Umax 610S SCSI Commands

[Ron K]

I'd like to try scanning 35mm slides with my Umax 610S flatbed
scanner. Is there any way to issue the scanner a SCSI command which
would remotely turn off the scanner's lamp? I could then place a light
source behind the slide, and scan as usual.

Any other ideas beside buying a non-existent transparency adapter.

 

[Wayne Fulton]

I'd like to try scanning 35mm slides with my Umax 610S flatbed
scanner. Is there any way to issue the scanner a SCSI command which
would remotely turn off the scanner's lamp? I could then place a light
source behind the slide, and scan as usual.

Any other ideas beside buying a non-existent transparency adapter.

I dont think so, but are you aware that the 610S is a 300 dpi scanner?
The most 300 dpi will get from tiny 35 mm film size is about 420x270
pixels, which is a very small image for any use.

http://www.abstractconcreteworks.com/essays/scanning/Backlighter.html
has a couple of ideas, but it wont solve 300 dpi.

 

[Ron K]

Well, I'm convinced now, this is not the way to go. Thanks for all
the great resources.

Although my next question doesn't specifically have to do with
scanners, I thought I'd ask anyway.

Has anyone done any reports to determine how much "quality" you loose
by projecting 35mm slides on a screen, and taking digital pictures of
the image? Is there a preferred projected image size to use?

Is it better to take a digital picture of the lighted slide itself?
I've seen a few devices that are available to do this.

Ron

 

[Ron K]

I tried a few experiments.

Taking a digital picture of a projected 35mm slide, provided an
unsatisfactory result. I used a KODAK Carousel 600 slide projector to
produce an image on a sheet of high brightness(108+), 8-1/2X 11 inch
HP injet paper, mounted on a wall. The digital camera angle, was
critical. Any deviation from normal, made the picture look skewed. For
some reason, the lighting of the image did not reproduce uniformly on
the digital picture, although the projected image on the wall looked
fine. The camera was set for "tungsten" color of light. At best, the
reproduction looked "flat". It lost a three dimensional quality that
shows up in the normal projection.

Next, I will try to use a modified slide viewer with a rear projected
light, and take a digital picture on the slide itself.

Ron K

 

[Ron K]

Using my slide projector as a light source, I ran the light through a
little video transfer box, which consists of a right-angle mirror and
frosted glass screen. I wanted to diffuse the light using the frosted
glass. I then ran the light into a modified handheld slide viewer.
The back of viewer itself has a white diffusing screen. I then set up
my digital camera in front of the viewer. I had to focus manually.
This was touchy.

Anyway, the resulting picture had minimal skew, and better depth, than
the results of my previous experiment. However, the lighting across
the slide was still uneven. Not the solution I was looking for!

The great part about being a member of a large, active computer club
is that I have a chance to query the experts. At The Philadelphia
Area Computer Society, www.pacsnet.org, we have an Apple Group that
focuses on digital media, a Digital Photography SIG, and a PhotoShop
Group. Consensus among the members show:

Lots of folks have tried the same experiments as I have, with similar
results.

Scanning slides with a flatbed scanner, even the high-resolution
flatbeds with built-in holders, do not provide adequate results.

Using high priced, dedicated slide scanners still takes some touch up
with PhotoShop or similar program on many slides.

One of the guys, who does this kind of thing for a living, and who has
an expensive slide scanner, still out-sources this type of work,
because it is so labor intensive.

So that's where things stand as of today.

Ron K