Some new info in my Gepe slide mount thread, for those interested

[mendel_leisk]

I've got my Gepe 7012 ProScan mounts for a few days now, tried a few

things. I've updated this thread:

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00DMGQ

 

The new stuff starts at Sept. 21

[jtk]

Mendel, great work. Thanks for doing it. I'll follow in your footsteps...have some Gepe mounts sitting here right now.

 

Note: Mendel has the original Minolta with the built in "Scanhancer" style diffuser....The II and the Nikon don't (I did get a Scanhancer for my Nikon but have not really explored it yet..it does function with mounted slides but is problematic with strip film...I've heard it won't work at all with the II).

 

Mendel, I'd be interested in your observations with/without that diffuser and anti-newton glass, an especially about possible popcorn grain at extreme magnifications, with/without the diffuser and with/without anti-newton.

 

One of my nutty theories is that Minolta's slow scans tend to reduce popcorn grain through the flexing in-and-out of focus of the film during the long scans. If the Gepe mounts prevent that flexing in-and-out I'd expect more popcorn grain along with more sharpness.

 

Crazy theory, huh?

[mendel_leisk]

I have some provia that scanned with serious pepper grain, when I used my Scan Dual II, no ICE of course. I could give it a try with the 5400, and see if it clears up.

 

I have a lot of old slides with something different: some sort of bubbling on the emulsion side. Quite large, visible to the eye. Occurs in patches, very little (if any) on the edges that where within the mount. ICE doens't touch it. :(

 

Hey, I took the hood off my 5400 today. Snapped a few picture in the process, but basically just to keep track of cables and screws, in case I screwed up (pun intended). Got a look at the grain dissolver, but neglected to take a pic. It's incredibly small: a little glass strip, maybe 5mm wide, 1mm (or less thick), by maybe 50mm long. It's clamped in a steel pivot, that swings in and out of the path of the similar length tube light source.

 

The whole looked pretty solid and purposeful, lotsa steel plate, like a mini pc. No cheap plastic. You'd approve ;)

 

Re the 7012 mounts, with the shims can you pretty well depress the slide's "dome" as much as you want. Vuescan manual focus is good for testing. Just observing how it reflects light gives you good idea also. One layer of shim gets it more or less flat. Two, and it starts to actually dimple down, but get's more uneven in the process.

[mendel_leisk]

Oh, what kind of Gepe?

[jtk]

Mendel, I think I have some plain glass Gepe somewhere, but I'm looking at two partial boxes of anti-newton super-thin: one's 24X36 and the other's 40mm sq (for super-slides). Maybe the 40mm would help with the reflective border issue...it would have no border at all...same physical size as the 35mm, of course...email your snail address and I'll send a few to you (or a whole box if I can find my cache).

 

Merde-omatic 5400II was reviewed in a fawncy-schmawnsy photo mag this AM (local trendy breakfast joint has expensive browsing mags for people who pay too much for bagels & espresso). The reviewer raved about how the new model saved a whole kilo, Vs your 5400, which weighs about 2.5 kilos. He loved the little rubber feet and the sleek design of the new one, Vs the old fashioned industrial look you have to suffer with yours :-)

 

Sometimes I don't understand what's really important, I guess.

However, the bagel and espresso were excellent :-)

[mendel_leisk]

John, thanks for the offer. The 40mm mounts sound very interesting. Unfortunately, I'm finding ANY kind of glass is detrimental, in one way or another, and don't want to put you out, so will pass.

 

The reflective edge does appear to be light bouncing off the slide mount, encroaching on the image a bit. I thought it might be the scanner itself, but it moves around with the slide, if I shift it in the holder.

 

I've tried a new and hopefully better shim arrangement, just reviewing the results, very good corner to corner sharpness. Will add to the orig. thread.