Vuescan, .mrf files, and .it8 files

[Ronald Bruck]

I just bought an Epson Perfection 4870 Pro. This comes with a program
called MonacoEZColor 2, which includes two IT8 targets. I used the
reflective target and MonacoEZColor to calibrate the scanner, producing
a .icc file which is saved in my Mac's Profiles folder.

When I try to scan using Vuescan, it not only wants the .icc file
(which I can provide), but also the data file used to produce it. This
is named MONR2003.10.02.mrf, and is a binary file. But .mrf isn't a
suffix which Vuescan recognizes--it wants .it8 (or a couple of others,
which I don't recall right now).

Is a .mrf file the same as a .it8 file? Would it be OK to create a
soft link MONR2003.10.02.it8 -> MONR2003.10.02.mrf in the Profiles
folder?

I haven't tried it yet. What's the worst it can do, hiss at me? (Or
screech and grind medal in my lovely new Epson...)

Does anybody know whether a .mrf file is actually one of the three
formats which Vuescan recognizes? It seems clear that I must use the
..mrf file, since that's related to the particular IT8 target I used;
how do I get Vuescan to recognize it?

--Ron Bruck

 

[CCD]

I would just rename it with an IT8 extension. Is the card produced by Monaco
or Kodak? You can download the Kodak data from their site or Wolf Faust I
believe.

 

[Jean Delmas]

I just bought an Epson Perfection 4870 Pro. This comes with a program
called MonacoEZColor 2, which includes two IT8 targets. I used the
reflective target and MonacoEZColor to calibrate the scanner, producing
a .icc file which is saved in my Mac's Profiles folder.

When I try to scan using Vuescan, it not only wants the .icc file
(which I can provide), but also the data file used to produce it. This
is named MONR2003.10.02.mrf, and is a binary file. But .mrf isn't a
suffix which Vuescan recognizes--it wants .it8 (or a couple of others,
which I don't recall right now).

Unfortunately, Vuescan creates only simple "matrix" scanner profiles
and is unable to read more sophisticated profiles, as profiles created
by Monaco EZcolor.

Simple method : forget Monaco, profile your scanner with Vuescan and
an IT8 target and use this profile in Vuescan.

Second method : dont use your Monaco profile in Vuescan but use it in
Photoshop. About this method, see posts by Erick Krause in this group.
See on 2004-03-01 "Frutstrated with Vuescan profiling".

I use the first "simple" method with a Nikon 4000ED and an Epson 3170
and it works fine...

Jean Delmas