Keep your scanner clean

[toyotadesigner]

After some 5 years of operating my Nikon Coolscan LS 5000 I've cleaned it yesterday just 'by coincidence' (thought the trouble is located in the hardware, but it was an operator bug ). So I dismantled the scanner, greased the sliding parts, the axis, the gears with white Lithium grease (the original stuff had almost dried up). Then I removed the tiny mirror. At first glance it looked clean, but looking from the side revealed there was a tad of a breath of film on it - no visible dust.

So I took some extra soft tissue, breathed the mirror and wiped it off. Repeated this step several times - very carefully, because the mirror surface really is a delicate coating which can be scratched easily.

Reassambled all parts (getting the mirror into its case being the hardest part) and made a scan from a slide I had just scanned some 15 days ago. Same settings with Vuescan, same slide.

Result here (~1 MB) http://www.sacalobra.com/samples/scanner-cleaning.png

The top is the scan after the cleaning, the bottom before the cleaning. It is incredible how much more detail the scanner resolves now.

We are not talking about a visible layer of dust, just something like a tad of fog which is only visible if viewed from the side against a light source...

Because I'm living in a dry, windy, sandy, dusty environment without aircons, I leave the doors and windows open all day long and keep the scanners covered with large towels if I don't use them to keep the dust out.

Today I'll take apart my LS 9000 and check what's up there.

Just thought it would be an interesting info after reading the disappointing wet scan experience in another thread this morning.

IMHO it helps more if you purchase a Kinetronics KineStat KS-070 and remove dust particles before your scan than going through the hassle of wet mounting.

 

[pellicle]

Hi

having done this myself recently I found the following links handy

http://www.sebsgarage.com/2005/11/cleaning-nikon-coolscan-iv-ed-ls-40-film-scanner

http://www.pearsonimaging.com/articles/howto/ls5000cleaning.html

I found that the best way to remove the 45degree mirror was to

1. lay the scanner on its side
2. remove the clip
3. using a chopstick with a blob of bluetac gently move away the mirror

For those doing this remember that the mirror is mirrored on the surface that is inside (thus away from the clip). This is standard of optical instruments such as reflector telescopes.

its well worth just cleaning that every year or three.

 

[toyotadesigner]

Just returned from the cleaning of the LS 9000. All I had was an instruction for the LS 8000. Geez, the 9000 is totally different. I had to remove the carrier for a PCB with very delicate cables. Then I turned the optics unit upside down and guess what - I had a tenant in the scanner! A spider had spun his web all over the lens, between the mirror and lens, etc.

I had purchased this scanner some 3 years ago, so I think the mirror wasn't covered as bad as the 5000. However, you can't remove the mirror, and cleaning is very tricky if you don't know what you are doing because you can't see anything.

So I used a wet cleaning tissue for my glasses and cleaned the mirror as well as the lens, wiped it dray with another soft tissue.

Took me 90 minutes to take it apart and reassamble it. The short cables, tiny plugs and the extremely flat and thin cables consumed a lot of time.

Anyway, I was glad when I connected the scanner and it came to life without a hitch.

The 'before-after' difference is not as big as with the 5000, but still visible.

Now I've posted an annual recurring event into my iCal to service both scanners.

 

[SWphoto]

I have an LS 5000- looking at the posts and referenced articles, not having taken it apart, wondering if you wouldn't be able to clean the mirror in place without taking it out via the clip? Or is it just not accessible?
Thanks!

 

[toyotadesigner]

The mirror is located in a square shaped tube - no chance to access it unless you'd take apart all other moving parts above the mirror