Re: "Pepper grain" (was Minolta Multi Pro)

[Arthur Entlich <artistic-1@xxxxxxx>]

rafe.bustin@verizon.net wrote:


> Fact is, ever since your "discovery" of aliasing, you've all but 
> suggested that a) most scanner manufacturers are stupider than you, 
> b) defocusing scanners is the cure to whatever ails them, c) aliasing 
> is the root of all evil in scanner design, and d) softer is better, 
> ergo Nikon scanners must be the suckiest of all.


Manufacturers consider a wide variety of matters such as manufacturing 
costs, material expenses, ease of repeatable production, perception of 
quality, cost of warranty liability, price point, cost of R&D, retooling 
  and retraining to discard a previously used technology, and a 
multiplicity of other matters that do not necessarily add to the quality 
of the scanned image.

Defocusing is just one possible method of dealing with aliasing 
artifacts.  It may well be the easiest one that an end user can test to 
see if it is effective for their scanner, in that it demands nothing but 
some time.

Obviously, the Nikon is not the scanner showing the "apparent" sharpest 
image. It would appear Nikon does defocus their scan. Where Nikon blows 
it is the shallow DOF, (particularly the 4000ED and LS40 models) and the 
idea that you can have 3 lines of CCD sensors and only calibrate one of 
them (in the 8000ED).  They also have a problem with their lighting 
source requiring dICE to remove defects made visible even if the scan is 
defocused.

What isn't yet clear, is if defocusing the Minolta scanners will benefit 
the end result.  When I have some time to evaluate this aspect, I will 
do so, and see if there is anything worthwhile reporting.

 > It's all rather amusing, actually.

So, my easily amused friend, tell us, with all your rather defined 
scanner knowledge, other than using your scanner in super fine scan mode 
at about 1/3rd the speed, have you come up with any earth shattering, or 
even mildly enlightening solutions for your Nikon 8000 ED's problems?

Art


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