How to modify the Nikon SA-21 strip film adapter to work like SA-30

[nikonscanner]

There is a way to modify the strip film adapter sa-21 to behave like a
sa-30 roll film adapter.

You yust need to open up the SA-21 and join two soldering points.

You can find an image of the soldering points at:

http://nikonscanner.tripod.com/SA-21_to_SA-30.gif

Be aware that opeining up the SA-21 and modifying it renders the Nikon
warranty void.

Enjoy!

 

[nikonscanner]

Somehow the link seems not to work correctly.

Check in your browser if the address appears correctly:
nikonscanner.tripod.com/SA-21_to_SA-30.gif

 

[winhag]

Even if you could do this, physically, where does the long roll of film
go?
Wouldn't it bunch up inside the SA-21?

 

[nikonscanner]

The film will come out of the back of the Coolscan 4000/5000. There is
an opening exactly for this purpose. What you don't have (and not
really need) is the big roll to collect the film which is shipped with
the SA-30.

By the way, the SA-30 and SA-21 are the same thing - the only
difference is the little bridge...

 

[Kennedy McEwen]

There is a way to modify the strip film adapter sa-21 to behave like a
sa-30 roll film adapter.

You yust need to open up the SA-21 and join two soldering points.

You can find an image of the soldering points at:

http://nikonscanner.tripod.com/SA-21_to_SA-30.gif

Be aware that opeining up the SA-21 and modifying it renders the Nikon
warranty void.

Interesting. However I find that the SA-30 doesn't handle 6 frame
strips as well as the SA-21 and occasionally tries to look for
additional frames that are not present, resulting in the strip getting
locked inside. If this is the only difference between the two adapters,
apart from the useless little brush on the SA-30, then it might be
better to bring the two contacts out to a small switch, which could
easily be stuck to the outside of the adapter, so that the user can
switch between the two modes.

Wish I had seen this before splashing out on the SA-30 - I expected the
difference to be firmware rather than a simple hardware link!

 

[nikonscanner]

You might have a mechanical difficulty to bring out two wires and add a
switch. However, this is up to your skills...
I am not sure where the difference in behaviour comes from. It could
be different handling of the two adapters by the Nikon firmware or the
scanning software.

Would be interesting to try. Maybe, I modify my SA-21 just to check it
out...

 

[Kennedy McEwen]

You might have a mechanical difficulty to bring out two wires and add a
switch. However, this is up to your skills...

Doesn't *look* too difficult - there is a lot of empty space around the
circuit ant it could easily be fed through the gap underneath the film
feed aperture, making it a "reversible" modification. ;-)

 

[Erik Krause]

There is a way to modify the strip film adapter sa-21 to behave like a
sa-30 roll film adapter.

You yust need to open up the SA-21 and join two soldering points.

You can find an image of the soldering points at:

http://nikonscanner.tripod.com/SA-21_to_SA-30.gif

Some weeks ago someone was asking a question about a ebay action
offering exactly this: See "Modification of Nikon SA-21 strip film
adapter to work like SA-30 roll adapter?"
Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2005
Message-ID: <[email protected]>

On the ebay page the seller writes this works only with LS 4000 and LS
5000 (*not* with LS 40 or LS 50) because of "technical reasons". Would
be interesting to know whether the only reason is the missing hole in
the back side...

 

[Kennedy McEwen]

On the ebay page the seller writes this works only with LS 4000 and LS
5000 (*not* with LS 40 or LS 50) because of "technical reasons". Would
be interesting to know whether the only reason is the missing hole in
the back side...

I am sure that this is true, because the LS 40/50 scanners will not even
accept a genuine SA-30 adapter and scan more than a strip of 6 frames.

Incidentally, for those who do not want to take the risk of opening
their SA-21 up and making a permanent solder link modification, there is
an alternative temporary fix, albeit a little less reliable.

The two contacts of the link in question connect directly to pins 16 and
17 of the blue rear connector on the SA-21. Looking into the rear of
the SA-21 with the adapter the correct way up, pin 13 is on the middle
row on the left of the connector, so just count 4 and 5 pins across and
you get to the two pins in question. These can be shorted together
using some very fine wire - thin enough so that the operation of the
connector contact is not interfered with. Then hold the link wire in
place with some adhesive tape - Scotch Magic tape works quite well for
this.

Before pushing the SA-21 back into the scanner, make sure that you
pierce the adhesive tape over each contact in the connector block with a
pin. This will prevent the corresponding pins in the scanner being
subjected to additional pressure as the adapter is pushed home in the
scanner.

Now, if the "lock" on the LS-40/50 that prevents multiscanning is as
simple as this to open, I am sure that one of the regulars on this forum
will be more than interested. ;-)

 

[hpowen]

I can view the link referenced in the opening post, but the details are
not at all distinct. Does anyone have a better view or description?

 

[Don]

Now, if the "lock" on the LS-40/50 that prevents multiscanning is as
simple as this to open, I am sure that one of the regulars on this forum
will be more than interested. ;-)

LOL. Alas, Nikon went through much more trouble to prevent LS-50 from
multiscanning.

Don.