[filmscanners] Re: Bug fixes for Minolta DiMAGE Scan Elite II

["Arthur Entlich" <artistic-1@shaw.ca>]

The main problems with both the Minolta Dimage Dual and Elite II have
been have been quality control.  They both suffered from what I refer to
as "Lazy sensors"... some of the sensors tended to respond at a lower
level than other and this occurred in different locations on different
sensor lines (R, G or B).  The defect could occur in random locations
and number, but it was consistent from one scan to the next.

On the Dual II (and I have not been told of this with Elite II, but it
has a very similar design and front end) random error in calibration can
occur, causing a wide swath of pink down the image (it is most common,
in my experience, with negs).  Rescanning resolves it.

The last problem is a design issue.  These scanners tend to suffer from
grain aliasing, emphasized dust and dirt, etc. moreso than other similar
resolution scanners.  The dICE will help to resolve this, in cases where
dICE can be used (no good for real B&W films, etc).

The scanner (new) is, IMHO, overpriced.  You pay double the cost for
slight improvement in A/D bit depth (12 to 14), firewire versus just
USB, and the dICE suite.

So, my biggest worry of buying a used model is that it doesn't suffer
from the lazy  would be second owner.

Minolta has been less than forthright about this problem, although they
seem to be doing exchanges if you make enough noise (as an original owner).

I do not know if Minolta has since resolved this Q.C. problem, but I
would demand the person selling this send me a full size scanned image
of a darker image (from slide) or lighter image (from negs) maybe as a
CD-R image (the full size image is pretty big! (nearly 60 megs at 16
bit).  Then look at it enlarged to about 200-400, one color channel at a
time for one pixel wide lines going across the length of the image.  If
you see these, they are the lazy sensors I spoke of.

If you can see these they can be visible on 8x10" prints.

Good luck with your purchase.  Personally, unless I was getting a very
good price, I would consider other products (FS-4000 Canon with 4000 dpi
and IR cleaning).

Art

Nagaraj, Ramesh wrote:

> Hi,
>       I planning to buy a used Minolta DiMAGE Scan Elite II . It was 
>purchased on 6 month ago.
> I have one concern.
> Will there be any difference bewteen this 6 month old Minolta DiMAGE Scan 
>Elite II  and the new ones?
> I mean has minolta given a any hardware bug fixes since 6 month. I do not 
>worry about s/w fixes since I use vuescan.
>
> Thanks in advance
>
>
>
> Regards,
> Ramesh



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