slides scanning

[jesumii]

Hi. Anyone there who can help me? Just bought an HP G4050. Tried
scanning 16 slides placed in the slide template. The scanned result is
one big picture of the slides and the template. I read the manual and
followed the instructions. Aren't the slides supposed to come out one
at a time and bigger? Or did I miss something? Thanks for whatever
help anyone can give.

 

[1Scan]

Hi. Anyone there who can help me? Just bought an HP G4050. Tried
scanning 16 slides placed in the slide template. The scanned result is
one big picture of the slides and the template. I read the manual and
followed the instructions. Aren't the slides supposed to come out one
at a time and bigger? Or did I miss something? Thanks for whatever
help anyone can give.

I don't have this scanner but I do use similar machines from Epson, so
possibly the Epson multiple image scanning process can be applied to
scanning 35mm slides on your HP.

I have to create small windows (Epson and SilverFast call these masks)
and position each one around the area to be scanned - typically the
film within the 35mm mount. To create a mask in Silverfast I do a
preview that shows all that you've seen then click my mouse on one
corner of the image and drag the box that appears to cover the image
area. Epson has a zoom function so you can get closer to make sure
you've got the right part of each 35mm slide. Click on each slide in
turn until you have multiple little boxes on screen, they are made of
broken lines so they stand out well against the black of the plastic
slide mount.

Having done that I have a number of masks, one for each slide (or
print or negative). My version of SilverFast scanning software has a
batch facility and when thats activated the scanner will chug away
scanning each slide in turn, making a digital image for each one.

In standard mode this will produce an image the size of a 35mm frame
at whatever dpi you select. In SilverFast you can also apply a
magnification factor if you want a bigger digital image. If you're
doing that it makes sense to research the link between dpi and
magnification.

Regards,

Jeff Underwood
1scan.co.uk

 

[Barry Watzman]

You are not doing it right.

But, that said, I have never seen an HP scanner that did a good job of
scanning slides. They really are terrible (even if you are doing it
correctly). For scanning slides and negatives, the best products, BY
FAR, are the Nikon film scanners and some Epson flatbed scanners.

 

[jesum]

I don't have this scanner but I do use similar machines from Epson, so
possibly the Epson multiple image scanning process can be applied to
scanning 35mm slides on your HP.

I have to create small windows (Epson and SilverFast call these masks)
and position each one around the area to be scanned - typically the
film within the 35mm mount. To create a mask in Silverfast I do a
preview that shows all that you've seen then click my mouse on one
corner of the image and drag the box that appears to cover the image
area. Epson has a zoom function so you can get closer to make sure
you've got the right part of each 35mm slide. Click on each slide in
turn until you have multiple little boxes on screen, they are made of
broken lines so they stand out well against the black of the plastic
slide mount.

Having done that I have a number of masks, one for each slide (or
print or negative). My version of SilverFast scanning software has a
batch facility and when thats activated the scanner will chug away
scanning each slide in turn, making a digital image for each one.

In standard mode this will produce an image the size of a 35mm frame
at whatever dpi you select. In SilverFast you can also apply a
magnification factor if you want a bigger digital image. If you're
doing that it makes sense to research the link between dpi and
magnification.

Regards,

Jeff Underwood
1scan.co.uk

Hi Jeff. Appreciate very much your response, swiftly at that. I guess
the steps you outlined are the procedures that I did not perform and
which should have been spelled out in the scanner's manual to guide
newbies like me. Unfortunately, even the HP Support Center was not
able to spell out the steps that you mentioned when I referred the
problem to them.

Will try out your suggestions and hope everything works out fine. Or
else, I'm stuck with an expensive paperweight.

Regards,

Jess Matubis
Paranaque City, Philippines

 

[jesum]

You are not doing it right.

But, that said, I have never seen an HP scanner that did a good job of
scanning slides.  They really are terrible (even if you are doing it
correctly).  For scanning slides and negatives, the best products, BY
FAR, are the Nikon film scanners and some Epson flatbed scanners.

Hi Barry.
Thanks for responding. As Jeff mentioned, I apparently missed
undertaking certain procedures. Regarding the other brands of
scanners, the Nikons are too prohibitive for an enthusiast like me.
But you mentioned Epson. What models are suited for slide/negative
scanning?

Regards,

Jess Matubis

 

[Gour]

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[1Scan]

Hi Barry.
Thanks for responding. As Jeff mentioned, I apparently missed
undertaking certain procedures. Regarding the other brands of
scanners, the Nikons are too prohibitive for an enthusiast like me.
But you mentioned Epson. What models are suited for slide/negative
scanning?

Regards,

Jess Matubis

You need a scanner capable of shining a light through the slide so the
sensors can capture an image. With Epsons they do this through a light
source in the scanner lid, which makes them much bulkier than other
scanners.

I use 4990s, later models are V700 and V750.

I've seen reviews of Epson scanners which confirm you can get good
results from slides & Epson, but as has been said Nikons are much
better.

Jeff Underwood
1Scan.co.uk

 

[jesum]

You need a scanner capable of shining a light through the slide so the
sensors can capture an image. With Epsons they do this through a light
source in the scanner lid, which makes them much bulkier than other
scanners.

I use 4990s, later models are V700 and V750.

I've seen reviews of Epson scanners which confirm you can get good
results from slides & Epson, but as has been said Nikons are much
better.

Jeff Underwood
1Scan.co.uk

Hey guys:

After reading through several discussion forums on scanners, it dawned
on me the problem might be Vista related. So I unhooked the G4050 from
my Vista desktop and transferred it to an XP set. The scanner is
working perfectly now. After clicking scan, the machine got down to
work---the preview showed the 16 slides each with flashing borders and
after I adjusted the first slide, it began working down the line, up
to the 16th slide and sent the scans to Photoshop Elements, where I
was able to make further adjustments. Will now try to see what is
needed to make the unit work with a Vista desktop. Thank you all.

Jess

 

[CSM1]

Have you been to the manufacturer's web site and looked for Vista drivers
for your model?
HP does have a Vista Driver for the G4050.
http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/support.html

Be sure you select the one for your OS. If you have Vista 64, get the Vista
64 driver.

--
CSM1
http://www.carlmcmillan.com
--

You need a scanner capable of shining a light through the slide so the
sensors can capture an image. With Epsons they do this through a light
source in the scanner lid, which makes them much bulkier than other
scanners.

I use 4990s, later models are V700 and V750.

I've seen reviews of Epson scanners which confirm you can get good
results from slides & Epson, but as has been said Nikons are much
better.

Jeff Underwood
1Scan.co.uk

Hey guys:

After reading through several discussion forums on scanners, it dawned
on me the problem might be Vista related. So I unhooked the G4050 from
my Vista desktop and transferred it to an XP set. The scanner is
working perfectly now. After clicking scan, the machine got down to
work---the preview showed the 16 slides each with flashing borders and
after I adjusted the first slide, it began working down the line, up
to the 16th slide and sent the scans to Photoshop Elements, where I
was able to make further adjustments. Will now try to see what is
needed to make the unit work with a Vista desktop. Thank you all.

Jess

 

[Barry Watzman]

Re: "the Nikons are too prohibitive for an enthusiast like me"

I overhaul Nikon scanners and resell them on E-Bay. I sell overhauled
LS-2000's for $325. They can be obtained for as little as $30 to $60,
but at those prices they are usually incomplete. Also, 80% of the used
LS-2000's and LS-30's sold on E-Bay either don't work at all or don't
work well (because they are 8+ years old and the optics are dirty, if
nothing else). However, completely cleaned and overhauled, the are
SPECTACULAR.

The lowest model of Epson that I would recommend is the 4990, and they
are also $300. You can get a 4490 for about $120, and they work ok, but
they are REALLY slow, to the point of almost being unuseable.

 

[Barry Watzman]

When you scan a bunch of slides or negatives at once on a flatbed
scanner, some scanners will use a single set of exposure settings for
all of the slides, which is very much sub-optimal. Other scanners may
optimize each slide individually (requires at least two scans of each
slide, one to determine exposure settings and then a final scan).

 

[Shakespear]

Hi

I'm new to this forum but right in the middle of deciding to buy a scanner for my slides and prints. I am not a pro photographer but want to get good results at a reasonable price.

I am looking at the moment at

EPSON V500 and Canon CS 8800 F. From looking all over the net these two strike me as good at my price range. Any opinion by anyone using them?

Thanks

 

[Bob AZ]

I overhaul Nikon scanners and resell them on E-Bay. �I sell overhauled
LS-2000's for $325. �They can be obtained for as little as $30 to$60,
but at those prices they are usually incomplete. �Also, 80% of the used
LS-2000's and LS-30's sold on E-Bay either don't work at all or don't
work well (because they are 8+ years old and the optics are dirty, if
nothing else). �However, completely cleaned and overhauled, the are
SPECTACULAR.

Barry

Ever do any work on Nikon LS4500AF scanners? I use mine as needed for
film. Really like it.

Also do you have access to a Sevice manual for the LS4500AF?

Thanks
Bob AZ

 

[Barry Watzman]

I have worked on LS-4000's, but I have no familiarity at all with an
LS-4500 (suffixes and punctuation not withstanding).

I have also never seen any service manuals for any models of Nikon
Scanners, including the ones that I work on. I have seen parts manuals
for some models, but not service manuals. I believe that they exist
only within Nikon if at all.