Digital BW, The Print

(Cross-Posted w/ Piezo 3000 group)

I recently purchased a Minolta Multi Pro, and have been running 
tests with it. The scan times seem excessively long, even though 
I've assigned a full gig of ram to Minolta's scan software and am 
using Firewire (on a G4 OS 9.1): 5 minutes for a 35mm B&W neg 
at 4800, 10 minutes for a 35mm color neg at 4800, 20 minutes 
for a color neg at 4800 with ICE3. These are without 
multi-sampling, which dramatically increases scan times using 
Minolta's scan software. (Digital Resources's review of the Multi 
Pro seems to indicate the Multi-Pro actually scans about 10% 
faster using a SCSI connection on a G3 compared with Firewire 
on a G4 - figure that if you can!).

I've used a Minolta Scan Elite for the past 15 months with 
excellent results - but only by using Vuescan software. My 
positive experience with the Scan Elite - coupled with Vuescan - 
is why I purchased the Multi-Pro. The Minolta software on the 
Elite was slow, and gave mediocre scans, but Vuescan made 
the unit shine - much better than a Nikon 2000 or Polaroid 4000 
for B&W and for color neg (I tested both of them with their 
respective manufacturer's software, although not with Vuescan). 
Vuescan cut the scanning times approximately in half, with much 
better quality and wider dynamic range, when compared to the 
Minolta software. Even Ed's incorporated defect-removal 
software seems to work better than the much vaunted ICE - and 
without increasing scan times by very much - in my opinion.

Ed Hamrick has said that he plans to create a version of 
Vuescan for the Multi-Pro, so I have my fingers crossed that he is 
successful, and releases it soon, and that it scans rapidly and 
efficiently, as Vuescan does on the Scan Elite. (Ed has also said 
he plans to incorporate a histogram in Vuescan in the future - 
which could really make it a dynamite program to use).

Minolta has created a beautiful and intuitive user interface for 
their software, but the underlying scanning program is awful 
(again in my opinion), and doesn't allow the user access to the 
full quality - and potential speed - of the hardware (at least that 
has been my experience using the Scan Elite). 

Too bad for Minolta; they are definitely going to lose professional 
enthusiasm and sales for what may be a beautiful piece of 
hardware, which includes excellent film holders (they have even 
included glass inserts for the 6x6 to 6x9 film holder along with 
the scanner) - that is, unless they radically revise and improve 
the quality and speed of their scanning software, and soon.

I plan to forward these exchanges to Minolta, and to Ed Hamrick.

My 2 cents,
James Lerager

I have just stalled my order on the Minolta scanner and am considering the
Polariod 120 which comes bundeled with the silverfast software.

It is a hard decision to make! Anyone out there using the Polaroid that has
any user feed back.

Adam

  -----Original Message-----
  From: James Lerager [mailto:JLerager@...]
  Sent: 14 November 2001 21:13
  To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
  Subject: [Digital BW] Minolta Multi Pro Preliminary Report


  (Cross-Posted w/ Piezo 3000 group)

  I recently purchased a Minolta Multi Pro, and have been running
  tests with it. The scan times seem excessively long, even though
  I've assigned a full gig of ram to Minolta's scan software and am
  using Firewire (on a G4 OS 9.1): 5 minutes for a 35mm B&W neg
  at 4800, 10 minutes for a 35mm color neg at 4800, 20 minutes
  for a color neg at 4800 with ICE3. These are without
  multi-sampling, which dramatically increases scan times using
  Minolta's scan software. (Digital Resources's review of the Multi
  Pro seems to indicate the Multi-Pro actually scans about 10%
  faster using a SCSI connection on a G3 compared with Firewire
  on a G4 - figure that if you can!).

  I've used a Minolta Scan Elite for the past 15 months with
  excellent results - but only by using Vuescan software. My
  positive experience with the Scan Elite - coupled with Vuescan -
  is why I purchased the Multi-Pro. The Minolta software on the
  Elite was slow, and gave mediocre scans, but Vuescan made
  the unit shine - much better than a Nikon 2000 or Polaroid 4000
  for B&W and for color neg (I tested both of them with their
  respective manufacturer's software, although not with Vuescan).
  Vuescan cut the scanning times approximately in half, with much
  better quality and wider dynamic range, when compared to the
  Minolta software. Even Ed's incorporated defect-removal
  software seems to work better than the much vaunted ICE - and
  without increasing scan times by very much - in my opinion.

  Ed Hamrick has said that he plans to create a version of
  Vuescan for the Multi-Pro, so I have my fingers crossed that he is
  successful, and releases it soon, and that it scans rapidly and
  efficiently, as Vuescan does on the Scan Elite. (Ed has also said
  he plans to incorporate a histogram in Vuescan in the future -
  which could really make it a dynamite program to use).

  Minolta has created a beautiful and intuitive user interface for
  their software, but the underlying scanning program is awful
  (again in my opinion), and doesn't allow the user access to the
  full quality - and potential speed - of the hardware (at least that
  has been my experience using the Scan Elite).

  Too bad for Minolta; they are definitely going to lose professional
  enthusiasm and sales for what may be a beautiful piece of
  hardware, which includes excellent film holders (they have even
  included glass inserts for the 6x6 to 6x9 film holder along with
  the scanner) - that is, unless they radically revise and improve
  the quality and speed of their scanning software, and soon.

  I plan to forward these exchanges to Minolta, and to Ed Hamrick.

  My 2 cents,
  James Lerager


        Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
              ADVERTISEMENT




  Please visit the Group Homepage to check the Files, Bookmarks, Polls and
other resources as they are often being updated. The page is at:

  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint

  Please follow these basic guidelines:
  - Include your full name with your message.
  - Include the address of your website, if you have one.
  - As threads develop, trim off excess portions of earlier messages to keep
them short.
  - As the topic of a thread changes remember to change the subject header.
  - Good manners are required at all time. No personal attacks or "flames."
  - Complete your Yahoo profile.
  - Before posting a question, search the message archives and the various
resources on the homepage.




  Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.



----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
  Incoming mail is certified Virus Free.
  Checked by AVG anti-virus system (www.grisoft.com).
  Version: 6.0.281 / Virus Database: 149 - Release Date: 18/09/01




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Right now I'd steer clear of anything Polaroid... :-)

tim a


really - is Polaroid scanners a totally separate division of the corp.?
Anyone know?

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mahesi Caplan-Faust [mailto:caplan@...]
> Sent: November 15, 2001 7:52 AM
> To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: RE: [Digital BW] Minolta Multi Pro V's Polaroid 120 user
> feedback!
>
>
> I have just stalled my order on the Minolta scanner and am considering the
> Polariod 120 which comes bundeled with the silverfast software.
>
> It is a hard decision to make! Anyone out there using the
> Polaroid that has
> any user feed back.
>
> Adam
>   -----Original Message-----
>   From: James Lerager [mailto:JLerager@...]
>   Sent: 14 November 2001 21:13
>   To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
>   Subject: [Digital BW] Minolta Multi Pro Preliminary Report
>
>
>   (Cross-Posted w/ Piezo 3000 group)
>
>   I recently purchased a Minolta Multi Pro, and have been running
>   tests with it. The scan times seem excessively long, even though
>   I've assigned a full gig of ram to Minolta's scan software and am
>   using Firewire (on a G4 OS 9.1): 5 minutes for a 35mm B&W neg
>   at 4800, 10 minutes for a 35mm color neg at 4800, 20 minutes
>   for a color neg at 4800 with ICE3. These are without
>   multi-sampling, which dramatically increases scan times using
>   Minolta's scan software. (Digital Resources's review of the Multi
>   Pro seems to indicate the Multi-Pro actually scans about 10%
>   faster using a SCSI connection on a G3 compared with Firewire
>   on a G4 - figure that if you can!).
>
>   I've used a Minolta Scan Elite for the past 15 months with
>   excellent results - but only by using Vuescan software. My
>   positive experience with the Scan Elite - coupled with Vuescan -
>   is why I purchased the Multi-Pro. The Minolta software on the
>   Elite was slow, and gave mediocre scans, but Vuescan made
>   the unit shine - much better than a Nikon 2000 or Polaroid 4000
>   for B&W and for color neg (I tested both of them with their
>   respective manufacturer's software, although not with Vuescan).
>   Vuescan cut the scanning times approximately in half, with much
>   better quality and wider dynamic range, when compared to the
>   Minolta software. Even Ed's incorporated defect-removal
>   software seems to work better than the much vaunted ICE - and
>   without increasing scan times by very much - in my opinion.
>
>   Ed Hamrick has said that he plans to create a version of
>   Vuescan for the Multi-Pro, so I have my fingers crossed that he is
>   successful, and releases it soon, and that it scans rapidly and
>   efficiently, as Vuescan does on the Scan Elite. (Ed has also said
>   he plans to incorporate a histogram in Vuescan in the future -
>   which could really make it a dynamite program to use).
>
>   Minolta has created a beautiful and intuitive user interface for
>   their software, but the underlying scanning program is awful
>   (again in my opinion), and doesn't allow the user access to the
>   full quality - and potential speed - of the hardware (at least that
>   has been my experience using the Scan Elite).
>
>   Too bad for Minolta; they are definitely going to lose professional
>   enthusiasm and sales for what may be a beautiful piece of
>   hardware, which includes excellent film holders (they have even
>   included glass inserts for the 6x6 to 6x9 film holder along with
>   the scanner) - that is, unless they radically revise and improve
>   the quality and speed of their scanning software, and soon.
>
>   I plan to forward these exchanges to Minolta, and to Ed Hamrick.
>
>   My 2 cents,
>   James Lerager
>
>
>         Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
>               ADVERTISEMENT
>
>
>
>
>   Please visit the Group Homepage to check the Files, Bookmarks, Polls and
> other resources as they are often being updated. The page is at:
>
>   http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint
>
>   Please follow these basic guidelines:
>   - Include your full name with your message.
>   - Include the address of your website, if you have one.
>   - As threads develop, trim off excess portions of earlier
> messages to keep
> them short.
>   - As the topic of a thread changes remember to change the
> subject header.
>   - Good manners are required at all time. No personal attacks or
> "flames."
>   - Complete your Yahoo profile.
>   - Before posting a question, search the message archives and the various
> resources on the homepage.
>
>
>
>
>   Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----------
> --
>   Incoming mail is certified Virus Free.
>   Checked by AVG anti-virus system (www.grisoft.com).
>   Version: 6.0.281 / Virus Database: 149 - Release Date: 18/09/01
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
> Please visit the Group Homepage to check the Files, Bookmarks,
> Polls and other resources as they are often being updated. The page is at:
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint
>
> Please follow these basic guidelines:
> - Include your full name with your message.
> - Include the address of your website, if you have one.
> - As threads develop, trim off excess portions of earlier
> messages to keep them short.
> - As the topic of a thread changes remember to change the subject header.
> - Good manners are required at all time. No personal attacks or "flames."
> - Complete your Yahoo profile.
> - Before posting a question, search the message archives and the
> various resources on the homepage.
>
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>

Hi all,

Yesterday I wrote that I was experiencing slow scan times with 
my new Minolta Multi Pro. I spoke with a Minolta service 
technician this morning, and he has corrected my scanning 
process with the Multi Pro...

I was scanning directly on the desktop, not through Photoshop 
with the Multi-Pro Plug In; the technician informed me that the 
scanner is very fast through Photoshop using the Plug In, but 
very slow on the desktop (my experience). I've just finished 
retesting using Photoshop/Import/Multi-Pro/Scan, and the 
technician is correct! This is a super-fast scanner when used 
with Photoshop (in my case, PS 6.01).

My new scan times: 
     35mm B&W, 4800 dpi, 16 bit: less than 2 minutes (68 megs)
     35mm B&W, 4800 dpi, 16 bit, 2x sampling: less than 3 Mins
     35mm ColorNeg, 4800 dpi, 16 bit, ICE3: 6 minutes (186 
megs)

This times are about two thirds faster than times I got scanning 
from the desktop. Scanning from the desktop, rather than 
through photoshop, may also be the error than Digital 
Resources made when they gave the Multi-Pro an excellent 
review, but with the exception that they thought it was "a little 
slow."

This scanner is excellent when used optimally! My reservations 
about the software are now completely erased. And the software 
is very easy to use. And the manual focus control is also easy 
and fast to use, and dead-on accurate.

Minolta now earns an A+ in my book (and my apology to Minolta 
for my earlier post)!

Cheers,
James Lerager



--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "James Lerager" 
<JLerager@y...> wrote:
> (Cross-Posted w/ Piezo 3000 group)
> 
> I recently purchased a Minolta Multi Pro, and have been 
running 
> tests with it. The scan times seem excessively long, even 
though 
> I've assigned a full gig of ram to Minolta's scan software and 
am 
> using Firewire (on a G4 OS 9.1): 5 minutes for a 35mm B&W 
neg 
> at 4800, 10 minutes for a 35mm color neg at 4800, 20 minutes 
> for a color neg at 4800 with ICE3. These are without 
> multi-sampling, which dramatically increases scan times 
using 
> Minolta's scan software. (Digital Resources's review of the 
Multi 
> Pro seems to indicate the Multi-Pro actually scans about 10% 
> faster using a SCSI connection on a G3 compared with 
Firewire 
> on a G4 - figure that if you can!).
> 
> I've used a Minolta Scan Elite for the past 15 months with 
> excellent results - but only by using Vuescan software. My 
> positive experience with the Scan Elite - coupled with Vuescan 
- 
> is why I purchased the Multi-Pro. The Minolta software on the 
> Elite was slow, and gave mediocre scans, but Vuescan made 
> the unit shine - much better than a Nikon 2000 or Polaroid 
4000 
> for B&W and for color neg (I tested both of them with their 
> respective manufacturer's software, although not with 
Vuescan). 
> Vuescan cut the scanning times approximately in half, with 
much 
> better quality and wider dynamic range, when compared to the 
> Minolta software. Even Ed's incorporated defect-removal 
> software seems to work better than the much vaunted ICE - 
and 
> without increasing scan times by very much - in my opinion.
> 
> Ed Hamrick has said that he plans to create a version of 
> Vuescan for the Multi-Pro, so I have my fingers crossed that he 
is 
> successful, and releases it soon, and that it scans rapidly and 
> efficiently, as Vuescan does on the Scan Elite. (Ed has also 
said 
> he plans to incorporate a histogram in Vuescan in the future - 
> which could really make it a dynamite program to use).
> 
> Minolta has created a beautiful and intuitive user interface for 
> their software, but the underlying scanning program is awful 
> (again in my opinion), and doesn't allow the user access to the 
> full quality - and potential speed - of the hardware (at least that 
> has been my experience using the Scan Elite). 
> 
> Too bad for Minolta; they are definitely going to lose 
professional 
> enthusiasm and sales for what may be a beautiful piece of 
> hardware, which includes excellent film holders (they have 
even 
> included glass inserts for the 6x6 to 6x9 film holder along with 
> the scanner) - that is, unless they radically revise and improve 
> the quality and speed of their scanning software, and soon.
> 
> I plan to forward these exchanges to Minolta, and to Ed 
Hamrick.

> 
> My 2 cents,
> James Lerager

> I have just stalled my order on the Minolta scanner and am considering the
> Polariod 120 which comes bundeled with the silverfast software.
>
> It is a hard decision to make! Anyone out there using the Polaroid that
has
> any user feed back.
>

Oh yes indeed it is!!!
I am in front of the same decision - I tend towards the Polaroid, but the
4800 resolution of the Minolta is seducing - ICE not necessarily.

Maybe I try to find a dealer where I can rent the Polaroid for a week or so,
with the option to get back that money if I purchase it after. To try a unit
out is always the best way to find out what you like and don\ufffdt like about
it....

But I hear the Polaroid is very strong at b&w negs, which is what I do most.

Greetings Bernhard

Adam,

I got the Polaroid 120 in May to scan my 6X7 negs and it is doing an 
excellent job. There was some trouble with Silverfast and Windows 
2000 initially but that has been corrected by Silverfast. It also 
gives me slightly better 35mm scans than the Polaroid 4000 it 
replaced (14-bit vs. 12-bit).

My only complaint is that the medium format film carrier is not full 
frame on the edges. At this time there is no glass carrier, which was 
not a drawback in my mind but is an issue for a lot of people. 

I am not too concerned about support Polaroid vanishing over night. 
They are much too big and famous not to continue on in some form, 
probably under new ownership and perhaps in pieces.

Sounds like the Minolta has the better film carriers and the edge in 
35mm resolution at 4800 dpi. I don't know if the 3200 dpi for medium 
format would be significant or not in comparison to the Nikon and 
Polaroid at 4000 dpi. Probably not.

It's a tough call.

Martin Wesley


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Mahesi Caplan-Faust" 
<caplan@n...> wrote:
> I have just stalled my order on the Minolta scanner and am 
considering the
> Polariod 120 which comes bundeled with the silverfast software.
> 
> It is a hard decision to make! Anyone out there using the Polaroid 
that has
> any user feed back.
> 
> Adam
>   -----Original Message-----
>   From: James Lerager [mailto:JLerager@y...]
>   Sent: 14 November 2001 21:13
>   To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y...
>   Subject: [Digital BW] Minolta Multi Pro Preliminary Report
> 
> 
>   (Cross-Posted w/ Piezo 3000 group)
> 
>   I recently purchased a Minolta Multi Pro, and have been running
>   tests with it. The scan times seem excessively long, even though
>   I've assigned a full gig of ram to Minolta's scan software and am
>   using Firewire (on a G4 OS 9.1): 5 minutes for a 35mm B&W neg
>   at 4800, 10 minutes for a 35mm color neg at 4800, 20 minutes
>   for a color neg at 4800 with ICE3. These are without
>   multi-sampling, which dramatically increases scan times using
>   Minolta's scan software. (Digital Resources's review of the Multi
>   Pro seems to indicate the Multi-Pro actually scans about 10%
>   faster using a SCSI connection on a G3 compared with Firewire
>   on a G4 - figure that if you can!).
> 
>   I've used a Minolta Scan Elite for the past 15 months with
>   excellent results - but only by using Vuescan software. My
>   positive experience with the Scan Elite - coupled with Vuescan -
>   is why I purchased the Multi-Pro. The Minolta software on the
>   Elite was slow, and gave mediocre scans, but Vuescan made
>   the unit shine - much better than a Nikon 2000 or Polaroid 4000
>   for B&W and for color neg (I tested both of them with their
>   respective manufacturer's software, although not with Vuescan).
>   Vuescan cut the scanning times approximately in half, with much
>   better quality and wider dynamic range, when compared to the
>   Minolta software. Even Ed's incorporated defect-removal
>   software seems to work better than the much vaunted ICE - and
>   without increasing scan times by very much - in my opinion.
> 
>   Ed Hamrick has said that he plans to create a version of
>   Vuescan for the Multi-Pro, so I have my fingers crossed that he is
>   successful, and releases it soon, and that it scans rapidly and
>   efficiently, as Vuescan does on the Scan Elite. (Ed has also said
>   he plans to incorporate a histogram in Vuescan in the future -
>   which could really make it a dynamite program to use).
> 
>   Minolta has created a beautiful and intuitive user interface for
>   their software, but the underlying scanning program is awful
>   (again in my opinion), and doesn't allow the user access to the
>   full quality - and potential speed - of the hardware (at least 
that
>   has been my experience using the Scan Elite).
> 
>   Too bad for Minolta; they are definitely going to lose 
professional
>   enthusiasm and sales for what may be a beautiful piece of
>   hardware, which includes excellent film holders (they have even
>   included glass inserts for the 6x6 to 6x9 film holder along with
>   the scanner) - that is, unless they radically revise and improve
>   the quality and speed of their scanning software, and soon.
> 
>   I plan to forward these exchanges to Minolta, and to Ed Hamrick.
> 
>   My 2 cents,
>   James Lerager
> 
> 
>         Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
>               ADVERTISEMENT
> 
> 
> 
> 
>   Please visit the Group Homepage to check the Files, Bookmarks, 
Polls and
> other resources as they are often being updated. The page is at:
> 
>   http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint
> 
>   Please follow these basic guidelines:
>   - Include your full name with your message.
>   - Include the address of your website, if you have one.
>   - As threads develop, trim off excess portions of earlier 
messages to keep
> them short.
>   - As the topic of a thread changes remember to change the subject 
header.
>   - Good manners are required at all time. No personal attacks 
or "flames."
>   - Complete your Yahoo profile.
>   - Before posting a question, search the message archives and the 
various
> resources on the homepage.
> 
> 
> 
> 
>   Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of 
Service.
> 
> 
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
--------

> --
>   Incoming mail is certified Virus Free.
>   Checked by AVG anti-virus system (www.grisoft.com).
>   Version: 6.0.281 / Virus Database: 149 - Release Date: 18/09/01
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Martin and Adam,

Martin was a big help to me when I ordered my polaroid several 
weeks ago.  I ordered on the day they went Chapter 11.  The next 
morning I called and cancelled.  I wanted to wait until someone 
got a rebate check before I would chance it.  Chapter 11 exempts 
them from many of their financial obligations.

I have since bought the Minolta Pro and find it excellent for color 
negs and slides.  I'm getting great b&w also, but it seems to take 
a bit of wrestling with the software to do panoramics and 120 
film (lengthy scan times, multi sampling, selective exposure).  
Maybe everybody has to do a major minuet with their scanning 
software.  If anyone has figured out a faster, easier workflow for 
scanning B&W on the Minolta Pro, I'd like to hear about it.

Also, the Minolta Pro PR material is misleading.  It actually scans 
120  at a non interpolated 4800dpi.  It does this in two passes 
and then stitches the two together.  3200 dpi is done in one 
pass.  This may be one reason for the long scan times.

Frank

http://www.culturalvisions.com




--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Martin Wesley" 
<mwesley250@e...> wrote:
> Adam,
> 
> I got the Polaroid 120 in May to scan my 6X7 negs and it is 
doing an 
> excellent job. There was some trouble with Silverfast and 
Windows 
> 2000 initially but that has been corrected by Silverfast. It also 
> gives me slightly better 35mm scans than the Polaroid 4000 it 
> replaced (14-bit vs. 12-bit).
> 
> My only complaint is that the medium format film carrier is not 
full 
> frame on the edges. At this time there is no glass carrier, 
which was 
> not a drawback in my mind but is an issue for a lot of people. 
> 
> I am not too concerned about support Polaroid vanishing over 
night. 
> They are much too big and famous not to continue on in some 
form, 
> probably under new ownership and perhaps in pieces.
> 
> Sounds like the Minolta has the better film carriers and the 
edge in 
> 35mm resolution at 4800 dpi. I don't know if the 3200 dpi for 
medium 
> format would be significant or not in comparison to the Nikon 
and 
> Polaroid at 4000 dpi. Probably not.
> 
> It's a tough call.
> 
> Martin Wesley
> 
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Mahesi 
Caplan-Faust" 
> <caplan@n...> wrote:
> > I have just stalled my order on the Minolta scanner and am 
> considering the
> > Polariod 120 which comes bundeled with the silverfast 
software.
> > 
> > It is a hard decision to make! Anyone out there using the 
Polaroid 
> that has
> > any user feed back.
> > 
> > Adam
> >   -----Original Message-----
> >   From: James Lerager [mailto:JLerager@y...]
> >   Sent: 14 November 2001 21:13
> >   To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y...
> >   Subject: [Digital BW] Minolta Multi Pro Preliminary Report
> > 
> > 
> >   (Cross-Posted w/ Piezo 3000 group)
> > 
> >   I recently purchased a Minolta Multi Pro, and have been 
running
> >   tests with it. The scan times seem excessively long, even 
though
> >   I've assigned a full gig of ram to Minolta's scan software and 
am
> >   using Firewire (on a G4 OS 9.1): 5 minutes for a 35mm 
B&W neg
> >   at 4800, 10 minutes for a 35mm color neg at 4800, 20 
minutes
> >   for a color neg at 4800 with ICE3. These are without
> >   multi-sampling, which dramatically increases scan times 
using
> >   Minolta's scan software. (Digital Resources's review of the 
Multi
> >   Pro seems to indicate the Multi-Pro actually scans about 
10%
> >   faster using a SCSI connection on a G3 compared with 
Firewire
> >   on a G4 - figure that if you can!).
> > 
> >   I've used a Minolta Scan Elite for the past 15 months with
> >   excellent results - but only by using Vuescan software. My
> >   positive experience with the Scan Elite - coupled with 
Vuescan -
> >   is why I purchased the Multi-Pro. The Minolta software on 
the
> >   Elite was slow, and gave mediocre scans, but Vuescan 
made
> >   the unit shine - much better than a Nikon 2000 or Polaroid 
4000
> >   for B&W and for color neg (I tested both of them with their
> >   respective manufacturer's software, although not with 
Vuescan).
> >   Vuescan cut the scanning times approximately in half, with 
much
> >   better quality and wider dynamic range, when compared to 
the
> >   Minolta software. Even Ed's incorporated defect-removal
> >   software seems to work better than the much vaunted ICE - 
and
> >   without increasing scan times by very much - in my opinion.
> > 
> >   Ed Hamrick has said that he plans to create a version of
> >   Vuescan for the Multi-Pro, so I have my fingers crossed that 
he is
> >   successful, and releases it soon, and that it scans rapidly 
and
> >   efficiently, as Vuescan does on the Scan Elite. (Ed has also 
said
> >   he plans to incorporate a histogram in Vuescan in the future 
-
> >   which could really make it a dynamite program to use).
> > 
> >   Minolta has created a beautiful and intuitive user interface 
for
> >   their software, but the underlying scanning program is awful
> >   (again in my opinion), and doesn't allow the user access to 
the
> >   full quality - and potential speed - of the hardware (at least 
> that
> >   has been my experience using the Scan Elite).
> > 
> >   Too bad for Minolta; they are definitely going to lose 
> professional
> >   enthusiasm and sales for what may be a beautiful piece of
> >   hardware, which includes excellent film holders (they have 
even
> >   included glass inserts for the 6x6 to 6x9 film holder along 
with
> >   the scanner) - that is, unless they radically revise and 
improve
> >   the quality and speed of their scanning software, and soon.
> > 
> >   I plan to forward these exchanges to Minolta, and to Ed 
Hamrick.
> > 
> >   My 2 cents,
> >   James Lerager
> > 
> > 
> >         Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> >               ADVERTISEMENT
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >   Please visit the Group Homepage to check the Files, 
Bookmarks, 
> Polls and
> > other resources as they are often being updated. The page is 
at:
> > 
> >   
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint
> > 
> >   Please follow these basic guidelines:
> >   - Include your full name with your message.
> >   - Include the address of your website, if you have one.
> >   - As threads develop, trim off excess portions of earlier 
> messages to keep
> > them short.
> >   - As the topic of a thread changes remember to change the 
subject 
> header.
> >   - Good manners are required at all time. No personal 
attacks 
> or "flames."
> >   - Complete your Yahoo profile.
> >   - Before posting a question, search the message archives 
and the 
> various
> > resources on the homepage.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >   Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms 
of 
> Service.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > --------------------------------------------------------------------
> --------
> > --
> >   Incoming mail is certified Virus Free.
> >   Checked by AVG anti-virus system (www.grisoft.com).
> >   Version: 6.0.281 / Virus Database: 149 - Release Date: 
18/09/01

> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

This is the second time I've seen this mentioned, the first was quoting a source as Minolta that 
may or may not have been accurate. 

What are you basing this on, Frank? Can you tell that the scanner is making two passes?

Tim

> Also, the Minolta Pro PR material is misleading.  It actually scans
> 120  at a non interpolated 4800dpi.  It does this in two passes and
> then stitches the two together.  3200 dpi is done in one pass.  This
> may be one reason for the long scan times.
> 

--
Tim Spragens
http://www.borderless-photos.com
&
http://www.borderless-photos.de

I have had the SS120 since June for scanning mostly B&W, I 
doubt that it is up to drumscan quality, but if the choice between 
Nikon and Polaroid comes down to service, I can't recommend 
Polaroid strongly enough. David Hemingway  (of Polaroid) 
monitors the filmscanner list, and is available with solutions  
immediately. I had problems where Vuescan (7.2.2)locked up 
the scanner, and I got sound advice from David how to fix it 
myself without a costly return. I can't compare the two scanners 
side by side, so I am not addressing scan quality, but having 
someone to contact has proved very valuable to me.
Jeff

For what it's worth, I bought the early LS4500 Nikon, and it was 
absolutely the worst customer support I ever witnessed. 
Absolute Keystone Kops. Unless something major has changed 
at Nikon Digital Support, I'd strongly steer clear of any Nikon 
product. There was some guy named Peter there, and it was 
laughable when trying to get clear answers. And I'm not talking 
out of school here; I told him that to his face. Let's just hope that 
it wasn't his fault; maybe some policy at Nikon corporate 
prevented him from getting a competent staff.

Not to mention that the 4500 was a clunker of a scanner to boot, 
yet with a high price tag. That was salt in the wound for me.

This was one time where I bought on name reputation alone, but 
it certainly came back to haunt me. Sometimes, just because it 
says Nikon doesn't mean it's great quality.
.
-Mark Tucker, http://marktucker.com/

.

 --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Jeff Bunting" 
<jrb@m...> wrote:
> I have had the SS120 since June for scanning mostly B&W, I 
> doubt that it is up to drumscan quality, but if the choice 
between 

> Nikon and Polaroid comes down to service, I can't recommend 
> Polaroid strongly enough. David Hemingway  (of Polaroid) 
> monitors the filmscanner list, and is available with solutions  
> immediately. I had problems where Vuescan (7.2.2)locked up 
> the scanner, and I got sound advice from David how to fix it 
> myself without a costly return. I can't compare the two scanners 
> side by side, so I am not addressing scan quality, but having 
> someone to contact has proved very valuable to me.
> Jeff