You've forgotten the dodgy help files that do little more than explain the
bare minimum and invariably miss the one vital thing you have to do to get
it to work.
There is no doubt that the possible image manipulations are very powerful
and learning how the Silverfast curves worked actually taught me a lot about
curves in PS. The colour balancing options are even more vast but I try not
to mess too much here as I can get in a right mess due to my vision
problems.
Ultimately the learning curve is enormous and whilst I think I have a
reasonable understanding of Silverfast I still invariably find I get results
I prefer from the much cheaper (and IME friendlier) Vuescan. Maybe I'm just
incompetent with Silverfast but I have tried real hard - perhaps there's one
more thing I'm supposed to do that they don't tell you. But I have largely
given up using it at all.
I am told that 5.5 may be much better than 5.2. I don't think I will get my
wallet out.
For the record Vuescan software support is also quite possibly the best of
all (except when Ed is on holiday). It's certainly worth trying before you
spend what I expect will be $400+.
Steve
----- Original Message -----
From: "Enoch's Vision, Inc. (Cary Enoch R...)" <caryenochr@enochsvision.com>
To: <filmscanners@halftone.co.uk>
Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2001 9:20 PM
Subject: Re: filmscanners: Silverfast vs Nikon Software?
> At 19:11 12-08-01 +0100, David Gordon wrote:
> >rlb [rlb@triad.rr.com] wrote on Sun, 12 Aug 2001 07:31:43 -0400
> >
> > >I would appreciate some thoughts from those that use Silverfast.
> >
> >It has a very steep learning curve. It is hard to use. It is unintuitive.
> >It has a very poor user interface.
> >
> >It make fantastic scans in two minutes.
> >
> >Get the IT-8 calibration, try the demo first!
>
>
> Been there. Did that. On my Win2K system the SIlverfast demo made
NikonScan
> inoperative. I had to uninstall Silverfast and reinstall NikonScan before
> it would work again. Not sure about the fantastic scans part but you
nailed
> it in other areas.
>
>
> Cary Enoch Reinstein aka Enoch's Vision, Inc., Peach County, Georgia
> , http://www.bahaivision.com/ -- "Behind all
> these manifestations is the one radiance, which shines through all things.
> The function of art is to reveal this radiance through the created
object."
> ~Joseph Campbell
>
>
