Re: GRAIN/ICE SHOWDOWN: Nikon LS8000 vs. Minolta Scan Multi Pro!

[Arthur Entlich <artistic-1@xxxxxxx>]

Hmmm... Some sober second thought.


I decided to take another look at the comparison page.

I was staring at a computer screen all day, and it might have skewed my 
opinion.

I looked more closely at the two images, and I have changed my opinion.

I know, very fickle, but I'm being honest.

The Minolta has introduced a lot of "stuff" that I'm not sure is 
actually on the neg.  Yes, the scratches and dust and even some of the 
grain is there, but there is some random stuff that does look like 
either grain alising or just plan noise.  It gives a "surface" to the 
image rather than depth.  The contrast on the Minolta is too high.

Also, obviously some defects (dirt, dust, etc) are the same on both 
images, but the Nikon makes them less contrasted, and they have better 
results in dICE than the Minolta, which begs to question what is really 
going on with dICE...

Was the Minolta scan done in 3200 or 4800 dpi?

Once again, I think a test with the Minolta defocused should be done, 
because that, to me, looks like what has been done with the Nikon.

When I get some time, I will run some tests of the Minolta Dual II
with defocused scans, because I think Minolta may have fallen prey to 
trying to get the sharpest scan out of the scanner without consideration 
of sampling errors (aliasing).  The Nikon is definitely a softer result.

Once again, I am beginning to believe these types of comparisons are 
fraught with danger.  I think the answer is to look at the final result 
after judicious use of USM.  Before giving up on Minolta, it is worth 
defocusing the original scan and then adding USM to compensate and see 
if this removes many of these less pleasant artifacts.

Lastly, David, do you recall what mode you used to scan on the Nikon 
8000ED?  Did you use fine mode to prevent banding in this case?


Art

david/lisa soderman wrote:

> Howdy there,
> 
> Here's an URL that might interest some of you:
> 
> www.dreamscapesphoto.com/files/p23graintest.htm
> 
> I came across some 6x6 neg scans that I did before I exchanged my Nikon
> 8000ED
> unit. I decided to post those scans in contrast to these from the Minolta
> Scan
> Multi Pro.
> 
> Please try not to get hung up about differences in color, contrast,
> brightness, etc..
> The main objective of the test was to compare GRAIN and ICE.
> These tests are far from perfect, but they're close enough to get the point
> across.
> 
> 6x6 Kodak Portra 160NC color neg film.  (rated @ 80 ISO)
> 
> To me, the Minolta scans look extremely grainy for a moderately slow
> negative film.
> 
> Is anyone else out there scanning color negs with the Scan Multi Pro?  If
> so, what kind of results are you getting?  Is this typical?  Am I
> over-reacting?  Do I have a defective unit?  Am I doing something wrong?
> Would anyone care to trade a Nikon 8000ED for a Minolta Scan Multi Pro?
> 
> -david soderman- <><
> 
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