Scanning 40-exposure APS

[Ivan]

I have a Nikon Coolscan V ED with the IA-20 (S) adapter for APS
films. It scans 25-exposure rolls, but when I try a 40-exposure one,
it rejects it, with an error message that it is "either too short or
too long."

Is this a built-in limitation? If not, how do I scan these films?

 

[Barry Watzman]

I was under the impression that you should have been able to have
scanned that roll. I service these units. I have seen posts which say
that the original IA-20 could only scan shorter rolls, but that the
IA-20(S) could scan the longer rolls. Honestly, my impression (I have
taken these units apart) has been that the IA-20 and IA-20(S) are
identical except for the color of the plastic (the (S) models of the
SF-200, IA-20 and MA-20 are molded in "silver" (gray) plastic instead of
beige).

But, in any case, you HAVE the IA-20(S) model, which is supposed to be
the model that CAN do the longer rolls. So, honestly, I don't know.
I'd tell you to call Nikon, but from what I've seen, your chances of
getting a straight and correct answer from them are not all that good.

 

[AndyCBR]

I was under the impression that you should have been able to have
scanned that roll.  I service these units.  I have seen posts which say
that the original IA-20 could only scan shorter rolls, but that the
IA-20(S) could scan the longer rolls.  Honestly, my impression (I have
taken these units apart) has been that the IA-20 and IA-20(S) are
identical except for the color of the plastic (the (S) models of the
SF-200, IA-20 and MA-20 are molded in "silver" (gray) plastic instead of
beige).

But, in any case, you HAVE the IA-20(S) model, which is supposed to be
the model that CAN do the longer rolls.  So, honestly, I don't know.
I'd tell you to call Nikon, but from what I've seen, your chances of
getting a straight and correct answer from them are not all that good.

I read one post where these scanners are prone to tightening the APS
roll the more it is cycled through the adapter. This creates
additional tension and eventually strips the plastic gears. Not sure
if it would give you the errors you are talking about.

Email me if you need scans I think my FS4000 would do it....

 

[Barry Watzman]

I can't vouch for that, but .... the failure rate on the IA-20 APS film
feeders is tremendously high, very few of them last and it costs about
$80 to get them fixed. They are full of flimsy plastic gears (dozens of
them) and it would not surprise me in the least if this was correct.
However, my experience in attempting (with 100% UN-success, I might add)
to service them has not turned up broken gears. What I SUSPECT is that
the gears have to be "timed" relative to each other (like the cam and
crankshafts of a car) and that the teeth "slip".