Minolta Dual IV Problem - Hardware or Software??

[Al]

I just bought a new Minolta Dimage Dual Scan IV and have not been able
to get a quality scan out of it yet. This is a replacement for a
Polaroid Sprintscan ES that I've had for years, so I am experienced
with film scanners. I went for the Minolta mostly because I wanted the
48 bit color depth and am used to dusting slides.

When I scan B&W negatives there is excessive clipping in the shadow
(low density) areas of the negatives. I would estimate that it is
about 10% of the shadow area in the best case, which is with 16 bit
output into a 16 bit application. When I switch the output to "16 Bit
Linear" the clipping is even worse. The images also have excessive
contrast. I have tried all the variations of auto exposure and manual
exposure with variation of the levels but nothing seems to bring the
full dynamic range of the negative to the output.

The literature for the scanner said the dynamic range of the scanner
is 4.8, but the specs in the manual list it as 3.6. I am not that
disappointed with 3.6, but it's a big difference from 4.8!

Another problem is that the preview image is not even close to
matching the scanned image in regular 16 bit mode. A color negative
that looks great on the preview looks dark and off color on the final
scan. Slides seem to scan at about the right density, but they look
noisy and again the color output doesn't match the preview. All color
images are clipped in the "16 Bit Linear" setting.

Is it possible that my scanner has a hardware problem that is causing
the output to be so clipped and contrasty? Could it be missing one or
more of the 16 bits? If so I would like to find out quickly so I can
exchange it for a new one. If anyone else has had experience using the
Dimage IV with the Minolta software I would appreciate any info on
what results you have had.

 

[Mendel Leisk]

I just bought a new Minolta Dimage Dual Scan IV and have not been able
to get a quality scan out of it yet. This is a replacement for a
Polaroid Sprintscan ES that I've had for years, so I am experienced
with film scanners. I went for the Minolta mostly because I wanted the
48 bit color depth and am used to dusting slides.

When I scan B&W negatives there is excessive clipping in the shadow
(low density) areas of the negatives. I would estimate that it is
about 10% of the shadow area in the best case, which is with 16 bit
output into a 16 bit application. When I switch the output to "16 Bit
Linear" the clipping is even worse. The images also have excessive
contrast. I have tried all the variations of auto exposure and manual
exposure with variation of the levels but nothing seems to bring the
full dynamic range of the negative to the output.

The literature for the scanner said the dynamic range of the scanner
is 4.8, but the specs in the manual list it as 3.6. I am not that
disappointed with 3.6, but it's a big difference from 4.8!

Another problem is that the preview image is not even close to
matching the scanned image in regular 16 bit mode. A color negative
that looks great on the preview looks dark and off color on the final
scan. Slides seem to scan at about the right density, but they look
noisy and again the color output doesn't match the preview. All color
images are clipped in the "16 Bit Linear" setting.

Is it possible that my scanner has a hardware problem that is causing
the output to be so clipped and contrasty? Could it be missing one or
more of the 16 bits? If so I would like to find out quickly so I can
exchange it for a new one. If anyone else has had experience using the
Dimage IV with the Minolta software I would appreciate any info on
what results you have had.

Minolta software, in my experience with Scan Dual II, clips both
highlights and shadows, severely. I gave up interfacing thru it, and
switched to Vuescan, where I specify b/w negative media, and use the
TMax400 profile, usually with contrast index D76ci:.55, .7 bright,
..02/.02 wp/bp.

To see what your scanner is capable of in the interm, maybe try
scanning as a slide and inverting in Photoshop or whatever.

 

[Al]

Minolta software, in my experience with Scan Dual II, clips both
highlights and shadows, severely. I gave up interfacing thru it, and
switched to Vuescan, where I specify b/w negative media, and use the
TMax400 profile, usually with contrast index D76ci:.55, .7 bright,
.02/.02 wp/bp.

To see what your scanner is capable of in the interm, maybe try
scanning as a slide and inverting in Photoshop or whatever.

That is the same thing I'm experiencing. I can see that the histogram
is cut off on the ends but there is no way to narrow it down so it
fits in the window. Reducing the contrast only affects
post-processing, so it won't bring back the clipped areas.

This is a new unit and the software is Version 1.0A. I guess that's
why there is 3rd party software.

I'm still puzzled about what the difference between 16 bit and "16 Bit
Linear" output is. I have tried Wide Gamut and my application won't
handle it directly, but it will accept the "Linear" input.

 

[Mendel Leisk]

I'm still puzzled about what the difference between 16 bit and "16 Bit

Linear" output is. I have tried Wide Gamut and my application won't
handle it directly, but it will accept the "Linear" input.

16 bit linear output looks REALLY close to Vuescan raw file output.
Vuescan raw file is described (I'm paraphrasing, it's something like
this) as uncorrected, uninverted and gamma 1. Essentially, it's the
data as it comes out of the scanner. I'm not sure what Minolta's
intention is, they certainly don't explain the purpose for 16 bit
linear output, and don't provide a function within their software
similar to Vuescan's scan-from-disk, which behaves like a scan but
uses the raw file data.

Again, I'd recommend you first try scanning within Minolta software as
a slide, just to see the potential of your scanner, and what the b/w
setting is blowing out in highlights and blocking in shadows. Then,
download a trial of Vuescan and try with the settings I suggested
above. If you purchase Vuescan, don't bother with the cheaper, it
doesn't allow raw file output, and the higher level gives lifetime
upgrades.

I wasted 9 months cleaning 1800 b/w scans made with Minolta software.
I've now redone all with Vuescan, and output 48 bit rgb raw files
which I clean directly, in Photoshop, with raised gamma viewing mode.
This is necessary since they are very dark, gamma 1. I'm about 16
months into this latest cleaning of raw files project, and about 4/5
done.

If you get into color, I'd say start looking for something with ICE.

Good luck with your endeavors.

 

[Al]

16 bit linear output looks REALLY close to Vuescan raw file output.
Vuescan raw file is described (I'm paraphrasing, it's something like
this) as uncorrected, uninverted and gamma 1. Essentially, it's the
data as it comes out of the scanner. I'm not sure what Minolta's
intention is, they certainly don't explain the purpose for 16 bit
linear output, and don't provide a function within their software
similar to Vuescan's scan-from-disk, which behaves like a scan but
uses the raw file data.

Again, I'd recommend you first try scanning within Minolta software as
a slide, just to see the potential of your scanner, and what the b/w
setting is blowing out in highlights and blocking in shadows. Then,
download a trial of Vuescan and try with the settings I suggested
above. If you purchase Vuescan, don't bother with the cheaper, it
doesn't allow raw file output, and the higher level gives lifetime
upgrades.

I wasted 9 months cleaning 1800 b/w scans made with Minolta software.
I've now redone all with Vuescan, and output 48 bit rgb raw files
which I clean directly, in Photoshop, with raised gamma viewing mode.
This is necessary since they are very dark, gamma 1. I'm about 16
months into this latest cleaning of raw files project, and about 4/5
done.

If you get into color, I'd say start looking for something with ICE.

Good luck with your endeavors.

Thanks for the suggestions and the info about using the scanner with
Vuescan. I just looked today and Silverfast doesn't support the Dimage
Dual IV, so Vuescan is the only alternative available.

Does Minolta have a software site to download drivers? Their software
is very quirky - it took me a long time to figure out how to unlock
the output resolution settings. I will try the Slide Film setting as
you mentioned because it does seem to give a wider dynamic range.

Thanks for the help, and good luck on your b/w scans.

 

[Olaf Ulrich]

Does Minolta have a software
site to download drivers?

Have a look at:
<http://www.konicaminoltaeurope.com/magic_frameEoI.shtml?nav.html?software/s
oftware/software_de.html>

Their software is very quirky -- it
took me a long time to figure out
how to unlock the output resolution
settings.

Strange ... I think their software is pretty easy to use.
However I am using DiMAGE Scan Utility 1.1.4
with a Elite 5400 scanner.

Olaf

 

[Al]

16 bit linear output looks REALLY close to Vuescan raw file output.
Vuescan raw file is described (I'm paraphrasing, it's something like
this) as uncorrected, uninverted and gamma 1. Essentially, it's the
data as it comes out of the scanner. I'm not sure what Minolta's
intention is, they certainly don't explain the purpose for 16 bit
linear output, and don't provide a function within their software
similar to Vuescan's scan-from-disk, which behaves like a scan but
uses the raw file data.

Again, I'd recommend you first try scanning within Minolta software as
a slide, just to see the potential of your scanner, and what the b/w
setting is blowing out in highlights and blocking in shadows. Then,
download a trial of Vuescan and try with the settings I suggested
above. If you purchase Vuescan, don't bother with the cheaper, it
doesn't allow raw file output, and the higher level gives lifetime
upgrades.

I wasted 9 months cleaning 1800 b/w scans made with Minolta software.
I've now redone all with Vuescan, and output 48 bit rgb raw files
which I clean directly, in Photoshop, with raised gamma viewing mode.
This is necessary since they are very dark, gamma 1. I'm about 16
months into this latest cleaning of raw files project, and about 4/5
done.

If you get into color, I'd say start looking for something with ICE.

Good luck with your endeavors.

So far I have had the best luck with Vuescan set to the maximum T-Max
gamma setting of 0.8 and clipping set to 0%.

I'm glad that Vuescan allows a wide range of gamma for B&W film.