filmscanners: Bypassing the scanner software filters and getting the raw data?

["Mark Edmonds" <mmje@mmje.demon.co.uk>]

Hi all,

Is this possible and is my logic correct?

I am reasoning that the output from the actual scanner hardware is always
going to be in the same range of digital values irrespective of what
adjustments are made in the scanner software (apart from resolution of
course). Therefore, is it possible to get the actual raw data out of the
scanner and bypass any processing? What I am aiming to do is to have all my
scans coming out at exactly the same setting (ie: no processing) so that
they all have a common base and then I can adjust with whatever software I
am using over the following years. My scanner is a Minolta Scan Speed and I
am running NT4 with the standard Minolta scanning software.

Thanks for any comments!

Mark