Re: filmscanners: Polaroid Insight vs. Silverfast AI vs. Vuescan

["Maris V. Lidaka, Sr." <mlidaka@ameritech.net>]

I have the Nikon LS-30 with Nikonscan.  I used Nikonscan for about a week - had 
to fiddle around with numerous level and curve controls etc., got a good result 
but I still had to re-adjust it all in (at that time) Corel PhotoPaint.  The 
image as seen on the NikonScan panels was not of good enough quality or large 
enough size to adjust properly, plus when brought into PhotoPaint it always was 
different enough from what it looked like on the NikonScan screen that it 
needed further adjustment.

I had already gotten Vuescan to try out on my flatbed, I scanned from the LS-30 
quickly without detailed adjustments - essentially the default settings except 
for inserting the film type and adjusting the crop, and got a scan very good in 
terms of complete information from the film (though it will look bland).  I 
then adjusted it in PhotoPaint - Levels, Curves and sharpening, and my result 
was better - because I was making the fine adjustments using a graphics program 
where I could see what my adjustments would result in better than I could in 
NikonScan.

To make a long story short, why adjust twice when Vuescan gives me all the 
film's detailed information quickly and easily, and (now) Photoshop tweaks that 
information to my liking.  It makes the scan process itself quick and easy - it 
has a specific film setting for (I estimate) over 90% of all films ever made.  
Plus, when adjusting Levels and Curves based on a Preview view (which one has 
to do in a scanning program), one can never know for sure what the scan result 
will actually look like.

Re SilverFast - I only have SilverFast SE (lite) for the Epson flatbed and have 
barely used it, so I can't speak to it's qualities.

Maris


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tris Schuler" <tristanjohn@mindspring.com>
To: <filmscanners@halftone.co.uk>
Sent: Sunday, November 04, 2001 10:19 AM
Subject: Re: filmscanners: Polaroid Insight vs. Silverfast AI vs. Vuescan


| 
| I have to ask this, Maris, and please don't take it the wrong way:  you 
| seem very high on Vuescan. Why? What is it you like about Vuescan over and 
| above SilverFast AI or whatever software that came with the scanner you 
| use? What are the advantages? What are the disadvantages?
| 
| Tris
| 
| >Not to beat a dead horse, but Vuescan will do a RAW scan as well, and if 
| >you were to take a 1/2-hour break from learning Silverfast I guarantee 
| >even you would know enough to use Vuescan well.
| >
| >I have also tried working with RAW scans - the primary problem with 
| >negative film is the orange mask but it can be done.  It's just easier the 
| >regular way.
| >
| >Maris
| 
|