Scanhancer times with Nikon coolscan V

[miguel_angel_p._prieto]

Hi guys,

 

I've recently purchased a scanhancer for my Nikon coolscan V. For those who doesn't know what this is: It's a small piece of

semitransparent plastic that works as light diffuser, as the light of the coolscan is extremely "direct".

 

The B&W scans I get are beautiful: finer grained than before, or in other words, more "classic film grained", and it gets rid of those little

white specks and small scratches (coolscan b&w users know what I'm talking about).

 

The only downside I find is scan times.They're very long for me: 1 minute per scan WITHOUT and 5 minutes per scan WITH

SCANHANCER.

 

Do you get this times scanning with scanhancer?

 

Thanks

[mendel_leisk]

MIguel, I have a MInolta Scan Elite 5400, which has something very simliar, except that it was built-in by Minolta. It's referred to as the "Grain Dissolver".

 

Going from memory, my scan times were roughly double with the "Grain Dissolver" engaged, and then doubled again if scanning with ICE. Something like:

 

Straight Scan: 1.5 minutes

 

With GD: 3.0 minutes

 

With GD and ICE: 6.0 minutes

 

Are your 1 minute per scan times at full resolution? It seems a little quick to me: I also have a Coolscan V. I find my regular scan times with that scanner are roughly 3 minutes. That is for color negative film though, that might be somewhat of a factor. Anyway, I base that time estimate on batch scanning strip film automatically with Vuescan. No two output files are closer in time than 3 minutes.

 

Also, the Scanhancer could be a little different density? Though from what Erik de Goederen, the Scanhancer manufacturer says, they are very similar.

[david_f._stein]

Thanks for reporting on the scanhancer.

[miguel_angel_p._prieto]

Thanks for answering Mendel.

 

My 1 minute per scan is at full resolution (4000 dpi).

I batch scan film strips of 6 frames, and I follow the method recommended by Ed Hamrick for batchscanning: preview a

blank frame, then locking the exposure and set the crop to maximum. That way, the scanner doesn't make a preview on

each frame, only focusing, and the scan time is reduced to 1 minute. With all the filters off (infrared clean, grain

reduction etc...)

 

I don't know about the density of scanhancer, but in the website of Erik, explains that both systems are very similar...

[derek_kennedy]

If it gets rid of the white spots - Id be all for it.

[derek_kennedy]

I wish I could edit my previous post...

 

If you dont mind me asking, but what do they charge for the Scanhancer for the Nikon Coolscan V? I have the IV ED myself and it gives me grief when scanning b&w.

[jason_burke]

I noticed long scan times when I scanned some kodachrome slides taken at night. Most if the slide was black except my subject. The scan times were in the 5 minute range.

 

I bet that the scanhancer thingy is reducing the available light, extending scan times.

[lex_jenkins]

The same effect occurs when diffusion or neutral density filters are used with enlargers. It seems like a

reasonable compromise in exchange for better results when scanning b&w film, a very difficult process compared

with scanning color films.

 

Hamrick's Vuescan software offered an optional technique that also helped when scanning b&w film. It involved

multiple passes. As with a diffuser or neutral density filter, it also extended scan times considerably. It's a

fair trade-off.

[miguel_angel_p._prieto]

Anobody else who's using the Scanhancer?

Where are you people??

 

:)

[miguel_angel_p._prieto]

Jason: the scanhancer definetely reduces de available light. The lock exposure for FP4 without scanhancer is about 1.9

and with scanhancer is about 70! !That would be explain that long times. anyway I was reported that this times should be

2 or 3 times over the normal time, not 6, as I'm getting...

 

Derek: the price was 25€ posting included from Holland.

[jira]

I bought scanhancer for my Nikon LS50 sometime ago, but used it only couple of times. I found it to be too much of a hassle to use.