Digital BW, The Print

From: "B. Alex Pettit Jr." <a_pettit_jr@...>
To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, October 14, 2002 2:39 AM
Subject: [Digital BW] Re: Polaroid 4X5 Scanners Available


> Hello Martin,
> I purchased the SprintScan 45 (  original model ) off Ebay a few weeks
ago. I am trying to determine its quality over a Microtek X12USL that was
also purchased as an intended film scanner.... The SprintScan has a much
higher degree of focus and lower noise in that it takes a dark frame prior
to each scan. The problem is finding Software. The Polascan is marginal,
VueScan from Ed Hamrick, although much better than the Polascan, does not
support multiple scan averaging: the result is posterized. Even SilverFast,
at $425 does not seem to run on this scanner. I downloaded the demo over the
weekend ( 20 Mb ) and it would not recognize this older model. ( email sent
to LaserSoft about that )

Alex,

I'm glad to hear from someone who has one. Download Polacolor Insight from
the Polaroid site:

http://www.polaroid.com/service/software/sprintscan/ss45.html

Not the greatest scanning software package but it will output a raw tiff
file. One thing I noted with Vuescan is that if it does not properly
recognize the scanner and it's data stream, it truncates the incoming data
to 8-bit and then remaps it to 16-bit which amounts to throwing away most of
the data your scanner can produce.

>
> SO, the first results are that it is 'better' than the Microtek...
> I don't know a standard method for scanner evaluation ....
> Someone have a neg for me to scan as a reference ??

You can get scanner resolution targets and density wedges from Stouffer to
measure optical resolution and optical Dmax.

http://www.stouffer.net/Specialtyguides.htm

>
> Oh, it does however hold 4x5 glass plates. The floating spring loaded film
frame needs to be removed and replaced with a soft foam frame. That, with
electrical tape against the mating half of the film carrier makes a gentle
but firm holder for these 100 year old negs....

That's great. I remember you were looking for a way to scan a large number
of glass plate negatives.

Martin Wesley

> ..... One thing I noted with Vuescan is that if it does not properly
> recognize the scanner and it's data stream, it truncates the incoming data
> to 8-bit and then remaps it to 16-bit which amounts to throwing away most of
> the data your scanner can produce.
> 
>
> Martin Wesley