My preference:
Negatives: Canon software. Transparencies: Vuescan.
I always use dust removal (FARE).
I make minimal adjustments in either software preferring to make most
adjustments in Photoshop.
Once your scan enters Photoshop make sure it is in AdobeRGB color space and
alway preserve the original scan.
Calibrate your monitor, learn color management and practice it religiously.
Never scan at less than 2000dpi, 4000 is overkill for most images.
There is little realistic reason to scan at greater that 8bit color. The
file sizes are enormous and your computer may well freeze unless you have a
very fast processor, a ton of memory, and shut off every background program.
Grain is a function of the original image; a higher dpi scan will show
whatever grain is in the image in finer detail. However much grain that
shows up in a magnified CRT image does not print out because the resolution
of your inkjet printer is but a fraction of what is in the pixels.
