[filmscanners] RE: SprintScan 4000 Dust on Mirror

["Thomas B. Maugham" <TMaugham@yahoo.com>]

My SS4000 came with a dust cover, maybe Polaroid learned something? It also
came with a cleaning brush that attaches to the end of the slide carrier but
I don't really know what it cleans.

-----Original Message-----
From: filmscanners_owner@halftone.co.uk
[mailto:filmscanners_owner@halftone.co.uk]On Behalf Of Jeff Stuart
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2002 8:00 PM
To: TMaugham@yahoo.com
Subject: [filmscanners] SprintScan 4000 Dust on Mirror


First the warning: unless you keep a dust cover on your scanner when it
is not in use you will eventually have to take it apart and clean the
reflex mirror. It never occurred to me to use a cover since the optics
are deep in the guts of the beast and, I thought, protected from dust.
The problem is the scanner is open at both ends, air flows right
through. Unless you live in a "clean room", that air will carry
micro-fine dust which will settle out. The SS4000 has its lamp over the
film, reflected by a mirror exposed through a small (3/4 x 3/16) opening
in the carrier assembly. Dust falls through this opening and settles on
the mirror.

Symptom is a loss of sensitivity in dense areas of the scan. It took 14
months for mine to become marginal, and my office isn't especially
dusty. Your mileage of course will vary. If your scanner is young, take
it from me, make and use a dust cover and you'll never need to know
what's in there

In every other way I am happy with the SS4000, so I won't second-guess
the design. But given the configuration, they should include a dust
cover to begin with, in my somewhat jaded opinion.

Here's the question: does anybody have a service manual, know where to
get a service manual, or have experience cleaning this contraption? I
fabricated a little tiny brush and got much of the dust off the mirror
(and onto the lens most likely), but to clean it properly looks like it
will require removing the carrier assembly and/or a very special little
tiny vacuum cleaner. Anyone know? (I have no fear when it comes to
taking thing apart except when I see springs. Springs to me are like
snakes to Indiana Jones. The carrier assembly has springs, bunches of
springs, ugh.)

BTW, I have an email discussion underway with Polaroid support, but I am
not optimistic this will lead to a clean mirror anytime soon.

Thanks, cheers,

Jeff Stuart

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