johan_greenhorn

<p>If you do get 8800F please post some scans similar to the samples presented here.</p>

<p>I have not bought a new scanner as I don't need to scan a lot, I continue to use my Epson GT-7000U I bought over 10 years ago. It gives nice results up to 600DPI and also works on Windows 7 x64 with VueScan. It was my first USB 1 device. :)</p>

<p>Thanks Sriram for confirming that I'm not making this up. I agree about Vuescan workflow being better. I use Nikon Scan for color and Vuescan for B&W.</p>

<p>As previously noted these samples were raw (4000 DPI) scans with all post processing disabled (except auto-exposure). All noise reductions, sharpening and ICE features were disabled as I don't use them. Focus point was set to exactly the same place and focus was set to "on scan".<br />I have now experimented more (and tried to use different channels for gray conversion) and although I can get scans from Vuescan that don't burn highlights and shadows as easy as Nikon Scan, even after adjusting contrast to extreme I still don't get as sharp grain from VueScan as fom Nikon Scan. Yes, the difference is small and seems most won't notice it, but it is there. I like film grain but seems VueScan smooths it out a bit more than Nikon Scan.</p>

<p>The detail is the same, but one image is just softer and pushing up constract won't bring it to the same level as another. The over compressed JPEG "edit" posted by JDM von Weinberg tells why one should not trust all he reads in the internet as opinion from someone who posts image with heavy compression artefacts like that for detail comparison can't be taken seriously. ;)<br>

Is there anyone alse besides me who sees that the Vuescan scan is inferior to Nikon Scan?</p>

<p>Note: Anyone who looks at my originally attached image be sure you are looking it at 100% as web browser may downsize it to window size using anti-aliasing, making it look less detailed.</p>

 

<p>Contrast difference is not that big, I roughly matched histogram of all 3 images. Vuescan images just show less fine detail, film grain is not that clear as from Nikon Scan. With Nikon Scan and Tri-X, looking at grain, you easily see where areas of film were not that flat and image is very slightly out of focus (grain slightly blurry), while entire Vuescan image seems similar.</p>

<p>Scanner: Nikon Coolscan V (LS-50)<br>

Does anyone else notice that Vuescan gives less detailed scan compared to Nikon Scan and Silverfast? There is kind of smear on the picture, like scan is out of focus.<br />See attachment, the image is 100% view of unsharpened grayscale scan (Tri-X), scanned using 3 different pprograms. Focus point was set to the exact same place for all 3 scans. Dust removal, noise reduction and all similar corrections are disabled.<br />I scanned entire roll with Vuescan (latest version) and all images lack detail compared to same images scanned with Nikon Scan.</p>

<p>I recently bought "mint" CL that was listed as "recently CLA-d and of course everything works perfectly". What I got was one with rangefinder way out of alignment (lens showed less then 5 meters when focused to infinity), film takeup spool had 2 teeth broken off and existing ones soon to break and lens was very stiff, probably from not being used for long time and there was strange dust inside the camera. But yes, it looked mint from the outside and viewfinder was as new. Fortunately it was possible to return it.<br>

As for using CL lenses on M and vice versa, note that CL has less/different framelines (no frameline for 35 or 28 and M does not have one for 40).</p>

<blockquote>

<p>My opinion is that the D700 will deliver much better color images than any other kit you own currently.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I think Leica glass and slide film will give much better color than D700. :) To illustrate my point, lets see these red pants on the following photo (click for larger image):<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebaseonu/371292064/sizes/o/in/set-72157594504011199/"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/150/371292064_54f9bbf968.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="331" /></a><br />Do you get similar tonal graduation with current digital? Nope.</p>

<p>To OP, how much film to you shoot? How about shooting less, thinking more when you press that trigger? Digital makes it easy to be greedy, but do you really need that many images? ;)</p>

<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebaseonu/3784105133/sizes/o"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2467/3784105133_893f1bdebb.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="338" /></a><br>

Click for larger image. M6TTL, Summicron 35 & expired E100VS.</p>

<p>Thanks again, your help is much appreciated. The use of paper as background explains the "grain", I was thinking the white was from scanner lid. This looks much better than V30, also sharpness/detail is better.<br>

Can anyone post something similar from Canon scanners or from Epson V500?</p>

<p>Thanks, Peter! It is interesting to note that on some reason the background looks grainy.<br>

If anyone is going to post more scans, if possible please scan brighter subject, like white paper. Thanks!</p>

<p>I'm looking for scanner for reflective scans like paper photos, I already have dedicated film scanner, so I'm not looking to scan film with flatbed. I have 10 years old Epson GT-7000U that gives nice scans but as it is USB 1 device it is slow and also driver support is lacking. I recently got Epson V30 (as V300 but no film cover) and it was disappointment (poor tone separation and clipped white even with image enhancement turned off). I'm looking for professional quality output.<br />I'm asking if any owners of Canon 5600F/8800F and Epson 4490 scanners can help me out by showing me a piece of not processed 600 DPI scan. I'm attaching here a scan from Epson V30, it is corner of a banknote. If you can post about similar sample, perhaps corner of a banknote on white background (leave part of background visible).<br />Also welcome are suggestions about scanners that have good reflective scan ability.</p><div></div>

<p>Thank you all for your replies.</p>

<p>My 35mm Summilux ASPH fell to the floor from sofa (attached to M6) and now filter thread area of lens front is bent. The lens works OK otherwise but I'm thinking of sending it for repair as I want to use ND filter. Also, apterture ring turns a bit too easily compared to my other lenses so I would like it adjusted too (if possible).<br>

Can anyone recommend workshops (in EU) which can do this repair or should I send it to Leica, and perhaps estimate cost of repair? If it is too expensive then I'll pass repair and keep using it as is.</p>

 

I bought two 1990SXi-BK (revision 1 D) monitors at the same time and about 1 year later these both developed serious and permanent ghosting (or screen burn-in). On top of the screen is clearly visible part of toolbar of a program I use daily (for hours), this is now burned in permanently (more or less visible, depending on background color). Interesting is the fact that I always switch off monitors for night, so the same image is not on screen 24/7. These monitors were quite expensive and I thought ghosting was thing of the past but here you are. Don't want to buy any NEC monitors again. If anyone has similar experience please post here.

The composition you chose when you pressed shutter release was the picture/motive you made. Everything you do later is just something else. When you later need to change cropping, that means the picture you made was not good enough (you failed). If it was not good enough and you needed to change it, why present it now to other people as the picture you took? Trying to look better than you really are? Making great composition on spot requires much more effort and skill and thus these picture should get more credit, but in fact are now behind piles of "cured" pictures that pretend to be as good.

 

Did Henri Cartier Bresson cropped his images? No. He just nailed them on the spot. And that is what gives them much more value. These are pure images, no gimmick.

 

If we admire work from guys from Magnum agency then we should play by the same rules as our "idols" (no cropping).

Agree that FM3a is a wonderful camera for people who love photography.

 

You americans are so used to low prices and that has spoiled you. At the moment I see one brand new one on the auction site for $900. You probably think that is too much? That was the price the camera was on sale in Europe when it was manufactured. I don't think that $900 for new is too much for this camera, especially now when production is stopped.

I agree with these who say you need to edit that folder, keep only perhaps 20 images. Most of current selection are quite usual and boring, but a few like the first one are very good.

 

Also I see you crop your images. If you feel you have too many "good" shots when perhaps next year try not to crop anything. Cropping is for weak, it is going the way of less resistance. IMO one is not good photographer until he can shoot images that look good without cropping. Everyone can crop something out of nothing and present that as the picture he took (in fact he lies).

You obviously have too much gear to carry. My suggestion is to take 5D with your favorite lens and no more lens and bodies (I'd take 16-35 from your list). Get used to this 1 lens approach and later you will thank yourself each time you see an overloaded tourist sweating around with this big backpack full of gear, always worrying about security and having no will to take photos after hot and exhausting day.... ;)

I think that Nikon manual lens actually have better aperture rings than Leica M lens (more snappy and difficult to move by accident). I recently got Summilux 35 and its aperture ring is worse than Summicron 35.

John Leung Studios

1st floor, Block B, Kwong Sang Hong Building, 6 Heard Street, Wanchai

 

Visited this place a few years ago to develop some slides and the results were good and the place is indeed professional, not a pharmacy.

Thanks, very useful stuff. I used similar Russian maps recently in Africa for in-car navigation and while old, they are still very useful as for many regions in the world there are no better topo maps published.

Look <a href="http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/">Magnum In Motion site</a> for more surprizes! ;)