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Optimizing Nikon Scan 4.0 Performance

 

First a disclaimer - I only use Nikon's software Nikon Scan 4. It runs on Windows 7 (including x64) and I am a PC person. The Nikon Scan software was not released for Windows 7, but there is a patch that makes it work.

If you are a Mac person, then, as far as I know, the new Mac OS does not support Nikon Scan and you will have to use third party software. I hear that VueScan is very good and only costs $40-$80 depending on which version you buy. There is also Silverfast, allegedly more powerful but also lot more expensive.

 

In my experience over about 3000 negatives and few scanners (I used Nikon 4000, 5000, 8000 and Minolta 5400, 5400-II), Nikon Scan does everything I want and more.

 

For large quantity 35 mm scanning the Nikon Coolscan 5000 is the best choice.

Nikon Coolscan 4000 is the previous (to 5000) generation of 35mm only Nikon Coolscan scanners and compared to Nikon Coolscan 5000 has (in my opinion) two disadvantages:

1. 14-bit scanning (for 4000) vs. 16-bit scanning (for 5000). So theoretically for Nikon Coolscan 4000 , DMax=4.2 and for Nikon Coolscan 5000 DMax=4.8. In my experience the dynamic range of the film is a limiting factor - I have never seen a 35 mm negative or slide which needed DMax=4.8. So, in my opinion 14-bit scanning is not really a disadvantage.

2. Nikon Coolscan 4000 is noticeably (factor of 2-3) slower than Nikon Coolscan 5000. So if you have few thousand negatives to go through - get Nikon Coolscan 5000. Otherwise, Nikon Coolscan 4000 is a very good and relatively inexpensive alternative.

 

I do not consider Firewire interface for Nikon Coolscan 4000 to be a disadvantage (Nikon Coolscan 5000 has USB).

Here are my recommendations for Nikon Scan:

  1. Always save data as 16 bit (14-bit scanning on Nikon Coolscan 4000 produces 16-bit TIFF files). Storage is almost free nowadays and there may be some information in those extra bits.
    (Just keep in mind that if you later want to convert 16-bit TIFF to JPEG using Adobe Photoshop you will first need to convert the image mode to 8-bit and then save as JPG).

  2. Always set Digital ICE ON for color film (there are two settings - Normal and Fine - I cannot tell the difference).

  3. Digital ICE DOES NOT work for B&W - ICE uses infrared light that is absorbed by silver emulsion in B&W film.

  4. If the film has ISO100 or higher, set GEM (Grain Elimination) to at least 2 or higher, for ISO25 I set GEM to 0.

  5. For color negative film that is over 25 years old, try playing with ROC (reconstruction of color) settings. I usually set it to 2-3 for the film that has visibly faded. I think this is very similar to using color curves adjustment on Photoshop, but it does it for you and it is adjusted reasonably well, I think.

  6. I usually scan with 2x overscan. This slows scanning by a factor of 2 but you win some signal-to-noise. I thing the benefits are diminishing past 2x.

  7. There are two image enhancement controls: Shadow Adjust and Image Enhancement (contrast). Play with them if you have very low or very high contrast in your film. I think they are similar to analogous controls in Photoshop.

  8. When using SF-210 always adjust slide thickness control - this will significantly reduce jamming. Also there are few tricks people play - read Modifying SF-200. It is mostly about how to make SF-200 perform as well as SF-210, but the last tip there is universal.

 

Good luck!