LaserSoft Imaging

After experimenting in Demo mode for a year, I finally purchased a licence and upgraded to SilverFast 6 Ai version 6.4.3r8 to scan negatives.

There used to be a Histogram & Exposure Control panel available all the time. It isn?t being displayed any more. Was this feature withdrawn from this latest version? Do I have to delete the Preferences file so SilverFast can return to the factory defaults? Has it docked itself somewhere I can?t see?

This histogram was very useful when trimming the Tolerance control in Negafix to overcome the dark scan issue with Nikon Scanners.


When using SilverFast from Photoshop CS2, the Prescan Rotation is not used in the file sent to Photoshop. Is this normal? (It is standalone making TIFs.)

Again from Photoshop, when trying to batch scan a strip of 4 frames, I worked out how to select all the frames, but the individual Prescan adjustments are not being used. The adjustments for the last Prescan appear to be applied to all. Once again using it standalone with the Job Manager it works as expected.

The Silverfast documentation in trying to cover all scanners has few if any examples for strip scanners like the Nikon Coolscan IV. A great number of the screen captures appear to apply to flatbed scanners where multiple frames can be scanned in the one Prescan.

I highly recommend taking a look at the information found on this page
http://www.silverfast.com/show/sf-onlin ... ws/en.html

Especially the Ian Lyons's tutorials

RAG,

Thank you for steering me in the direction of these tutorials.

It appears the only way to batch with independent manual adjustments is from the Job Manager, and anyone doing more than one frame at a time does them to a file and not straight into Photoshop.

I am still no wiser as to where the ?histogram with exposure control? Pane has gone.

I have downloaded the latest User Manual only updated this year and read every page. Lasersoft is certainly due credit for the amount/forms of documentation provided. Even so SilverFast users would really benefit from an independent guide in the style of the Real World publications. If someone can write 300+ useful pages on a Raw converter, SilverFast deserves at least as much.

Ah,

If you go to the general tab you will see that you are able to set "batch" as the scan mode. You will then be able to make multiple scan selections that you are then able to modify independently.

Are you talking about the histogram that shows up in the "Picture Settings" window shown below?
<img src="/img/forum/picture_settings.gif">

Yes RAG,

The Picture Settings Window is no longer displayed.

Mike,

Try the procedure for resetting your Prefs to see if that doesn't help.

Here is a link to the FAQ that explains the process. If you are using Windows XP the location will be C:\Documents and Settings\[Your Logon Name]\Application Data\Lasersoft Imaging\SilverFast\Prefs

FAQ
http://www.silverfast.com/faq/1029/en.html

Deleteing the Prefs folder removed most of my settings, but did not restore the Picture Settings Window.

I sent off an email to LaserSoft Support having come to a dead end on this one.

Ok,

Please let us know what the resolution to the problem is when you find out.

Still no response from support on my problem with the missing Picture Settings window after a week.

Installing 6.4.3r9 did not bring back the Picture Settings window.

The only other change I can think of is that a couple of weeks ago I wanted to try Nikon Scan 4 before purchasing Silverfast, which as a pre-requisite needs the firmware on the Coolscan IV upgarded to version 1.2. I was at version 1.1 the last time I remember seeing the Picture Settings window.

Version 6.4.3r8 was installed after Nikon Scan 4, so it is not simply that Silverfast has to be installed last.

Support responded today, and of course the explanation was simple if not a little annoying:

"this dialogue is only part of the SilverFast Ai Studio software".

So when I paid for Ai I lost the demo's Picture Settings window.

There is no mention of this on the Ai Studio highlights page http://www.silverfast.com/show/silverfa ... ts/en.html
so it was easy for me to think something was wrong.

Thanks for sharing Mike!