[filmscanners] Genuine Fractals ( was Re: Nikon Coolscan)

["Clark Guy" <guy.clark@sbt.siemens.com>]

HI, everybody!

This discussion has gotten so murky that it's hard to tell if anyone has
answered Laurie's question, or if many here know what GF actually is...

GF came with my Minolta Scan Multi II almost two years ago... (tempus
fugit!)  It's purpose is that of a flexible image sizing program.  It
compresses images (which in Medium Format can get huge) by an algorithm
significantly different (better, I think) than either that of JPEG or
Lempel-Zev, and by using some of the same math, it can upsample in a manner
different (maybe better) than the standard ones available in Photshop, for
example.

Thus, it's utility is for making compressed images that uncompress in a
manner more pleasant (a matter of taste, of course) than those done by the
"traditional" methods.   It can also upsample to produce very large images,
using techniques that, at least to the eye, mimic real detail.

Anyway, I have the version that came with my scanner, and have used it a
little bit.  For my present useage, JPEG and TIFF with compression are
adequate (if Viewscan was able to hook to my GF program like a plug-in
would, then I'd probably use it instead of TIFF when I save my scans).   My
version, while appearing to be a full version (not image size limited as are
some versions) is unable to deal with 48 bit color, so that is a
limitation.. perhaps this has been addressed in more recent versions.

This I believe is the utility of having GF when using a scanner that is
capable of outputing rather large images, as I believe a Nikon Coolscan (or
Polaroid SS120, or Scan Multi Pro...) are.

I hope this serves to cool off some of the acrimony I"m seeing here!

Guy Clark

-----Original Message-----
From: Anthony Atkielski [mailto:anthony@atkielski.com]
Sent: Sunday, August 04, 2002 6:26 PM
To: Clark Guy
Subject: [filmscanners] Re: Nikon Coolscan


If you have a Nikon Coolscan, why would you need Genuine Fractals at all?

----- Original Message -----
From: "Laurie Solomon" <laurie@advancenet.net>
To: <anthony@atkielski.com>
Sent: Sunday, August 04, 2002 20:00
Subject: [filmscanners] RE: Nikon Coolscan


After checking the Lizardtech web site (after posting my message to you of
course), I find it made me out to be a lier of sorts.  There is a Genuine
Fractal Light 2.0 which is an RGB only and will handle files of a restricted
size limit which they are selling.  Previously, this edition was only
bundled with some peripherals and not for sale.  Then they started pushing
the higher priced PrintPro Edition, once LizardTech bought the product from
Altamira, and stopped bundling the Light Edition, replaceing it with the
standard edition and a coupon like you mentioned.  If this is you case, then
both the GF 2.5 and the GF PrintPro are full versions of their respective
editions (the key limitation being that the former is RGB capable only while
the PrintPro is also CYMK  and CIE-Lab capable). Personally, unless one is a
prepress professional or someone who sends files to such people, I see no
need for CYMK and CIE-Lab capability  or reason for the extra expense of
PrintPro.

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