How best to use my Coolscan 5000

Hi, I am new here.

I have owned a Nikon Coolscan 5000 for a few years now, over the last two years I have been shooting pure digital, but am rediscovering my love of shooting film, B&W, C-41 and chrome. I am still using the Nikon Software, I would like to purchase the SilverFast software, but that won't be for a while yet, so I would like to learn how to make the best of what I have.

I did read a thread about how to get sharp scans and folks replied with: Is the film flat? Is there any sure fire way to keep the film flat in the Coolscan 5000?

Also, I have a bear of a time trying to get good color and dynamic range out of both C-41 and E-6, are there any helpful hints/tricks on using the Nikon software to get better results?

Sam
Dead Link Removed (my gallery)
http://www.miltonstreet.com (my software for event photographers)

Not with NikonScan. To get the most out of your negs and slides you'll need VueScan. VueScan pulls a lot more shadow and highlight details in single pass mode than NikonScan.

I used to scan slides (Fuji Provia 100F) I've shot with super sharp Zeiss lenses with NikonScan and had to use 4x multisampling to get the most out of them. Then I used VueScan and - bingo - got a really sharp scan with single pass and a much better dynamic range.

Just make sure to calibrate the scanner every 30 minutes.

NikonScan produces pretty sharp edges in color blends and banding when scanning shadow areas, even @ 16 bit color depth saved as *.tif.

Both Nikon scanners are fantastic - they just need a good software. For me scanning with VueScan put my Nikons on steroids, really. A lot faster, sharper and with a much better color rendition.

Just download both - Silverfast and VueScan - and run some test. Don't forget to enable the advanced menus in VueScan. VueScan costs a fraction of Silverfast and with the Pro version you'll get life long free updates compared to Silverfast, where you have to churn out some funds every now and then.

The big advantage of VueScan is that you can use it with **any** scanner on their list. And with **any** widespread OS currently on the market: Linux, Windoze, Mac.

just my 2 cents...

jens g.r. benthien said:

Not with NikonScan. To get the most out of your negs and slides you'll need VueScan. VueScan pulls a lot more shadow and highlight details in single pass mode than NikonScan.

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I will look into VueScan, I like the price tag a lot more then SilverFast, that is for sure!

jens g.r. benthien said:

Just make sure to calibrate the scanner every 30 minutes.

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When I think calibrate, I think in terms of scanning the IT8 slide and creating a new profile, is this what you are refering to?

jens g.r. benthien said:

NikonScan produces pretty sharp edges in color blends and banding when scanning shadow areas, even @ 16 bit color depth saved as *.tif.

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So how important is it to get glass slide mounts to make sure the film is actually flat? For those that use glass slide mounts, do they normally just buy one or two and reuse them or once mounted, always mounted?

Sam

jens g.r. benthien said:

Just make sure to calibrate the scanner every 30 minutes.

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Could you explain what you mean here?

Thanks,

Don Bryant

Calibrate your scanner means to press the according button either in NikonScan or VueScan so the scanner re-calibrates its mechanics (not the targets!).

I've noticed that if you don't re-calibrate after 30 minutes the scans show a tiny bit of banding, getting worse over time. I think this is because parts warm up in the scanner after a certain time.

The banding will be only visible in very large magnification, but it is there. Re-calibrating the scanner resets the mechanics to '0'. I don't know what really happens there, but I think the stepper motor tends to run a tad 'off' after a while.

Just my experience with several different Coolscan 5000. The 9000 doesn't show this phenomenon, maybe because the case is bigger and doesn't heat up so fast.

Glasholders for slides: I have no experiences with framed slides, sorry. I just have my slides developed and archived, meaning cut into strips of 5 or 6 images.

Thanks for the tips, now that I am using the x16 multi sampling, I am starting to get results I like. I have put all the images I have scanned to date in this gallery.

Scanned pictures look great!
Have you done any post work on them after scanning? Or is that straight from the scanner?
I'm looking at buying a Nikon 5000 so its nice to see the results others are getting from it.

NathanBell said:

Scanned pictures look great!
Have you done any post work on them after scanning? Or is that straight from the scanner?

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I am not sure who you are asking, so if it is me, the OP, the answer is yes, I have done post processing. I post process EVERYTHING I put on the web unless there is a very specific reason for it, like the image I posted asking about scratches on negatives.

The way I see it, every image I post I am adding to my portfolio, and I only what to post the best!

Sam