Silverfast Ai5.5 doing multiple scans of same image

[Larry Wentzel]

I'm running Silverfast Ai5.5, latest version for the Epson Expression 836XL via SCSI. The past couple of days, whenever I tell Silverfast to scan RGB, it performs a Multiscan (this is what the scanning dialog box states) and scans the single image I've selected 4 times. I'm assuming it's scanning each channel separately and then does a final scan for exposure or contrast or just for kicks ::shrug::. In the end I get only one image file, same as it used to do when it scanned the image in one fell swoop.

This has never occurred before (I've been using Silverfast for 2 years), and I can find no setting in Silverfast nor Photoshop 6.01 that controls this new function. I would appreciate any insight into how this function was activated and more importantly, how I can switch it off. The images have the same quality as they did before, they just take 4 times longer to get it.

[Gregory C]

when using the Nikon version of SF, there's a Multi-Scan button on the Preview window. clicking on it switches multi-scan from 1x to 2x to 4x to 8x to 16x. you may have inadvertently clicked this button and set it to 4x. does your copy of SF have this button?

tip: shift-clicking (on Mac) the button decreases the multiplier.

[Larry Wentzel]

I've hunted through the Silverfast options and can find nothing for the Epson Expression 836XL that controls the number of times it scans the same image. I've seen the multiplier you mentioned for our Minolta slide scanner, but nothing for this flatbed.

Barring any magical changes back to the way things used to be, I'm going to try reinstalling Silverfast and see if that corrects the problem.

[Gregory C]

before you do that, try deleting the preferences first. it's easier to reset preferences than it is to reinstall everything.

the path to the preferences is:
(path to your SF Launcher application)/
?????SilverFast (brand of your scanner)/
??????????SilverFast/
???????????????Prefs/

insider the Prefs folder, you will find various types of preference files. I tend to backup and keep them so that I can reset my preferences to a known state without manually resetting them.

the SFApp (brand) file contains the preferences for the SF application, the placement of its windows and their statuses. it also contains the registration information.

the SFprefs (loader-brand) files; there may be several of them; contain the preferences for each film loader. with a flatbed scanner, there are likely to be only one or two preference files; one for positive scanning and one for negative scanning. with my Nikon film scanner, there are at least three preference files; one for each of my film loaders.

back to the procedure, move the preference files out of the Prefs folder to the desktop for convenient access if you want to use them again. then relaunch SF Launcher and see if your multi-scan problem is still occurring. also check the Options/Special panel just in case there's an option there specifically for your scanner which might affect multi-scanning.

regards
Gregory

[Larry Wentzel]

Just letting you know... I'm an idiot.

I found a very tiny button on the preview pane that controls multi scanning and the number of times it scans the same image. ::sigh::