Mac + Epson3200 + VueScan (sorry)

[drew]

I see that VueScan is a touchy subject at the moment but as this
newsgroup is seemingly the only source of support for VueScan I have
arrived with a VueScan question as my first post. That is, I am trying
to profile my Epson 3200 with Wolf Faust card but find I cannot do so,
seemingly for two reasons: I am advised to put the .txt file in the
VueScan directory and I don't have such a thing though appreciate there
must be a Mac equivalent and I am also told to select "profile" in the
Input|Task menu and it is not an option there. I may be being a bit
stupid but I have spent a lot of time on this and got precisely
no-where. i would be de;eriously happy if someone who has already gone
through all this misery might be able to point me the way.

Thanks

Drew

 

[theo]

I see that VueScan is a touchy subject at the moment but as this

newsgroup is seemingly the only source of support for VueScan I have
arrived with a VueScan question as my first post.

Two tidbits for you: 1/ <alt.comp.periphs.scanners.vuescan> shares some
readers with this group, but it is a NG seldom posted.
2/ which edition are you using: free (try-before-buy, and hobbled)
standard ($50) pro ($90)? I bought the pro edition specifically to use
IT8/Q60 references for scanner -> printer profiling, also to inform
Vuescan I'm using a hardware colorimeter for my monitor.
Regards,
Theo

 

[Maris V. Lidaka Sr.]

FWIW I don't think profiling a scanner is really necessary, nor even
helpful. If you're using VieScan (which I do), the film selection
effectively 'profiles' the scanner's image, and all further adjustments can
be made in PhotoShop or the image adjustment software of your choice.

Maris V. Lidaka, Sr.

 

[Bart van der Wolf]

SNIP

I am trying to profile my Epson 3200 with Wolf Faust card
but find I cannot do so, seemingly for two reasons: I am
advised to put the .txt file in the VueScan directory and I
don't have such a thing though appreciate there must be a
Mac equivalent and I am also told to select "profile" in the
Input|Task menu and it is not an option there.

First, let's get some possible confusion out of the way.

1. Each (batch of) IT-8 target(s), either reflective or transmission,
comes with its matched reference data file (actual measurements of the
Lab/XYZ colors).
Wolfgang Faust's reference data files come with the card, but can also
be downloaded from <http://www.targets.coloraid.de/> (bottom of the
page). Just make sure that the charge number of the file and the
target correspond.
2. VueScan (pro version is required for profile creation!) doesn't
care where the IT-8 card's reference data file is located, because one
has to enter the file's position on the "Color" tab when creating a
profile.

The actual profiling of the scanner, which should be repeated
periodically because lamp color changes over time (Nikon LEDs are more
stable), will take the most significant scanning induced color
inaccuracies out of the equation before color balancing and tone
mapping takes place. It will therefore provide a more stable starting
point for the particular scanner + film/paper used, and it is more
accurate than generic profiles.

VueScan's Matrix profiles are not as accurate as more advanced
profiles, but they are less sensitive to scan exposure variation.

Alternatively, for a lot more money than VueScan costs, one can create
such very detailed profiles with tools like EyeOne's Photo
spectrometer. That profile can/should be created based on a VueScan
Linear gamma Raw file of a scan target. In your Color Management aware
photoeditor you just assign the profile and from there on accurate
color and gamma are part of the workflow.
The Spectometer will measure the target just before the actual scan of
it, and thus create an accurate reference data file which takes target
degradation and scanner condition into account.

Bart

 

[Don]

I see that VueScan is a touchy subject ...

Only for VueScan users!

...at the moment

Actually they're constantly touchy because VueScan is always buggy.

Don.

 

[Don]

FWIW I don't think profiling a scanner is really necessary, nor even
helpful. If you're using VieScan (which I do), the film selection
effectively 'profiles' the scanner's image, and all further adjustments can
be made in PhotoShop or the image adjustment software of your choice.

That's correct. Scanner profiling is, in general, of very limited use.
The time is better spent profiling the monitor/printer.

Furthermore, VueScan's profiling is very primitive (not to mention
buggy).

Even Wolf Faust said so, calling it "simplistic".

Don.