Re: filmscanners: Shadows and Scanwit 2720s

["Mark T." <markthomasz@ozemail.com.au>]

At 12:37 PM 7/08/01 +0700, you wrote:
>I'm doing some trani scans which are underexposed [how dare I!] and having 
>a hell
>of a time digging out the detail in the shadows. This detail is also 
>somewhat brown.
>I have tried doing multiple passes -8 infact at 2700 dpi.
>I also have a tramline problem in these deep shadow areas. Are the censors 
>damaged?

Sounds like dark noise from the CCD's, but could also be electronic 
interference.  It would be worth repositioning your scanner and its cables, 
maybe even try a conditioned power supply, in case the noise is coming from 
an external source, eg the monitor, cards in the PC, other 
devices...  Also, make sure the lamp opening (referred to below) is clear 
and smoothly edged, ie no hairs or ragged bits of plastic forming.

>Software is Vuescan 7.1.7.
>
>Can you advice a tried and true method to rake out the goodies in the shadows
>please.

One thing you can try (but if you are down to dark noise it is unlikely to 
help) - at the handle end of the slide holder, there is a rectangular 
notched opening through which the Acer reads the lamp brightness & colour 
before the scan.  If you reduce the amount of light that gets through (eg 
cut up a bit of neutral density gel) you may be able to tweak some more 
exposure..

Also, experiment with Vuescans Image Type setting - Image and Slide give 
quite different results..

>An aside...
>Did a sharpness test on the Scanwit / 7.1.7 using Vuescans sharpening 
>tool...and
>another test without sharpening. Without wins hands down. Sharpening is
>definitely softer than without. Strange

Very strange!  I'm using 7.1.7/Scanwit also, but it works as 
advertised.  Are you using the grain reduction at the same time perhaps?

mark t