filmscanners: Scanner Service, Banding

[rafeb <rafeb@channel1.com>]

At 02:11 PM 7/20/01 +1000, Julian Robinson wrote:

>I have reported on this list about the poor focus of my LS2000.  I sent it 
>back for warranty repair and today after 4 weeks I got it back - - - 
>without trying to encourage Art any more in his campaign, what I got back 
>is enough to drive me into a rage.

<big snip>

I can believe every word of this story, and have 
heard others like it.  I could tell rude stories 
about my experiences with Brand X and Brand Y 
film scanners.  But not today <g>.

I've reconsidered sending in my 8000 at this time, 
unless or until the banding gets a good deal more 
bothersome or obvious.  In my experience, one might 
get a unit back from service in worse shape than it 
went in.  Getting the thing fixed *properly* (with a 
net gain in functionality) can turn into a long, 
protracted battle.

To quote an old saw: "If it works, don't fix it."
For the most part, my 8000 is doing the job I expect 
of it, and quite well, in fact.

The difference between Lawrence's experience and mine, 
on the same scanner, appears to be Lawrence's use of 
multi-sampling, which I generally avoid.

I spent yesterday evening trying hard to find images 
that would induce serious, obvious banding akin to 
the images that Lawrence has posted.  With 1x sampling, 
I just couldn't get there.  The banding I do see -- and 
only occasionally -- is quite subtle; I generally have 
to point it out to people before they see it.  This is 
not a good scenario for a clean, successful repair.

I may try again tonight, but failing that, will 
put "banding" on the back burner for a while.  Fixing 
intermittent problems is always a PITA.  Hard enough for 
competent engineers, and probably not a job for the 
monkeys at Ye Olde Scanner Service Depot.


rafe b.