[LRflex] Re: Scanner

  • From: Richard Ward <ilovaussiesheps@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: leicareflex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2009 07:15:21 -0700 (PDT)

Hello Richard,
   I'm new here too. Welcome! Seems like a very nice community of Leica Folk 
here. I would like to offer my 2pence worth on scanner options. I am currently 
coping with doing film scans via Flatbed (Epson 4870 specifically) and while it 
'works' and is fairly satisfactory in the sense I'm getting images into a 
digital format and are generally respectable for mid sized prints and online 
stuff and general archiving/inventory control processes - it ain't 35mm Leica 
good. Period. With sufficient fussing and fiddling terrific individual scans 
are well within it's grasp, but the volume throughput is adysmal. 
   I personally would advise getting a dedicated film scanner. Further, If you 
are able to use an older pc or an older mac with scsi - that can be a viable 
route to get into a high grade scanner at a substantial discount. Firewire & 
USB interfaces command a much higher premium when looking for equipment. If 
you're unafraid of doing the scanning on an older OS and an Older PC/Mac you 
can make it the dedicated scanning station and use a modern pc/mac for your 
editing and archiving and such.  The scanning process isn't quick (short of 
substantial capital expenditures) and the ability to have the scanner chugging 
along without the filing, editing, and archiving, computer work impeding the 
time between scans or scan batches will really pay off.
   NOTE NOTE NOTE NOTE
There is an uber wonderful fellow here in the states - a Mr Hamrich - who 
writes a KILLER Scan Driver Program called VUESCAN!
Quite often (Usually) Film Scanners get orphaned because their programs aren't 
updated to work on newer PC os's and the like or a Mac version never was 
written or if it was, it wasn't updated for OSX.

The program can run essentially all flatbed and film scanners. (but probably 
not high volume document scan station units!)

The price is cheap. 
The program has 'easy' modes and advanced options to a fair thee well. 
Google VueScan and give a look see to his website.

Richard 







On Tue, Aug 18, 2009 at 2:51 PM, p.macmahon <p.macmahon@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I am new to the forum, live in London (UK) and need 
>some advice. My fiftieth birthday approaches, and word is that a whip-around 
>might result in a considerable sum. I take 35mm slide film (with my Leica R6 
>with Brightscreen) as well as some black and white. My family also has a large 
>collection of family slides taken by my father with his M3. He obviously 
>worked 
>carefully, as the quality of the latter is astonishing, - I have been trying 
>to 
>catch-up... I thought  of a scanner. Well, to be frank, I thought of many 
>things, but a scanner seemed a practical piece of equipment. Supposing the pot 
>amounted to $1000, would this be wisely spent on a scanner, and what make etc, 
>etc...? Would this be enough? I am devoted to my 50mm 1.4 Summilux (E60) 
>and 28mm Elmarit, using them for family portraits and landscape, along with 
>general stuff. Sometimes I think I should buy a digital camera that would take 
>these lenses, but the quality of those M3 slides just haunts me. Do I need to 
>desert film or just improve my craftsmanship? And so I go round again. But the 
>scanner thing, and any other comments, would be appreciated. 
>Richard



      

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