opinions re. VueScan?
opinions re. VueScan?
- Subject: opinions re. VueScan?
- From: Armand Rosenberg <email@hidden>
- Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 16:46:56 -0400
Once in a great while I come across something exciting. Then I have
to take a step back from the edge and ponder whether it's just too
good to be true. Case in point:
I stumbled across VueScan yesterday as part of my continuing saga of
migration to OSX. It was recommended by Polaroid since they do not
support their own older scanners under OSX (such as my SprintScan 35
Plus), not even in Classic mode. And maybe it's a good thing they
don't as we shall see...
(BTW, I thought I was down to only 2 reasons for Classic to exist on
my Mac: the Polaroid and CompassProfile. CompassProfile works fine in
Classic, including using the ColorMouse through a Keyspan serial
adapter -- wow! With VueScan running OSX native and controlling the
Polaroid -- I put an old SCSI card in my G4 for it -- I have only 1
(one) use left for Classic.)
At first VueScan's interface seemed quite barren (appropriate for the
low price and Swiss Army nature). Then again, I can name plenty of
software out there with fancier graphics (and fancier prices) but
much more limited ability -- some of which I unhappily own. But as I
played with the VueScan demo, I quickly got excited. That
simple-looking interface is actually quite functional and logical
(read: user-friendly) -- a big plus in my book. And, amazingly,
capabilities that I always knew my scanner had and which Polaroid had
suppressed in software (for many years and multiple versions of both
their PS plugin and Insight app) were suddenly available to me, plus
some extras I didn't even know about.
Here's why VueScan amazed me: it seems that I can FINALLY pull
high-bit scans -- something I've been begging Polaroid for years to
implement on this scanner. (With Polaroid's sw, the high-bit scans
were reduced to 8 bits/channel internally so the user had no access
to high-bit data -- and I don't think even Silverfast ever supported
this feature on this particular scanner, but I could be wrong there
-- anyway, Silverfast is much more expensive.) But wait, there's even
more: I can now do multiple-scan averaging. And I can use a dust spot
removal system based on IR data which sounds somewhat equivalent to
Digital ICE (though I'm sure it's not quite the same). And the scans
are fast -- the files show up in PS7 much faster than they ever did
with Polaroid's sw. And it'll scan in background... (And it'll do
batch scans -- not that my Polaroid really supports this since it
can't move the film holder to the next frame, but I could scan
different corners of each frame into different files I if I wanted
to...)
Am I fooling myself, or are these features for real with my poor old scanner?
As if all this amazing stuff weren't enough, I then stumbled across
the built-in ICC profiling component. I was floored at this point.
Since I only have the demo version right now, I couldn't try it, but
it seems this $80 piece of sw (that does ALL of the above!) can also
create profiles for scanners, printers... and NEGATIVE FILM! (all
based on scanning appropriate IT8 targets, apparently). I re-read
this part of the User Guide about a dozen times, but it seems that is
indeed the claim. Profiles? And for negative film?? Huh???
(BTW, there are also digital camera capabilities in VueScan, but I
still shoot film...)
The only nit I have to pick is that the VueScan preview window does
not quite match the preview in PS7, though it's close... I don't know
if VueScan uses the monitor profile for its preview (which can be as
large as your whole screen, BTW -- very nice). But the scan histogram
on a high-bit file looks great, unlike the clipped histograms (at 8
bits/ch also) that I was used to with Polacolor Insight... so it
should be possible to adjust the file after scanning, usually, even
if the preview is a bit off.
Before coming across VueScan, I was about to either sell the Polaroid
or turn it into a doorstop. I had my eye on a Nikon 4000 or a Minolta
5400 as replacement. Now I'm not so sure. That old Polaroid is doing
pretty well all of a sudden. About the only thing missing is the
resolution (it's "only" 2700 dpi...) but even VueScan can't change
that. Actually there is one other thing about the Polaroid: not being
able to turn on/off this SCSI scanner without rebooting is suddenly
quite the chore... I looked up the Belkin firewire-SCSI adapter and
it seems tempting, but I have a feeling it won't work with this
scanner (if anyone knows for sure, please let me know -- it's not on
Belkin's list). So I guess I'd still be willing to part with the
Polaroid for the right price. (If anyone is interested, you know how
to reach me.)
So -- any opinions re. VueScan? I hope I'm not dreaming...
Armand
PS -- I know I could have posted this to the VueScan User Group (I
hear there is one), but I trust the opinions of the present audience
much more...
PPS -- If you want to see for yourself, go to www.hamrick.com. I have
no personal connection to it at all.
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