Need Help Focusing

[Junebug]

Nikon LS2000 w/SF200 Silverfast 5.5r19
Macintosh Photoshop 6.01 plug-in

I have used Silverfast to scan 218 CD's full of images.

The best focus method that I have found is to "Manually" or "Point" focus each image and pick the exact spot that I want sharp.

I prefer to use "Manual" focus because it is quickest. ("Point" focus opens a dialog box, you choose a point, you wait for a focus preview, hit the "Auto" focus button and voila. Perfect focus. I have done this enough that now I trust just using "Manual" focus to pick the point of focus and skip all the time previewing)

Bear with me...

The logical/shortest way to do this is:
1. "Import Silverfast plug-in"
2. Eject/Advance Slide
3. PreScan
4. Move the mouse to the point that you would like to focus and "click"
5. Continue with corrections
6. Scan

Here is the rub... (See Step 4)

If you open Silverfast set to "Manual" Focus (or "Point" for that matter) the only way you can select a new focus point is to click on the focus button and toggle from Manual, to Point, to No Focus, to Manual again....

Now you have one shot to pick a focus point. Change your mind and you toggle again.

---> If Manual Focus is chosen??? Why can't we just click on a foucus point?? Why do we have to toggle though all Focus choices to activate Manual Focus? (and on a smaller scale... why then do we just get one shot to choose our point of focus???<---

Junebug
_________________
Junebug Clark / detroit
http://www.MooreClark.com


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Junebug on 2001-12-04 20:03 ]</font>

[ilyons]

The best focus method that I have found is to "Manually" or "Point" focus each image and pick the exact spot that I want sharp.

That is consistent with what I found in the past but since I no longer have the Nikon scanner I can't really cooment on V5.5 operation

I prefer to use "Manual" focus because it is quickest. ("Point" focus opens a dialog box, you choose a point, you wait for a focus preview, hit the "Auto" focus button and voila. Perfect focus. I have done this enough that now I trust just using "Manual" focus to pick the point of focus and skip all the time previewing)

Smart move - the preview is a bind

Bear with me...

The logical/shortest way to do this is:
1. "Import Silverfast plug-in"
2. Eject/Advance Slide
3. PreScan
4. Move the mouse to the point that you would like to focus and "click"
5. Continue with corrections
6. Scan

Here is the rub... (See Step 4)

If you open Silverfast set to "Manual" Focus (or "Point" for that matter) the only way you can select a new focus point is to click on the focus button and toggle from Manual, to Point, to No Focus, to Manual again....

I feel a migraine coming on

Now you have one shot to pick a focus point. Change your mind and you toggle again.

---> If Manual Focus is chosen??? Why can't we just click on a foucus point?? Why do we have to toggle though all Focus choices to activate Manual Focus? (and on a smaller scale... why then do we just get one shot to choose our point of focus???<---

I would think that a Keyboard shortcut similar to that used for multiple attempts at picking a highlight/shadow point would be real easy to implement. Eg. Alt click the spot and keep Alt clicking until the ideal spot has been hit.

I think it would be worth looking into

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: ilyons on 2001-12-05 00:18 ]</font>

[Andreas]

Dear Junebug,

I use the LS-4000 but I think the way it works should be very similar. I hope, I did not misunderstand you but when I want to chose another manual point, all I have to do is to click ("Punkt" - should be "Point" or similar in the English version) in the focus window and can then chose another area.

BTW, I made the same experience with the LS-4000 - even when chosing the same area than the autofocus, the manually chosen point in most cases leads to a scan that is a little bit sharper. That is something that really annoys me. Why can't the autofocus work the same way?

Best regards

Andreas

[LSI_Support]

---> If Manual Focus is chosen??? Why can't we just click on a foucus point?? Why do we have to toggle though all Focus choices to activate Manual Focus? (and on a smaller scale... why then do we just get one shot to choose our point of focus???<---

Junebug, you're right with the toggling to a certain focus mode. But you can redo the shot (with your set focus) and select a differnt area of the prescan for this new shot.