so I can 
compare the results? I can pick up an Elite 5400 for ~$500, so I would like 
to know there are tangible benefits before commiting to the cost.

Thank you very much if you can help out.

// richard (This email is for mailing lists. To reach me directly, please 
use richard at imagecraft.com)