LaserSoft Imaging

Dear LSI,

I have been using the Epson 4870 for almost 2 weeks and obtaining results which have exceeded my expectations for this unit. This is my first experience with Silverfast and have run into a strange problem. 35 mm scanning proceeds without any difficulty but when I attempt medium format silverfast "hangs" the scanner and no scan can be obtained. The scanner sits there with the ready light blinking and nothing happening (I have let it sit for up to 30 minutes but it is stuck solid). The scanner must be turned off, then on to reset it. I am using ICE and the Firewire interface.

When I use Epson scan, medium format can be scanned with no difficulties whatsoever (although, to be sure, it is very slow with ICE) which causes me to think there is a bug in Silverfast SE (??). It is also possible I am doing something wrong or there is a simple workaround which I would appreciate knowing about if it exists.

This is obviously not an urgent problem as I can always use Epson scan but having used Silverfast I find I am usually able to obtain a better result with less time doing the usual touch-ups. Nice product;-)

best wishes,
Weez

This may be of use to anyone responding to my original post re Silverfast not scanning medium Format film.

Today I initiated an m/f scan with Silverfast SE and let sit for 90 minutes just to be sure I was waiting long enough. Nothing happened. Epson was then attempted and scanned m/f properly in about 30 minutes (ICE engaged).

weez

SilverFast SE 6.2.1r4 + MacOS X 10.3.4 + Epson 3170 over USB 1.1 (iBook G3)

I've previously had SF working, with an older release, I think : the first release that supported the 3170.

Since re-installing MacOS, and re-installing SF, I can scan an MF neg at 100% scale, 300dpi. However, if I try to re-size the output (e.g. set the output scale to 400% or increase the dpi), the scanner just hangs - the head resets its position, then nothing at all happens. No lights, no movement, just the slow flashing green LED on the front of the scanner.

Working: Non-transparency scans, transparency scans at 100%
Non-working: MF transparency scans with increased output size or resolution.

I haven't tried the Epson software yet to see if everything works normally there - I'm in the process of downloading v**s**n (although I don't really want to pay for *another* scanning product, when I've paid for Silverfast SE) to see if that works.