Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/12/19

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Subject: [Leica] B&W Film Scanner
From: bdcolen at comcast.net (B. D. Colen)
Date: Mon Dec 19 10:42:53 2005

Again, you don't need a used Polaroid Sprintscan - just get a new Microtek
4000 whatever - it's the same scanner.


On 12/19/05 1:39 PM, "George Hartzell" <hartzell@kestrel.alerce.com> wrote:

> Nick Hillyer writes:
>> I am looking for a film scanner to scan my Tri-X negatives, and an curious
>> what others are getting good results with.  I tried a Minolta Scan Dual 
>> IV,
>> but couldn't get it to work with my Mac, and ultimately returned it.  I 
>> have
>> been thinking about the Nikon Coolscan V with Vuescan (which seems to be
>> highly recommeded), but I have not found a lot of info on how it handles
>> silver based B&W film.  Anyone using this combo?  What are your thoughts?
> 
> I'm using an LS-5000 on a Mac running OS X.  I use both the Nikon
> software and Vuescan.  The scanner is OK, but has a couple of
> drawbacks:
> 
>   - the light source (led's?) seems to accentuate the grain in silver
>     films.
> 
>   - the scanner has a very shallow Depth of Field, so getting wavy
>     negs sharp can be touch.  Using the one-frame-at-a-time holder
>     instead of the 6-frames-at-a-time slurper often solves the
>     problem. 
> 
>   - [only applicable to color negs...]  The Nikon software has a
>     characteristic behaviour where it clips the shadows and then puts
>     the darkest value at abot 225, wasting dynamic range.  The
>     solution is to scan as a positive and reverse/color correct it
>     yourself.  Sigh.  Better solution is to use Vuescan.
> 
> All of that said, I wouldn't actively advise against the scanner.
> 
> If you can find a used Polaroid Sprintscan 4000, it might also be a
> nice choice.  Apparently it uses a diffuse light source that doesn't
> accentuate the silver grains.  It's missing Nikon's digital ICE stuff,
> but that doesn't work on silver films anyway....
> 
> g.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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In reply to: Message from hartzell at kestrel.alerce.com (George Hartzell) ([Leica] B&W Film Scanner)