I'm using film, so just two glass plates plus the film (still six surfaces, of course), but I manage the dust just like I do with the enlarger or the contact printing frame--anti-static brush and Dust Off. Yes, it's a pain, but the clone tool is easier than the Spotone.
Yet one thing confusing me.........as you know, making contact prints with an AN-glass will make the AN pattern visible. Can't see there's any difference with scanning. Light comes (via a mirror) through the film and glasses to the lens with the same focus point. Please correct me?
There's AN glass with an anti-reflective coating, and there's AN glass with a textured pattern. I have a contact printing frame and a glass negative carrier for a Philips enlarger with coated AN glass (which I sometimes use on the scanner). Interestingly, the AN glass in the glass carrier for my ancient Nikon LS-4500AF (I'd suggest this as another bargain in the LF scanner world, at least for 4x5", but the registration on mine is a bit wonky and so is Nikon service) uses the textured glass, and it doesn't seem to be a problem. Perhaps it depends on how fine the texture is.
I downloaded the latest version of the fotolook software from the agfa site so they stil support the product to an extent. I pop a glass sheet on my 8x10 negs too, never had any problems with rings ever. Its a great way to preview negs before you head into the darkroom.
The light on both reflective and transparency is very even, something I've noticed a few other scanners can't quite manage. The HiD is a nice scanner but it always went out of my price range, maybe one day!
CP Goerz.
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