Does Vue Scan have Digital Ice?

I just downloaded a trial version of Vue Scan to see how it compares

to Nikon Scan (which comes with Digital Ice).

 

I do as little processing as possible in my scanning software,

preferring to do digital manipulations in PhotoShop. But I've found

that dust and scratch removal is better done with Digital Ice at the

scanning stage than with the Dust and Scratch filter in PhotoShop.

 

Does Vue Scan have Digital Ice or an equivelant feature?

 

(Les almost has me convinced that the grass is not any greener in

non-Nikon Scan pastures.)

Yes it does - it's on the Filter tab.

I would suggest reading the users guide, filter secton.<P>I only scan B&W and have been

using NIkon scanners since the very first one and yes the grass is very much greener then

Nikon Scan when using VueScan, like night and day.

Digital ICE is a technology which comprises hardware and software components. It uses infrared light to detect imperfections on the film which are not part of the image (hardware), and then renders the image without them (software). Therefore Digital ICE cannot be implemented simply by being built into scanning software such as Vuescan.

 

Presumably Vuescan can make use of digital ICE when it is used with a Digital ICE equipped scanner, but Digital ICE must be built into the scanner in the first place.

 

Various other software only dust/imperfection removal solutions exist; Photoshop has one, as does Polaroid. Generally they are not as effective, though very useful if your scanner does not have Digital ICE.

Digital ICE is now owned by Kodak, which licenses the technology to scanner and software manufacturers. Vue Scan does not have Digital ICE. It does, however, have its own software module that uses the infrared channel (on scanners that have it) to remove dust artifacts. Unfortunately, most users find that it falls far short of the Kodak technology (that was my experience, too).

 

Robert

Robert got it right.

 

I have an ICE enabled scanners but found little use for it and prefer Vuescan.

Vuescan uses the infrared data that scanners output, but not with the software called ICE. Vuescan uses it's own proprietary software with the infrared data, to ATTEMPT the same cleaning process. In my experience with Minolta scanner, Vuescan's cleaning is nowhere near as thorough.

 

Vuescan is an ongoing project, so it's cleaning may improve. Also, it allows you to output 64 bit raw files, the extra 16 bit being the infrared data. This can be used with Vuescan's scan-from-disk, or you can experiment with it in Photoshop. Considering the price of a pro-license, the fact that it works with virtually all scanners and lifetime free upgrades, it's worth getting, imho. The author told me it is currently impossible for him to license ICE.

 

You mention Photoshop's Dust and Scratch Filter. I've found this best suited to spot application, in conjunction with the History Brush, sourcing from a heavily treated snapshot. If you're interested, I can expound.

Vuescan and silverFast can make use of Digital ICE only ifthe scanner you are using hasthe

digital ICE function as part of its native software. Both Vuescan and SilverFast (and other

third party scanning software) don't have a Digital ICE license and must implement Digital

ICE through the native software (maybe firmware?) of the scanner.

 

Nikon Scan is very very good. Like any software it has an interface that has to be learned.

because I am using a Nikon Super Coolscan 5000ED and an Epson 4990 professional, I

chose to go with LaserSoft's SilverFast Ai 6 Studio. Vuescan is also a verey good scanning

program but for my puposes SilverFAst Ai6 Studio as the software for both scanners. Your

needs may be different from mine and the very real cost difference between Ai 6 Studio

and and Vuescan Pro may lead you to Vuescan Pro -- or it may lead you to stick wth Nikon

Scan. As I said all three are very good, high quality software tht can give you professional

quality results. One thing I like about Ai 6 Studio is the grain and noise reduction filter

--"GANE" -- as today's high res film scanners can make grain an issue even with modern

very fine grained ISO 100 films.

Vuescan cannot make use of ICE, which is Kodak owned software. It can make use of the infrared data. Not that well, but that's another story ;(

Ellis, rereading your post, I think I'm splitting hairs.

<I>I've seen this comment before but have yet to see any plausible proof to support it.

</I><P>Keep looking and learning and you will one day see it. The problem is yours, not

mine or the others who use VueScan.

I use both Nikonscan's Ice and Vuescan's generic infared. Ice is the brand name for Kodak's application, it's not significantly different and not better (maybe would be if negs were filthy).

 

IMO Nikonscan equals Vuescan with color neg and slide, is better with Kodachrome*, but Vuescan's significantly better for B&W (doesn't require workarounds to avoid exaggerated grain).

 

Both remove dust from chromogenic B&W...neither seems better, though my film's fairly clean to begin with aso I use Vuescan's low setting.

 

*Recent Vuescan updates may have brought Vuescan equal to Nikonscan on Kodachrome, but Nikonscan's fine already.

If I'm not mistaken, Silverfast has licensed Digital ICE.

 

Robert

Robert, I thought so too. But looking around their site, I only see mention of "iSRD", here:

 

http://www.silverfast.com/show/silverfast-isrd/en.html

 

It's using infrared data from the scanner, but no mention is made of ICE.

 

Searching the site for "ICE" yields nothing relevant. I can't see them not mentioning it, if it is used.

My information about LaserSoft SilverFast software accessing Digital ICE through the native

software/firmware of the scanner comes direct from Martin at LaserFast's USA office.