Re: filmscanners: Nikon MF LED light source...

[rafeb <rafeb@channel1.com>]

At 12:18 AM 7/14/01 -0400, Austin wrote:

>Nikon gurus...  I believe we discussed that the new Nikon MF scanner uses
>LEDs as the light source, but does it use only one CCD row, and switch each
>color on/off and scan each row three times?
>
>Wouldn't that make it quite a bit slower than using a tri-color CCD?


It uses a 3-row *monochrome* CCD sensor.  That's in the 
specs on the Nikon website, I believe.

In normal operation it uses all 3 rows, but I believe 
that's for speed's sake only.

There's a checkbox called "Super Fine Scan" in the 
scanner driver.  That causes the scan to use just one 
row of the CCD.  It also turns out that this feature 
is *key* to eliminating the banding that Lawrence and 
I have seen (at least on Lawrence's first 8000.)

Of course, it runs at 1/3 its normal speed when you 
do that.  The manual is a bit cryptic about why or 
when you might use this "feature."

Using all 3 CCD rows, the Nikon is plenty fast.  
Even on one row, it's no slouch.  A heck of lot 
faster than your Leafscan, that's for sure, either 
way <g>.

So... I'm clearly annoyed that this euphemistically-
labeled feature has become a necessity (for certain 
scans and situations) but am living with it.  As long 
as I *never* see banding again, I will live with the 
slower scans.


rafe b.