Silverfast PROFILING PROBLEMS

[mammamia]

Specs: PShop 7; Adobe RGB colour space; Silverfast AI; Epson 4870 scanner
PLEASE PLEASE can someone help me??? This week I purchased the AI upgrade and the IT8 funtion so that I can calibrate my scanner and create a decent profile. The result: Dull greenish images that lack punch. I have downloaded and read every possible tutorial recommended by this forum and other sites.. following step by step instructions on how to set up for calibration and how to calibrate. But no success.. I feel very disappointed because I know that in theory its supposed to work.
The monitor, Epson 7600 printer, paper, everything is profiled and calibrated except the scanner. Up until now I've been battling along with many photoshop adjustment layers and many many test strips later just to yield a semi decent fine art print.
I created the profiles using 2 different Lasersoft targets.. they are new and I've used the latest ref files. Both yield the same dull greeny poor result. Then I tried an old AGFA target and its results, although not perfect, gave better results than the Lasersoft ones.
I've tried different color spaces, different gamma settings, just about every angle I can think of.. Where to from here? I hope that its just a simple thing or should I get a refund and purchase more reliable software??
What's the point in using a profile if one has to create many scan adjustments on top of that or many photoshop layers just to try and get an okay image out? I'm desperate for some advice and welcome any suggestions.. I hope someone can assist me. PLEASE.
Thanks

[LSI_Noack]

Dear mammamia

[...]and I've used the latest ref files[...]

I am sorry, what do you mean by this? - You need to use exactly the reference files for those given targets - there aren't any "newer", because other reference files are for other targets.

HTH and best regards
Sonny Noack
- tech support, LSI AG -

[mammamia]

I have used the right reference files for each target. What I meant by 'latest' was that I downloaded off the silverfast site as well just in case there had maybe been an update. I tried calibrating again over the weekend yet still get the same result. ???

[mammamia]

I have tried one suggestion received from support but even with these new auto settings there's still a green cast and problems like blown out highlight and dark 3quarter tones, generally still a dirty scan..not as flat but still problems requiring many photoshop adjustment layers. The AGFA target still gets better result, very strange.
Is there anybody out there that can advise me or has perhaps experienced a similar problem??? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

[Vidox]

Y have more or less the same kind of problem, see the topic "red cast after update"
After installing version 6.4.1.r.9c y only get red images, but only when using Digital ICE. Without ICE de color profiles seems to work.
I'm trying to get a reliable AI system for 3 months now.
Without any success

Vidox

[Helpful Corn]

Hi Mammamia,

I had similar problems when I first started using Monaco EZ color, Photoshop, and Silverfast. It turns out that the monitor profile generated by Monaco EZ Color was incompatible with Silverfast and Photoshop according to gcthomason. He posted a workaround that might help you too... I realize you're using a different calibration software than Monaco, but give his method a try. He recommends using Adobe Gamma to generate your monitor ICC profile (you can access Adobe Gamma from the Control Panel in Windows, or directly from the Photoshop menu) and then using your IT8 target to calibrate your scanner. Step by step instructions are in his post here:

viewtopic.php?t=2777

Also, you mention that you're using Adobe RGB color space... I wonder if you're double profiling somewhere? Your working space in Photoshop should be the same profile you've selected under the Silverfast CMS Internal setting.

And finally, it's quite possible that you have a Silverfast issue, as I suspect Vidox does, too. He is the second person to complain of a red cast in his scans with this latest SF update. You should keep checking the site for updates and when you find one that works, keep an extra copy around in case any future versions cause problems. I do this all the time in case I need to rollback my software.

Good luck. And you to, Vidox.

[mammamia]

I'm starting to think its a Silverfast problem. I have tried everyone's suggestions and can't seem to get a good result. I thought of testing the Epson scan software.. perhaps these profiles will work better there or maybe someone can make me a profile which I can then use in the Epson software rather. BUT, there's a strange error message when trying to use Epson software now.. "Could not complete the Import command
because of a problem with the acquisition module interface." This has happened before and I know of another Silverfast user that has experienced the same problem. He also cannot use his Epson software anymore now that Silverfast is loaded. I tried loading on another person's computer and the same thing happens... It seems that if you load both Silverfast and Epson software, then Silverfast overrides the Epson software and you cannot use it again. Even removing Silverfast and reloading software does not fix the problem and the error message still pops up when you try to import.
SO.. I cannot test Epson scan software and I'm still left with awful scans in Silverfast and have wasted lots of money on the AI upgrade and the IT8 calibration function. I cannot get a refund and there is no solution.. I honestly don't know what to do now?????

[Helpful Corn]

Mammamia, sorry to hear you're still having trouble. I just noticed that there is an update to the SF scanner software posted. Before you install it, I'd recommend thoroughly uninstalling the old Silverfast software using Add/Remove in the Control Panel (if you're on a Windows pc) and also cleaning any leftovers with a good registry cleaning program like Reg Crawler. If you don't know how to do this, please get a more experienced friend to help you because messing with the registry could cause big problems if you don't know what you're doing. You might want to uninstall the Epson software the same way. When you're done, re-install your Epson scan software and make sure that it's running properly before you try to re-install Silverfast.

Hopefully your issues will be resolved with this new update, but if not, you might want to consider obtaining a custom profile from a service like Cathy's Profiles:

http://cathysprofiles.com/

I've never had the need for one, but I've read many excellent reviews of her service on other photography and digital darkroom related boards. Good luck to you...