In the current issue of View Camera magazine there is an article describing how to achieve maximum quality from scanning sheet film on an Epson flatbed. Remarkably improved sharpness was achieved by upgrading the scanner software from the shipped version of Silverfast to the latest version.
Why would an upgrade in scanner software produce a sharper scan?
You have the March -April issue? You must be the first one to receive it.
We have been comparing various scanning software among our little group in North Texas.
We have compared Silverfast SE, Silverfast Studio, VueScan, and the software that is included with the Screen, Microtek and Epson scanners.
Except for operational differences they are all capable of producing an acceptable scan. Each has different features. Some are more convenient to use than others.
Improved algorithms within the software? Not being a software engineer, this is the only thing I can think of.
Could be better control of the stepper motor or post-processing of the scan.
I agree with this observation. The various scanning softwares have operational differences but none produces sharper results in my experience.
The version of Silverfast that usually comes bundled with Epson flatbed scanners is limited to 8 and 24 bit scans. For 16 and 48 bit work you must upgrade this version of Silverfast. High bit scans are important if you plan to do post-scanning processing of the file, as is usually the case.
Sandy King
Originally Posted by Gem Singer
The referenced article is in the Jan/Feb issue at p.44-46. Author Brian Akerson says, on p.46: "In some of the images I scanned with SilverFast v6.4 I found that some scans were unnecessarily blurry." He goes on to say that upgrading to v6.6 solved his problem.You have the March -April issue? You must be the first one to receive it.
Jim,
He said, "the current issue".
I was aware that the article to which he was referring was in the Jan.- Feb. issue.
That's not the "current issue", We're still waiting for that one to arrive.
(insert smily face here).
The scanner used for the comparison was an Epson 750. The example photos showed a dramatic improvement with the software upgrade.
I upgraded to the same software (free trial version) and using my Epson 4990 saw absolutely no difference in scan resolution between the old and new software.
I don't have the article in front of me, but I believe he mentions that he is using the multipass feature on his scans. This can result in blurry images on the epsons do to poor control of the stepping motor.
My guess is that the updated software EITHER has better control of the motor somehow, or more likely, evalutates the mutliple scans and attempts to match them up, rather than laying one over the other on a pixel for pixel basis.
I was referring to the Brian Akerson article in the Jan/Feb issue. Since I've not seen the March/April issue out yet, I referred to that one as "current".
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