[filmscanners] Re: Minolta Dimage Scan Elite 5400

["" <al@greenspace.freeserve.co.uk>]

Chris Street wrote:

> In this new 5400dpi scanner 'Minolta's unique
> Grain Dissolver reduces the affect of film grain in the scanned image.' I
> wondered if this was a hardware (diffuser) or software. I spoke to Minolta
> UK who say it's the variation of the Digital ICE Grain Equalisation Method.

Pity that Minolta didn't take the opportunity to add an appropriate diffuser!  
I tried GEM
on the Elite II and, to be honest, I didn't like it.

Another thing that intrigues me: the manual focus.

The specification states:
"For critical control over image sharpness, the scanner can be manually 
focused. To
complement the software control, a large manual focus dial on the scanner unit 
allows
fine adjustments to be made."

A number of scanners allow manual focus within the software but the manual 
focus dial
on the front of the scanner seems unique.  However, I'm not sure how practical 
it is.

The scanner still has to do a preview scan to capture the image so I can't see 
how there
could be any immediate feedback to the use of the dial.  Unless the dial has 
click-stops,
it would be difficult to revert the focus to where it was before, if you turn 
it too far.

Anyone got any thoughts on a practical way how this might work?  I'm assuming 
that
Minolta have included it as a practical feature rather than a marketing gimmick.



Al Bond

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