LaserSoft Imaging

I have been reading these forums about focus buttons but I just DON'T have one. When I am scanning slides they are SOFT. How can a get a correct scan with my image focused?

If the images are slightly soft (normal) try using some unsharp mask at various settings. You have looked at the slides on a light table under magnification and they are sharp ? Otherwise you might have a hardware problem.
You can try adjusting the height of the slide by using shims or unmounting the film and making your own holder that will allow you to change the height off the glass. Is it possible to use the holder in upside down? That scanner does not have the capability of focusing. The expression 1680 has some limited capability. Try googling the archives of comp.peripherals.scanners for some solutions. i have heard of some people using oil mounting on flat beds, but that sounds like a mess.
Otherwise, you may be able to return the scanner and hope you get one that is in focus for transparencies.

Frank

Frank,
Thanks for your reply. Although your news was not heartening. I bought this stupid scanner because of all the rave reviews about it's slide scanning capabilities.

Yes my slides(medium format transparencies) are super sharp-and the unsharp mask feature just makes a mess of them. i have tried upside down, on the glass, different heights. Nothing works.

Merry Christmas

Transparency images appear out of focus in prescan. Carefully use unsharp mask--Don't over-sharpen, then scan. Your pix should be fairly sharp. You can apply additional sharpening with your photo editing software.

jeff

I shouldn't have to use unsharp mask to get these scans sharp. the slides are sharp as a razor. The unsharp mask does them no justice-even if used lightly.

I tried altering the height, flipping them over and other things but no good results. I sent the scanner back last week.

Unsharp mask can't sharpen out of focus areas of an image. You end up sharpening grain or noise. My sharp-as-a-tac pix appear fuzzy in Prescan. After a little sharpening in SilverFast and maybe a bit more in PhotoShop the final print is again sharp-as-a-tac.

Jeff

I understand that unsharp mask can't sharpen out of focus areas of an image. That isn't what I am talking about. I merely wanted a scan as sharp as my image. My pre-scans or final scans were nothing like the orginal. I don't feel I should have to 'fix' the focus with my software. Sure, fix the color balance, contrast, etc. but not the focus.