Digital BW, The Print

> Paul Roark" wrote:
> Reading the "scanhancer" page does not inspire confidence.  The Minolta
> sample is also, perhaps not by coincidence, a "simulated" comparison.  
> (Hmm,
> I wonder why they had to "simulate" a comparison


Paul - I've been using the Minolta Dimage multipro for a about a year 
and a half. I first had an opportunity to test it for about 2 weeks, 
and scanned lots of B&W as well as Kodachome and Ektachrome of several 
sizes.  The B&W scanned very sharp with good tonal ranges, but every 
little flaw showed, and it was a nightmare cloning out the dust spots. 
It was very similar to printing with a point source enlarger. The 
Scanhancer doesn't remove all grain, but my feeling is that I wouldn't 
want to.  For that, you can shoot hi res digital, which has no grain.  
B&W, in my opinion, should have grain, just so it doesn't take over.  
So IMO, the scans were far superior to the Nikon I was comparing it to, 
and eventually I purchased one, based on faith of what I'd heard and 
read about the Scanhancer. I ordered some pieces from Eric in Holland, 
and they arrived 5 days later. The material is a diffusion piece that 
lays on top of the Minolta carrier, not quite touching the negative. 
It's made of a polymer with absolutely no textural structure, and seems 
not to flex with the heat from the light source.

I must tell you, the results were (and still are) stunning! Eric has 
another piece that covers part of the light source, requiring opening 
up the scanner to install. I believe it helps a lot when using Digital 
Ice. I had decided to hold off installing it until after I knew what 
the machine would do with the pieces that fit on the carriers.  So, I 
will install that last part soon, but can't imagine it improving much 
more than it is now.

My disclaimer is that I'n not connected with Scanhancer - I've never 
met the man, but his product is fabulous. My understanding is that 
Konica Minolta
put one of those pieces in their new 35 mm scanner, with an option of 
moving it in or out of the light path. They didn't even bother to thank 
him for the idea,
but he seems to be nonplused by the whole thing.

Clay Price

My understanding is that 
> Konica Minolta
> put one of those pieces in their new 35 mm scanner, with an option of 
> moving it in or out of the light path.  

Not quite: Erik's talking about the diffuser in the now-discontinued
5400 ...there's no diffuser in the 5400II, which was introduced a year
ago, and can't be installed ....

Scanhancer DOES work with Nikon 50ED V's standard slide holder...so it
also works with film strips when you use FH-3 6-frame film strip
carrier. As well, that inexpensive optional carrier nicely flattens
ends of strips  (Minolta carrier requires negatives be mounted in
slide mounts if one wants similar flatness).

Nikon V with Ice/infared scans color & B&W @ 4000ppi in 2.5 minutes to
PSCS2 with 2.8G P-IV (Minolta 5400II, which I replaced with Nikon,
also scanned 2.5 min).  

I rarely need to do much spotting of silver B&W film: 1) habitual care
with film cleanliness due to long reliance on glass negative carriers
in enlargers and glass slide mounts 2) distilled water post-wash bath
(commercial labs filter but the water's not as clean as distilled) 3)
Nikon's automated SA-21 optical-positioning carrier requires virtually
no film handling (therefore no hand oils), 4) I work to minimize
finger contact when using the finicky FH-3 carrier and 5) Tiger Cloth
on film when my fingers do come in contact with it
6)use side opening negative sleeves, rather than end opening type.

John Kelly

> 
> Clay Price
>

Does anyone have any suggestions for starting points (profiles, paper
settings, PK/MK etc.) for printing on vellum?  I'm using K3 inks, and can
use the Epson driver (ABW) on a 2400 or Imageprint on a 7800.  Any thoughts
will be appreciated!

Stephen Petegorsky

Steven,

With the 9600 I use the Enhanced Matte ICC profile made my Atkinson 
with the Enhanced Matte media setting with MK inkset. I get very good 
results on vellum with this. If I were to do a lot of it I would custom 
profile it though.

John


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@...m, Stephen Petegorsky 
<petegorsky@e...> wrote:
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions for starting points (profiles, paper
> settings, PK/MK etc.) for printing on vellum?  I'm using K3 inks, and 
can
> use the Epson driver (ABW) on a 2400 or Imageprint on a 7800.  Any 
thoughts

> will be appreciated!
> 
> Stephen Petegorsky
>

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "john dean" 
<deanwork2003@y...> wrote:
>
> 
> Steven,
> 
> With the 9600 I use the Enhanced Matte ICC profile made my Atkinson 
> with the Enhanced Matte media setting with MK inkset. I get very 
good 
> results on vellum with this. If I were to do a lot of it I would 
custom 
> profile it though.
> 
> John


I believe that to properly profile something transparent like vellum, 
you need a transmission spectrophotometer (or densitometer for B/W). 
Same goes for backlight film, and things like silk. I know Drycreek 
Photo can generate a profile for these kinds of materials with the 
proper hardware. Anybody with a regular spectro could probably come 
up with a method that would get you real close for everything except 
clear backlight film.

Greg, John - thanks for your thoughts.  This vellum isn't something that I
expect to use frequently, so I don't think it's worth my getting a profile
made for it, and I don't own a spectro.  I will be using it backlit, so it's
definitely a bit tricky...

Stephen Petegorsky