[Leica] Scanners

[Stephen Kobrin <kobrins@wharton.upenn.edu>]

I have a Nikon Coolscan II which I have used for two months or so,
primarily for B&W, but also for a reasonable number of slides.  While I
obviously cannot compare across other models, it had a reasonably shallow
learning curve and produces very nice results with one exception that has
been discussed at length on the LUG.  I have not been able to deal well
with very high contrast slides, especially when there are large areas of
deep shadow.  Even with manipulation in Photoshop, I find I face the choice
of either lost shadows or some banding if I bring them up.  I have only
seen that happen once with a B&W negative, and that was a shot through the
gateway of a castle to a brightly lit street.  The negative was still
"printable" with some limited shadow detail, but only very limited.

On the other hand, the Coolscan II was under $800 for the internal model
which is well under some of the more powerful scanners.  It works very well
for most slides, most of the time.  The constraint is clearly my
inexperience rather than my equipment.   (The internal model was $100 less
than the external model and assuming you do not want to move between
computer, more convenient if space is a constaint. It was not all that
difficult to install, especially on a tower model.)

Several months ago I asked about digital processing of B&W on the LUG and
thanks to the encouragement of Tina and others went ahead.  While my
computer is clearly not a chemical darkroom, the results far exceed any
expectations I had going in.  Duotones, tritones and quadtones are not
difficult to produce if you are willing to spend just a little time playing
with curves and the results are very pleasing, at least to me -- and I am
the only one who looks at my prints. (My wife is always positive!)  In
fact, I do very little color as I find the B&W prints much more fun to
produce and see more advantages to digital processing than with color.
Again, that may reflect my own biases and experience.  

One question.  Several of you have mentioned third party software for the
Coolscan.  Mine came only with the Nikon software.  What do you gain for
your money??  As I recall, someone posted a URL for Silverfast a while
back; could someone repost as I do not have it.

Steve