Thoughts about SilverFast scanning software?

[cayenne]

Hi all,

Per my other thread...I'm shooting a little film, and I need to scan it.
Starting off with 120 B&W film with pinhole camera.

I've seen some video and ready a little that using Silverfast might be markedly superior to using the normal scanning software that comes with Epson (I have the V600).....

Does anyone have experience with SF? Is it worth it? Which version/features do you think are the best as that I see on the site that they have different levels and add-ons...

Silverfast Scanner Software

Thanks in advance for any info/suggestons!!

cayenne

 

[cayenne]

Anyone? Anyone?

Bueller?

 

[JuanMa]

I don’t know silverfast, I have tons of film which I usually scan with the Canon FS4000US and VueScan from Hamrick as scanning software. VuesCan is far better than the software coming with the FS4000 scanner. I know is an old scanner but the combination of the FS4000 and Vuescan gives very good results.

 

[cayenne]

I don’t know silverfast, I have tons of film which I usually scan with the Canon FS4000US and VueScan from Hamrick as scanning software. VuesCan is far better than the software coming with the FS4000 scanner. I know is an old scanner but the combination of the FS4000 and Vuescan gives very good results.

Thank you!!

I'll give that a look too and research it!!

What do you like about Vuescan over the native scanning software that came with your scanner?

C

 

[JuanMa]

What do you like about Vuescan over the native scanning software that came with your scanner?

C

I get far more dynamic range and better colors with VueScan.

 

[privatebydesign]

I used an early iteration of it years ago when I did some slide scanning and back then it definitely gave a superior scan to the software that came with the scanner. I believe mine was actually included with the scanner! My impressions of it back then were positive and it is vastly more mature now, a lot of the film presets did a good job of neutralizing the film base.

But my OS dropped support for my version license a long time ago and I lost heart in the scanning process. Nowadays I'd far rather rig up a macro lens on a camera and 'dup' it, like we used to with slides, than bother with the scanning process.

 

[cayenne]

I used an early iteration of it years ago when I did some slide scanning and back then it definitely gave a superior scan to the software that came with the scanner. I believe mine was actually included with the scanner! My impressions of it back then were positive and it is vastly more mature now, a lot of the film presets did a good job of neutralizing the film base.

But my OS dropped support for my version license a long time ago and I lost heart in the scanning process. Nowadays I'd far rather rig up a macro lens on a camera and 'dup' it, like we used to with slides, than bother with the scanning process.

Thank you for the reply!!

Hmm...yeah, I read that SilverFast on their site, said the current iterations won't work with the new OSX Catalina upgrade, but also alluded to that the basic drivers for my scanner may not work if I were to upgrade to Catalina too.

My old MBP I use, is late 2011, still chugging along, but I think I'll end the OSX updates where it is for now to ensure things like my Photoshop CS6 and other Suite items continue to work, in addition to hardware like my scanner.

Hoping when the Mac Pros finally come out, I can get one of those for my media work and keep this one as needed for 32 bit stuff, etc.


Anyway, I digress. I think I'll go with the SilverFast....I'll give the Vue stuff a close look too before pulling the trigger on one of them.

Thank you everyone so much for the input so far!!!

Cayenne

 

[Don Haines]

I used an early iteration of it years ago when I did some slide scanning and back then it definitely gave a superior scan to the software that came with the scanner. I believe mine was actually included with the scanner! My impressions of it back then were positive and it is vastly more mature now, a lot of the film presets did a good job of neutralizing the film base.

But my OS dropped support for my version license a long time ago and I lost heart in the scanning process. Nowadays I'd far rather rig up a macro lens on a camera and 'dup' it, like we used to with slides, than bother with the scanning process.

I also used an early version of it to scan Kodachrome slides. It worked quite well!

 

[JohnC]

Hi all,

Per my other thread...I'm shooting a little film, and I need to scan it.
Starting off with 120 B&W film with pinhole camera.

I've seen some video and ready a little that using Silverfast might be markedly superior to using the normal scanning software that comes with Epson (I have the V600).....

Does anyone have experience with SF? Is it worth it? Which version/features do you think are the best as that I see on the site that they have different levels and add-ons...

Silverfast Scanner Software

Thanks in advance for any info/suggestons!!

cayenne

I've used it quite a bit with an Espon V700. I have also used VueScan. Both work, I think VueScan is easier to use in some respects, but I ended up staying with the SilverFast product although at the moment I don't recall why. It has been 3-4 years since I've done any scanning so I don't recall everything I should to give you a more complete answer.

 

[cayenne]

I've used it quite a bit with an Espon V700. I have also used VueScan. Both work, I think VueScan is easier to use in some respects, but I ended up staying with the SilverFast product although at the moment I don't recall why. It has been 3-4 years since I've done any scanning so I don't recall everything I should to give you a more complete answer.

Thank you for the reply and input!!

Hmm, You know I think I saw they have a trial on the software, I might give that a whirl first.

I have my V850 trays coming in tomorrow, so I may play with this this weekend.

And the SF software isn't all that expensive, so if I experiment it won't break the bank or anything.

Ok, thank you all for all the info so far!!

C

 

[JohnC]

Thank you for the reply and input!!

Hmm, You know I think I saw they have a trial on the software, I might give that a whirl first.

I have my V850 trays coming in tomorrow, so I may play with this this weekend.

And the SF software isn't all that expensive, so if I experiment it won't break the bank or anything.

Ok, thank you all for all the info so far!!

C

I ended up ordering trays from from a place I think was called "Better Scan". I could find that out if needed. I thought there solution was much better for holding non-mounted transparencies and or negative film. The biggest issue I've had with scanners in general is getting the focus both correct and consistent, followed closely by making sure there is not dust on the transparency.

At the time I had a pretty good work flow for getting the scans, file naming, and using exif tool to insert actual information like exposure settings, camera body, film used, etc. into the exif information. I'm sure I would have to go "re-learn" it if I went back to it today.

Here are a 35mm and 120 example scans from the V700 (or 750 can't remember right now) using Silverfast

Sunset over the Ohio by John Cothron, on Flickr

Sundown by John Cothron, on Flickr

 

[cayenne]

I ended up ordering trays from from a place I think was called "Better Scan". I could find that out if needed. I thought there solution was much better for holding non-mounted transparencies and or negative film. The biggest issue I've had with scanners in general is getting the focus both correct and consistent, followed closely by making sure there is not dust on the transparency.

At the time I had a pretty good work flow for getting the scans, file naming, and using exif tool to insert actual information like exposure settings, camera body, film used, etc. into the exif information. I'm sure I would have to go "re-learn" it if I went back to it today.

Here are a 35mm and 120 example scans from the V700 (or 750 can't remember right now) using Silverfast

Sunset over the Ohio by John Cothron, on Flickr

Sundown by John Cothron, on Flickr

Thank you for the reply!!

ON another thread in this forum:
How About BetterScanning Products

I was asking about those.....I'd seen a video (linked to on that thread) where a comparison showed those to be best out of different tests for wet mounting....but that the regular V850 trays for dry scanning did a bit better....

Hmm.

Well, I'll give what I have coming a shot and see how it goes.

If I really get into this, I might spring for the BS stuff and give it a try...especially if I were to get into wet mounting....

Thank you for your reply and I like the image examples too...especially that B&W one o the water!!!

cayenne