Does anyone on the list use the Minolta Dimage Scan Elite 5400? I am now very worried about this focusing problem, especially since I plan to submit some of my 35mm slides to picture libraries via CD.
I am only getting to grips with film scanning so I cannot comment on the 5400's abilities or lack there of as yet. There are two film holders with this model - one for mounted slides and one for negative strips/APS - would better results be obtained by taking the slides out of their mounts and scanning them with the neg holder? Pat ----- Original Message ----- From: "Shel Belinkoff" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2004 10:57 PM Subject: RE: Future of Film > I've been using Nikon scanners for a couple of years now - the high end > 4000 and the 8000, for a total of four different scanners, and I bought a > 5000 recently. Because I was not very knowledgeable, I thought these were > good scanners, and in many respects they are. Still, they have their > faults, and one MAJOR fault is that they focus poorly if the film is not > absolutely flat. They do not put any tension on the film. What they do is > "average" the focus across the film and give you the best result possible, > which often means that nothing is as sharp as it can be. > > If you choose to selectively focus, say on a central point in the image, > the edges tend to go soft. If the edge is where you choose to focus, the > middle and other edges go soft. And so on. > > So, for best results, make sure the film is FLAT! Place the negs between > the pages of a heavy book for a few days, located in the same environment > as the scanner (so that temp and humidity stabilize). Then scan. For 35mm > scanners there's the FH-3 Film Strip Holder, which helps somewhat, but it > is not a cure for the problem. > > The scanners are good enough for the web and some small prints, but not up > to standards for high quality large prints. > > Shel > > > > From: Nick Clark <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > I'd avoid the Minolta Scan Dual II. Mine was a real dog, > > failing to line up consistently, twain driver never worked, etc. > > Nikon scanners are a far better bet, I've had the Coolscan II > > and now the LS4000. Friends have the Coolscan III and V > > and have had no problems. > > > >
