Multiple ICC profiles for Nikon scanners?

[hellototo]

I am using a Nikon 5000 with Silverfast Ai on a Mac. I have been trying to improve my colour management, and so have been looking at the profiles for transparencies and Kodachromes under Scanner in the CMS section of the Options panel.

I somewhat confused because there seem to be multiple profiles for the Nikon Scanners for each of transparencies, reflectives and Kodachromes. For example:

SFprofK (LS-5000 ED).icc
and
SFprofK (Nikon LS-5000 ED).icc

The second one is lighter and seems to produce better images, yet the first one is more recent (according to the file date) and is the default option. Do we just use whatever works best?

For transparencies there are even more profiles, with two using the naming conventions above and also:

SF_T (LS-5000 ED)
and
SF_T (LS-5000)

Neither of these two appear in the Profile folder in the ColorSync Library (whereas the others do). I have calibrated my scanner for transparencies with a Silverfast IT8 target and I wondered whether these might by the profiles created by that. Or does calibration just save over the current profile? How do you save the calibration profile to a specific name?

I also found a profile called Scanner RGB Profile in the list, which I though might be the calibration profile too! Again, it doesn't show up anywhere on my computer so it must be stored within Silverfast I guess.

If anyone can help clear up my confusion that would be much appreciated!

many thanks
Toby

[LSI_Morales]

Dear Hellototo,

I somewhat confused because there seem to be multiple profiles for the Nikon Scanners for each of transparencies, reflectives and Kodachromes. For example:

SFprofK (LS-5000 ED).icc
and
SFprofK (Nikon LS-5000 ED).icc

These are the standard profiles delivered with SilverFast. I believe the most up to date profile is the one called: SFprofK (LS-5000 ED).icc
Probably the other one belongs to an older version of SilverFast. Or you created it yourself using the IT8 calibration.

For transparencies there are even more profiles, with two using the naming conventions above and also:

SF_T (LS-5000 ED)
and
SF_T (LS-5000)

These are profiles you have created using the IT8 calibration tool

Cheers