Nikon CS 5000 or 9000 question

[michael_shi1]

<p>I am new to MF film scanning, and desire to buy either a Nikon Cool Scan 5000 or 9000 for digital workflow. However, I am not so sure whether those scanners can work with Windows7 64-bit because Nikon's website saying those only come with up to XP drivers. I know I can run XP vm inside Win7 but I need to know whether performance is still acceptable there. Thank you.</p>

[q.g._de_bakker]

<p>Buying a Nikon 5000 to get you into MF scanning will end as a big disappointment.<br />You absolutely need either an 8000 or 9000. ;-)</p>

<p>Nikon Scan 4.0.3. will work under Windows 7, but not with the 64 bit version.<br />(If that version isn't bundled with a 8000/9000 you might buy, you can get it from the support section of Nikon's website for free.)<br />So it's not that you can't go beyond XP and use Vista or 7 at all.</p>

<p>Performance is quite o.k. under XP already.<br>

And you'll always want it to go faster anyway... ;-)</p>

[sebastianmoran]

<p>Nikon 5000 is great, but it's a 35mm scanner, not MF.</p>

[q.g._de_bakker]

<p>That's good news, Les. Thanks!</p>

<p>But there is also bad news: the Nikon MF scanners 8000 and 9000 connect through FireWire, not USB.</p>

[david_leibowitz1]

<p>I have been able to use a 9000 with Windows 7 64bit by using Vuescan instead of the Nikon software. Make sure the scanner is turned on before opening the software.</p>

 

[Ed_Ingold]

<p>There's no problem using Firewire under Windows 7 64-bit. I use it every day, all day, on a work station and on location with a laptop. You can get a PCI Express card for about $50 if your computer doesn't already have one, or a PCI CardExpress for a laptop. A scanner is such low tech compared to sound or video, even a PCMCIA card would work. Whether there are 64-bit Nikon drivers is another matter. Not many companies continue to update drivers for discontinued hardware.</p>

<p>I haven't tried hooking up the scanner(s) to Win7 - no need as long as I have an XP box still running. XP's days are numbered, however. Updates from Microsoft and Adobe have already broken Acrobat CS3 and Premiere Pro/Encore CS4 (prompting my move to Win7). If push comes to shove, I'll load a box with Win7-32.</p>

[q.g._de_bakker]

<p>The bad news about Firewire is not that Windows 7 (in any form) wouldn't be able to deal with it, but that the trick to get the Nikon software to work under W7 is geared towards scanners connecting through the USB bus.<br>

Making scanners connected to the USB bus visible within Windows will not help when the scanner isn't connected to the USB bus. ;-)</p>

[Ed_Ingold]

<p>The author of that article probably meant Firewire when he wrote USB. Either that, or he created the entire essay out of whole cloth (wouldn't be the first time for that).</p>

[q.g._de_bakker]

<p>The latter is always possible. ;-)</p>

<p>But unlike its big brothers, the 5000 does indeed have an USB connector. Not FireWire.<br>

So he probably did not mean FireWire, instead of USB.</p>

[ondebanks]

<p>Like David, I found that Vuescan gets my XP-era Firewire scanners (Epson 3200 + 4990) working fine under W7 32-bit + 64-bit. If Nikon etc. stop producing driver upgrades for OS changes, this would seem a good alternative to keep the show on the road.</p>

<p> </p>

[thomas_janik]

<p>See: <a href="http://www.photo.net/digital-darkroom-forum/00Ryck">http://www.photo.net/digital-darkroom-forum/00Ryck</a><br>

or <a href="http://www.earthboundlight.com/phototips/coolscan-vista-64.html">http://www.earthboundlight.com/phototips/coolscan-vista-64.html</a><br>

Instructions for 64 bit Vista, but works with 7 64 bit as well. I used the procedure for both a Nikon 9000 and a Minolta 5400. They both work in 64 bit 7. I tried the XP mode with the Minolta, but the scanner isn't detected by the computer. I may pursue that option since the Minolta is much faster in 64 bit. That may sound like a good thing, but even the motor is faster and gives the impression of straining. The Nikon sounds and behaves as normal.</p>