Digital BW, The Print

I just finished reading Alan Zinn's posts on graininess.   It 
sounds very similar to my issue.  I have the Minolta Pro and just 
tested it beside the Nikon 8000.  

Scans of 645mm color negative film illustrate that the Nikon is 
fuzzy in large blow-ups compared to the ultra sharp Minolta.  I 
have to add gaussian blur to my Minolta scans to get them to 
look like the Nikon scans.  

BUT!  The Nikon 8000 seems much better in other important 
respects.  The Nikon has a much more natural color cast.  The 
Minolta scans are bright and unsubtle.  In black and white this 
creates more contrast and blown out highlights with the Minolta.

My big issue is with the excess grain of the Minolta scans.  Side 
by side the Nikon 8000 is smooth and almost grainless.  The 
Minolta Dimage Scan Multi Pro makes 120 film look like poorly 
processed 35mm Tri X.  I've had clients return prints from 35mm 
negs saying that they are too grainy.  This is unacceptable.  

I've talked to Minolta about it and they say they have no problem 
with grain.  I am about to send my scanner in to get it looked at.  
Is anybody out there having these problems?  Transparency film 
is less of a problem.  In fact, I am scanning all my film (b&w and 
color neg) as slide film.  That setting seems to show the least 
grain.

PS:  Check out Alan Zinn's LookAround camera if you get a 
chance.  It is a wonderful machine.

Frank

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