Nikon Scan 4 and Mac OSX 10.5 Leopard . . . Any Issues?

Hello, </BR>

 

<BR>Now that the weather has turned colder I'm going to use my increased indoor time to do some more

scans from 30 years of pre-digital shooting, and that means hooking up the Coolscan again. The last time

it was out, the included Scan software ran flawlessly on OSX 10.4 Tiger. I have the new iMac now and

haven't reinstalled the software.</BR>

 

<BR>With all the issues that Capture is having with Leopard, I'd thought I'd ask if anyone has noticed any

performance issues with Scan on a Mac running OSX10.5 <em>before</em> I hook everything back up

again.</BR>

 

<BR>Thanks!

I'm working with Canon 20D camera and just got a new Mac Mini with Leopard (Mac OS X 10,5). In this case, I've had no difficulty in transferring pictures and working with them with Photoshop CS3. I have, however, installed several updates to software since starting out. Both Apple and Adobe seem really committed to resolving these issues as quickly as possible and I would advise logging on to get the updates for both before trying to work with anything. They seem to be issuing updates on a daily basis, so far, so somebody must be having some issues. Not me, I'm happy to say. The only problems I have run into are getting scanner and printer driver updates that work with the Intel-based Mini. While that surprises me, it doesn't surprise me much. Everything works fine on my Power-PC based laptop.

 

However, Nikon and Mac people will need to address those specifics.

I've installed Nikon Scan 4.0.0.3020 recently to use with my Nikon Coolscan 4000ED, and it

didn't work on my Macbook with Tiger, and it still won't work with Leopard. I had to move

the scanner into the other room and use it with my (gulp) Dell PC. I hope Nikon will update

this scanner software to work with Intel Macs. It starts up, displays the splashscreen, and

then a blank floating window shows up momentarily, and it quits. And I'd rather use the

Nikon software than the VueScan software as the Nikon software is free!

I haven't had problems with Nikon Scan 4.0.2 and my Coolscan 9000 on Leopard with my G4.

Mark, Nikon has a posting in the Mac software section of NikonUSA web site that says Nikon

Scan 4 does not work with Leopard (I can verify that too), but they are working a a version

that will be compatible with Leopard.

 

VueScan works under Leopard with my CS 9000 however I'm not a fan of it for film scanning.

I also understand Silverfast does not work under Leopard.

Here's the link:

<a href="http://support.nikontech.com/cgi-bin/nikonusa.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?

p_faqid=14421&p_created=1193671660&p_sid=Nx1XUnSi&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&

p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPSZwX3NvcnRfYnk9JnBfZ3JpZHNvcnQ9MzoyJnBfcm93X2NudD0xMjIx

LDEyMjEmcF9wcm9kcz0mcF9jYXRzPSZwX3B2PSZwX2N2PSZwX3NlYXJjaF90eXBlPWFuc3dlcnMu

c2VhcmNoX25sJnBfcGFnZT0y&p_li=&p_topview=1"> Will Nikon software be compatible with

Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard)?</a>

Thanks, Paul. I hadn't noticed that site before.

I have been using a Nikon SuperCoolscan 4000ED for years on Mac's Tiger OS and never had any problems at all. However, in switching to an Intel-based iMac, it's been a different story. Scanner doesn't work. VueScan software compensates somewhat, in that the scanner will work on the Intel ... without certain features, such as DIGITAL ICE, which I'm sure you'll want to use in scanning 30 years of pre-digital stuff. I'm running the on my old Tiger-equipped iBook to scan my 30-plus years of analog detritus.

Good luck!! Hope Nikon can come through soon with a solution. They should have already!!

Mark: I failed to state that my Intel-based Mac is equipped with Leopard

Hi,

 

I have a particularly sad story to report for readers of this thread.

 

I have a Macintosh Quad Processor G5 with 2.5GB of memory and 3.5TB of Raid Disk. I am

running happily Leopard OSX 10.5.1 for all of my imaging and video apps with zero known

problems. I recently purchased a Nikon CoolScan V ED with 35mm Slide, Negative and APS

Film Adapters to undertake a project to digitise 30 years of Slides, 35mm Negatives and

APS Film Negatives.

 

I decided to use the Nikon Scan 4 Software, so I downloaded the latest updates from the

Nikon and was surprised that no updates for Leopard were available, despite updates

being posted for Vista in December 2007.

 

So I am using Nikon Scan 4.0.0 EN according to the About... Dialog Box even though I

have applied the 4.0.2 Update dated 21 December 2005.

 

It works just.............

 

Using a Batch APS Scan, each Frame is taking an average of 3 minutes to scan to "High

Quality" creating a 4.0 to 8.0 MB JPEG File depending on the Image content. A long way

from the 38 seconds/Frame for 35mm Film Scans which as we know are larger than APS

Frames.

 

Why?

 

Well the very bad news for Nikon is that the Scanner is "grabbing" the 480Mbps USB 2.0

Bus for 2 - 30 seconds and wheel-spinning during the Acquisition time on the progress

meter for no apparent reason. The further bad news is that the Macintosh USB Keyboard

and Mouse "freeze" during this period meaning one can't do anything else whilst

scanning........

 

A further bug is that the Cancel Button only cancels the current Frame scan and scanning

continues with the next Frame starting.......................APS Films have up to 40 Frames and

you can't quit with the Nikon Scan 4 Application elegantly. Thank God for the Force Quit

Applications in OSX!!

 

All in all a disaster..........

 

NIKON NEEDS TO FIX THIS ASAP OR SERIOUSLY DAMAGE THEIR REPUTATION I

PURPORT............Clearly the Nikon Product Team did NOT adequately test this scanner and

its supplied software under Leopard OSX 10.5.0 or 10.5.1 more recently. In fact the

problem is so obvious that I suspect ZERO testing was done.

 

Commentary is welcome. (particularly from Nikon with a FIX Date release!!)

 

Regards

I have an Intel iMac, with 10.5 (Leopard) and have run into all sorts of problems. Printers not working, scanners not working, etc. I bought new printers and a flat bed scanner, but expected Nikon to come out with an update for Cool Scan. I called Nikon, which promised one for this month.

Meanwhile, I tried Coolscan on my G5 (nonIntel) laptop. It won't work with Adobe CS3 (plug in won't load) and I get an error message when I try CoolScan alone. As a stop gap I bought ScanVue, which works okay, although the architecture is quite different.

In general, I'm finding with all new software and hardware there are signicant problems, with each company blaming the others (Apple, Abobe, Nikon). It's the customer, though, who gets stuck and who loses out.

David Asgard

I can empathize with you all. I had the same sort problem with Vista. Interestingly, Nikon ported their NikonScan to work with Vista, but not yet for Leopard. My advice, is to hang in there. Nikon will eventually do what is right.

I just found this thread because, since upgrading to Leopard, I have yet to be able to scan a slide with NS4 on my quad G5. As mentioned above the computer is pretty much unusable when it's trying. It locks up even focusing, sometimes crashes, so far once it's finished the scan but just sits there with a spinning ball when it gets to processing and never finishes. Leopard has been out for a while, you'd think Nikon would have a fix by now. Argh.

Just this morning I heard from Nikon Tech Support when I asked them why my LS8000 ED Coolscan scanner did not work under 10.5.2 on a brand new Intel-based Mac Pro (the 8-core). I already knew, from Silverfast, which is forced to use Nikon drivers that the NikonMAID drivers for this scanner did not function, and had not been updated by Nikon for Intel-based Mac computers.

 

Here's what Nikon told me:

 

Hi Howard,

 

Thank you for contacting Nikon Digital Technical Support.

 

Nikon Scan is currently not supported on the Leopard operating system. Our initial testing of Nikon Scan version 4.0.2 and all scanners listed above showed no problems. Preview, Edit, Scan, and Save operations were successful with both USB and FIrewire devices. Installing the 4.0.0 full version, then the 4.0.2 update took a little longer than usual to complete, but there were no problems.

 

It is strongly recommended to review software and hardware compatibility issues before upgrades or purchases. It is also recommended you contact the manufacturer rather than third party sources.

 

ISO standards usually expect a minimum 90 day period for product testing after a new operating system is released, and we have in the past provided software updates for all major Windows and Macintosh operating systems well within this time frame.

 

Please review the following article:

 

Answer Title: Will Nikon software be compatible with Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard)?

Answer Link: http://support.nikontech.com/cgi-bin/nikonusa.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=14421&p_created=1193671660

 

Thanks for using Nikon products!

 

Nikon Inc. (USA) Support / Service

http://support.nikontech.com

 

I responded at length, but mainly what I said was that in fact as of today the release of OS X 10.5.0 dates back 143 days (more than 1-1/2 times the ISO standard for updates in response to major upgrades of operating systems, which Nikon claims to always beat...).

 

I have noted that there is a 4.03 updater for Windows that Nikon released in mid-January. As Vista was released more than a year ago, I hope it won't take that long for the Mac update to be released.

 

In the meantime, Silverfast was VERY interested to hear what Nikon had to say. They told me they are working furiously to TRY to come up with an alternative driver (I use their Ai Silverfast ME software, which I have used for 7 or 8 years, never with a problem that wasn't resolved quickly) that does not conflict with Nikon code (IP violations are actionable). Silverfast seemed to think they would have new software as soon as last week, but they haven't delivered.

 

I think this is a mess and, as someone already observed, the proverbial victim is the paying customer. If anyone ever wonders whether corporate global vendors are cynical, this episode is only the latest I've experienced that proves it.

 

Howard

This question (whether my 8000 will work with Leopard), along with Adobe's Photoshop CS3

+ Leopard issues are the two things keeping me on Tiger.

 

I was only able to get my 8000, as well as my other flatbed scanner, to work on Tiger (with

an Intel Mac), by starting up Photoshop under Rosetta. Is this still an option with Leopard?

Can anybody verify with first-hand experience?

By any chance did anybody try Hamrick's VueScan software? I ditched the Nikon scanning

software with my LS2000 years ago. I got faster, better scans in return.

Lots of interesting views. I just updated to Leopard (PPC) and everything works except,

Nikon's software for my LS-5000ED which launches but shortly aborts, and Silverfast's

software for my Epson V750, but this was known and Silverfast has an update for a price.

And their software for any one Nikon scanner isn't cheap. So, anyone heard from Nikon? I'm

more curious if this will take a few months or a year or so, and people have to pursue other

packages.

Problems here too with Nikon Scan 4.0.2 on a Leopard PPC G4 machine using a Nikon CoolScan V ED. The main issue is that scan times are near 5 minutes a slide, and that's with most features turned off. It appears that the scanner is activated for a few seconds, the CPU then runs in the high 70%'s for 30 seconds, then the scanner scans a bit more, and repeat repeat. Something is definitely wrong.

 

I also tried the VueScan free trial, but it locks right after the splash screen. That was a couple of weeks ago, so I haven't tried the version released yesterday; but confidence is not high.

FROM THE NIKON EUROPE WEBSITE

 

"we do not plan to make any compatible version for the following software:

 

Wir planen nicht, kompatible Versionen der folgenden Softwareanwendungen herauszubringen.

 

- Nikon Scan

- Nikon Capture

- Nikon View

- PictureProject

- Camera Control Pro

- Wireless Camera Setup Utility

- PictureProject

- COOLPIX Remote Control

- Wireless Connecting Utility

- WT-3 Setup Utility

 

CHD 1500 on a Nikon product that's not even 2 years old........... NEVER AGAIN !

I thought I should add since people asked about VueScan: I have been using my 5000 with VueScan (Quad G5 PowerPC, OS X 10.5) with no problems at all. (But maybe it doesn't work on Intel machines?) This even allowed me to rediscover something I used to know long ago: I can get better colors (closer to the actual slide color) from VueScan than from Nikon Scan. But I think Nikon Scan's scratch removal routine is better.

 

I did find that after completely uninstalling and reinstalling Nikon Scan that it doesn't crash any more, it just takes an insanely long time to scan a slide (like over 30 minutes) and locks up the computer while it's working.

I switched from Nikon Scan to VueScan shortly after purchasing my CoolScan 5000 a year ago. VueScan works well with

my Intel MacPro running OS X 10.5.

I'm using Nikon Scan 4.0.2 on my Mac Pro (early 2008) running Leopard 10.5.4 and it works without any problem at all. I have also bought Vuescan - simply because there were so many reports that Nikon Scan 4 doesn't work - but it turns out that I don't need it. A bit unfortunate spending of money, there. I also like Nikon Scan 4 better than Vuescan because it offers stronger (in my view) dust removal. Also, I think Vuescan is restricted in that it doesn't produce big enough jpgs. The top setting (Archive) will only give 10MB files whereas the top setting in Nikon Scan delivers 30MB images with much more data. Of course there's the tiff option in Vuescan but in some of my workflows I don't like/need that option. Also I have found that Vuescan produces more blue hues in bright white parts of an image, whereas Nikon Scan gives a better balanced image quality in this respect.

 

//

After many hours of trying to get Nikon Scan 4 to run correctly on my Early 2008 Mac Pro 8-core machine under the latest version of

Leopard (10.5.4), I am happy to confirm the earlier responder's comment that Nikon Scan 4 will now run under Leopard on my Mac Pro

without problems. Initially, after installing the Nikon Scan software and the 4.0.2 updater, I found that I had no tools pallet when Nikon

Scan opened under Leopard 10.5.4. This rendered the software useless for working with my Nikon ED9000 multiformat film scanner. I trashed the Nikon Scan software folder, emptied the trash, searched for all library and user library preferences having to do with Nikon

Scan and trashed them. I emptied the trash, rebooted my Mac Pro and reinstalled the NikonScan software and the 4.0.2 update. Still

no luck at having a Tool pallet appear when the software opened.

 

I then looked through the library preferences files very carefully for anything to do with scanners. I found the ImageScan.plist file and

trashed it. I rebooted my MacPro, started my Nikon ED900 film scanner, waited for it to warm up (green light stops flashing), and opened

Nikon Scan 4 software. Voila -- there was my tools pallet. I scanned six 2 1/4 in. Hasselblad color negatives and several 2 1/4 in.

slides with no problems whatsoever. The speed with which the program ran seemed no different than on my PC.

 

Frankly, I think it is (1) remarkable that this program,which has not been updated by Nikon in over 3 years, runs at all under Leopard; (2)

That Nikon should be ashamed of selling a $2395 film scanner with software that dates back to 2001. I will not be buying Nikon products

in the future since they show no desire to support them.

 

Tom

A few things, which haven't been mentioned so far:<br>

<br>

>> <i>"I already knew, from Silverfast, which is forced to use Nikon drivers that the NikonMAID drivers for this

scanner </i><br>

>> <i> did not function, and had not been updated by Nikon for Intel-based Mac computers."</i><br>

<br>

SilverFast 6.6 adresses Nikon film scanners directly without any detour through the MAID-module now. <br>

<br>

>> <i>I also understand Silverfast does not work under Leopard.</i><br>

<br>

The new SilverFast version 6.6 supports all Nikon film scanners on Mac OS 10.5 Leopard,<br>

where Nikon closed their support for Nikon Scan on Mac OS.<br>

<br>

Frank

I just discovered this thread, after posting an update to another thread I started about Nikon Scan and the Mac.

 

The name of the thread is:

Nikon Scan with LS-4000, focus point resets between scans

 

(Sorry, I'm not sure how to post a link, and I don't think I'm supposed to cross-post).

 

As far as I know, the deal is that Nikon scan will not work with Intel Macs when using a motorized film loader (My experience

with this problem is limited to the SF-200 slide loader).