CanoScan 9950F - scanning 4x5 negs

[Curt Palm]

There is a a Cannon 9950F at work, someone had tossed the negative holders long ago, but I got a replacement set. But now when I try to scan a negative, the pull-down menu only shows 35mm, there is no 4x5 option. Scanning on this option give me 35 mm frames of the 4x5 holder. the manual is not any help. Cannon wants money to talk to them.
Has any one here had this problem or have suggestions on how to fix it?

Curt

[Ken Lee]

Curt -

I lucked out and found a place on the Canon web site where you can download the manual, etc.

See http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&tabact=DownloadDetailTabAct&fcategoryid=351&modelid=10446

Scroll down a bit, and you will see a section called "Guides and Manuals". If you can't see them, or download them, you can send me a private message via this forum, and I'll send them to you.

[h2oman]

I have this scanner and the associated software. When I click on the desktop icon I get what you are seeing. Instead I go to Programs and select Arcsoft Photo Studio 5, then select Photo Studio 5.5. at the top of it there is a little icon that looks like an opened scanner. Click that and see if that gets you anywhere.

[Ed Richards]

Get a copy of Viewscan. It works wonders with the 9950 for scanning LF. The Canon software is crap and Silverfast is way too expensive.

[Martin Miksch]

I vote with Ed, btw. software is named Vuescan, ^^
it brings a lot more out of the hardware then scangear does, long exposure pass and multi sampling,
beside this, in scangear you have to click the most left button to disable pictograms, this will solve your problem,
and imo you dont need a holder, I just lay my 5x7 film just on the glass and another plate of glass (best is antinewton) on top, works fine.
Regards
Martin

[Peter De Smidt]

Except that the plan of best focus will probably not be right on the scanner glass. It wasn't on mine.

[Martin Miksch]

I dont have any problems with the focus, these scanners are made to scan papers or similar, which are ordinary laid directly on the glass.
Regards
Martin

[Peter De Smidt]

The only way to know is to run a simple test.

[Martin Miksch]

I dont have any problems with the focus....

[h2oman]

So here's a funny story for you guys, about this scanner. I bought a used one from Peter, who assured me that it does a decent job with 4x5s, for a reasonable price. I hooked it all up and tried scanning a few chromes and the results were awful. I figured I was some kind of moron, or needed other software, or... (It turned out the first was the case, as you will see!) I got busy with life and forgot all about the scanner, then went over to the house of maybe the only other LFer in town. He was showing me his Epson scanner and I noticed that when he opened the lid there seemed to be glass and a light source in the lid, not foamboard like mine. I went home opened mine and looked upward into the lid more carefully than before, reading the note to TAKE OUT THE FOAMBOARD for transparencies. Then I opened the manual and saw that was Step 1 of the directions. I had read the directions, but that part was so short that I just passed it right over!

So now that I know it works just fine, it sounds like I should pick up Vuescan. Peter had suggested it, but I figured I'd just try it with the Canon software first. Does Vuescan come with documentation for computer gumbies?

[Peter De Smidt]

:) See: http://www.hamrick.com/vuescan/vuescan.pdf

[Peter De Smidt]

Martin, it's good that you don't have focus problems. Did you try scanning emulsion down and emulsion up? Which was sharper? On my sample, scanning with the emulsion up led to sharper scans, and scanning with the emulsion .5mm above the bed gave even sharper scans, but clearly there are manufacturing variations involved.

[Curt Palm]

Thanks for all the advice and tips. It turns out the lamp in the cover is jammed. It does not travel during the scan. The film holders I bought came with a broken scanner, drive motor supposedly, so I'm going to see if it is easy to swap out scanner covers.

Curt

[RPNugent]

Are you sure the scanner is unlocked.

http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/0900003571/9950Fquickstartguide-e.pdf

[Curt Palm]

Are you sure the scanner is unlocked.

http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/0900003571/9950Fquickstartguide-e.pdf

yse I double checked that, the lamp/sensor in the bed of the scanner moves fine, it is the lamp in the lid that is stuck. I can not find a lock mechanism in the lid.