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Minolta 5400 streakings with VueScan 8.0.13: anyone else?

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Fernando

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Aug 22, 2004, 12:16:49 PM8/22/04
to
Hello,

I'm still fighting with my Minolta SE5400, that produces unacceptable
streakings with Vuescan (even the latest 8.0.13) when used at 5400dpi.
Streaking appears with clear evidence when proper post-scan sharpening
is applied, and it's very annoying when high CCD exposure is required
( > 2.5, for example).

It does not disappear with Multisampling (tried up to 8x), and is
there with and without IR cleaning.

I've already submitted a bug report to Ed Hamrick, but I'd like to
know if someone else still has this issue (I have the latest firmware,
v1.10) or if mine is the only one out there that shows this problem:
I've read of many users that resolved with the latest firmware (I did
the upgrade, but the problem is still here).

I remember that Bart Van der Wolf still had this problem not long ago,
so his contribution may be useful to me...

Please let me know, thanks! :)

Fernando

Steve Bell

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Aug 22, 2004, 1:11:15 PM8/22/04
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On 22/8/04 5:16 pm, in article nmhhi01sqiost0pt2...@4ax.com,
"Fernando" <fcar...@tiscalinet.it> wrote:

I'm still using 8.09 under OSX 10.3.4, and notice this as well, especially
as the sharpening is increased. My scanners firmware is as it was supplied
about 5 months ago. I was thinking I had a scanner fault, I hadn't been back
to Dimage Scan Utility for some, now I shall to check it out.

Steve Bell

Dierk Haasis

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Aug 22, 2004, 2:24:50 PM8/22/04
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On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 16:16:49 GMT, Fernando <fcar...@tiscalinet.it>
wrote:

>I remember that Bart Van der Wolf still had this problem not long ago,
>so his contribution may be useful to me...

IIRC, Ed sometime back acknowledged ongoing problems with the Minolta
5400, although I didn't have trouble with the two. He even mentioned
abandoning support for it as he hasn't been able to pinpoint what goes
wrong.

I hope those who have trouble can get up enough info so he can fix it
and support this nice piece of hardware in the future.

--

Dierk

Tom Harrison

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Aug 22, 2004, 4:19:54 PM8/22/04
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I have been using Vuescan with my Minolta 5400 for a year now and have never
had any problems with it, no streaking or nothing. With the Minolta
software I find the colours are not very accurate especially greens, but
with Vuescan colours are spot on.

Tom

"Dierk Haasis" <Dierk....@Write4U.de> wrote in message
news:v3phi0h82ih74c7og...@4ax.com...

Wilfred

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Aug 22, 2004, 4:30:51 PM8/22/04
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Fernando wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I'm still fighting with my Minolta SE5400, that produces unacceptable
> streakings with Vuescan (even the latest 8.0.13) when used at 5400dpi.
> Streaking appears with clear evidence when proper post-scan sharpening
> is applied, and it's very annoying when high CCD exposure is required
> ( > 2.5, for example).
>
> It does not disappear with Multisampling (tried up to 8x), and is
> there with and without IR cleaning.

With my 5400 I've seen some (green) streaking in the darkest shadows
after extreme sharpening (e.g., 500% at a 0.3 pixel radius), both with
VueScan and the Minolta Scan Utility. It also happened with my previous
Minolta scanner, a DSS 2800. If this is the same problem as you're
reporting, I think it is normal - there's no detail worth sharpening in
those shadows anyway. The trick is to select all but the shadows and
then sharpen.


--
Wilfred
e-mail: (first five letters of my name) at gmx dot net

Hecate

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Aug 22, 2004, 10:09:11 PM8/22/04
to
On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 16:16:49 GMT, Fernando <fcar...@tiscalinet.it>
wrote:

>Hello,

Almost, but not all, people who have tired using Vuescan with the
Minolta have experienced the same, or similar problems. The best
advice is *do not use Vusecan* with the Minolta 5400.

--

Hecate - The Real One
Hec...@newsguy.com
veni, vidi, reliqui

Fernando

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Aug 23, 2004, 2:36:48 AM8/23/04
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Wilfred <m...@privacy.net> wrote in message news:<2ose3sF...@uni-berlin.de>...

> With my 5400 I've seen some (green) streaking in the darkest shadows
> after extreme sharpening (e.g., 500% at a 0.3 pixel radius), both with
> VueScan and the Minolta Scan Utility. It also happened with my previous
> Minolta scanner, a DSS 2800. If this is the same problem as you're
> reporting, I think it is normal

No, it's not the same: I don't have any hint of this streaks with
Minolta Scan Utility 1.1.5, even with extreme sharpening.
Seems some sort of calibration issue to me... the streaks are across
the whole frame, not just in the shadows, altough of course they're
more evident there.

Thanks,

Fernando

Fernando

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Aug 23, 2004, 2:42:05 AM8/23/04
to
Hecate <hec...@newsguy.com> wrote in message news:<5ckii0t8g14qias4h...@4ax.com>...

> Almost, but not all, people who have tired using Vuescan with the
> Minolta have experienced the same, or similar problems. The best
> advice is *do not use Vusecan* with the Minolta 5400.

Well, I hope Ed will find a way to fix it.
I sent him the log and the Calibration file, and gave my complete
availability to perform whatever test he might need.
I don't like Minolta Scan Utility... not only it sometimes hang my
machine, but it forces me to turn Grain Dissolver in order to use ICE.
Within Vuescan the two settings are fully independent...

Bye, thanks!

Fernando

Steven Chambers

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Aug 24, 2004, 1:12:43 PM8/24/04
to
> Almost, but not all, people who have tired using Vuescan with the
> Minolta have experienced the same, or similar problems. The best
> advice is *do not use Vusecan* with the Minolta 5400.
>
> --
>
> Hecate - The Real One
> Hec...@newsguy.com
> veni, vidi, reliqui

The same problem exists on the Minolta Scan Multi Pro

Steve Chambers


Fernando

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Aug 25, 2004, 6:52:08 AM8/25/04
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"Steven Chambers" <steven....@btinternet.com> wrote in message news:<cgfsub$d7t$1...@sparta.btinternet.com>...

> The same problem exists on the Minolta Scan Multi Pro

:(((((((((

Maybe there's a way to perform this "calibration" out of VueScan?
Bart, Kenneth, any idea?

Fernando

Alan Browne

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Aug 25, 2004, 12:52:14 PM8/25/04
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Fernando wrote:

No streaking at all. If I scan at 5400, and then look at a dark
area on the screen, turn up my monitor brightness and zoom in 200
to 400% then I see some noise in stripes ... but this is so
extreme... it will never show on a screen, and won't show on a
print unless blown up huge and at low contrast.

--
-- rec.photo.equipment.35mm user resource:
-- http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.--

KUBOTA Susumu

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Aug 26, 2004, 10:24:51 AM8/26/04
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Hi,

I'm experiencing a similar problem along with the one which Bart
mentioned in his post:
http://groups.google.co.jp/groups?selm=40a10c7d%240%24563%24e4fe514c%40news.xs4all.nl&output=gplain

I sent a problem report to Ed but haven't had any reply yet.
You can find the details of my problem in the following page:
http://www.h7.dion.ne.jp/~kubocci/8011_test/

I found that this has something to do with scanner initialization
process and the following procedure alleviate the problem:
1. Turn on the PC
2. Turn on the Scanner
3. Start Dimage Scan Utility (which launces scanner initialization
process)
4. Quit Dimage Scan Utility after initialization process has finished
5. Start VueScan

Hope this helps,

Susumu

Fernando <fcar...@tiscalinet.it> wrote in message news:<nmhhi01sqiost0pt2...@4ax.com>...

Message has been deleted

Fernando

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Aug 26, 2004, 1:15:44 PM8/26/04
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Hello!

On 26 Aug 2004 07:24:51 -0700, kub...@r2.dion.ne.jp (KUBOTA Susumu)
wrote:

>I sent a problem report to Ed but haven't had any reply yet.

Me too... :(

>I found that this has something to do with scanner initialization
>process and the following procedure alleviate the problem:
>1. Turn on the PC
>2. Turn on the Scanner
>3. Start Dimage Scan Utility (which launces scanner initialization
>process)
>4. Quit Dimage Scan Utility after initialization process has finished
>5. Start VueScan

It certainly sounds as a calibration problem.
Calibration is done during the initialization phase, and (if properly
done) accounts for uneveness in frame lighting, and so (to a certain
extent, also for streaking and banding).

But I'm not sure how calibrating in Scan Utility could help, because
Vuescan creates its own calibration file: it's called "vuescan.se5"
and it's in the Vuescan directory.
Anyway I tried it out, and it does not seem that in my case the
streaking is less visible.

Thank you for your contribution, nonetheless!

Let's hope Ed Hamrick finds the time to have a closer look at this
problem (maybe there's a similar root between streakings on the
various Minolta scanners... I've seen reports from Scan Dual IV and
Scan Multi Pro users, and myself was having streakings with my
previous scanner, a Scan Dual III).

Fernando

Wilfred

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Aug 27, 2004, 2:51:12 AM8/27/04
to
Fernando wrote:

> But I'm not sure how calibrating in Scan Utility could help, because
> Vuescan creates its own calibration file: it's called "vuescan.se5"
> and it's in the Vuescan directory.

Perhaps Minolta's calibration routine stores something in a memory chip
that is part of the scanner's hardware?

--

Wilfred van der Vegte.
Replace 'invalid' by my first name to reply by e-mail

Ed Hamrick

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Aug 27, 2004, 6:50:38 AM8/27/04
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"Wilfred" <inv...@vandervegte.com> wrote:
> Perhaps Minolta's calibration routine stores something in a memory chip
> that is part of the scanner's hardware?

Yes, the Minolta software stores a calibration in the scanner
memory. I thought VueScan initialized this area (with a linear
pattern), but I probably need to look into this again.

Regards,
Ed Hamrick


Mark L Caton

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Aug 28, 2004, 9:37:13 PM8/28/04
to

">
> Almost, but not all, people who have tired using Vuescan with the
> Minolta have experienced the same, or similar problems. The best
> advice is *do not use Vusecan* with the Minolta 5400.
>
> --
>
> Hecate - The Real One
> Hec...@newsguy.com
> veni, vidi, reliqui

Well sorry to report that I'm with Alan on this. No streaking since updating
the firmware to 1.1.15. Not that I would want to stop Ed performing any
further checks.

I can only think of a couple of potential reasons for the issue -

1. Calibration - I do this immediately after the scanner and Vuescan have
initialised, and sometimes again during a long scanning session. It is
possible to forget this step.

2. Dust - don't leave the gate open, get a cover, good working conditions,
etc..

I had reason this evening to rescan an image I scanned previously with an
earlier version of the firmware, and the difference is very clear. This is
an image taken in the cloisters of an abbey, so some extremes of exposure.
This is on Provia.

In the shadows of the older scan there are some green, red and white
streaks, moving from left to right across the image, (which is in portrait,
so rotated right). Tonight's scan shows no sign of this. I've got the raw
files for both scans. They are quite large tho!

The only other variable I can think of is heat, as when the original scan
was made it was a lot warmer than this evening (its now v. late!).

Hecate, I don't know if you have a 5400, but have you tried the Minolta s/w?
Vuescan gives me the control I want. Therefore I cannot subscribe to your
view. In fact the reverse. And yes I have tried Silverfast.

I find both products (5400/Vuescan) extremely good for my purposes - they're
not point and shoot, you've got to get to understand them, like using your
camera and film. And if you've spent time taking the pics in the first
place, they deserve time in post production.

HTH,

Mark

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Wilfred

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Aug 29, 2004, 7:36:34 AM8/29/04
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Mark L Caton wrote:

> Hecate wrote:
>
>>Almost, but not all, people who have tired using Vuescan with the
>>Minolta have experienced the same, or similar problems. The best
>>advice is *do not use Vusecan* with the Minolta 5400.
>>
>>--
>>
>>Hecate - The Real One
>>Hec...@newsguy.com
>>veni, vidi, reliqui
>
>
> Well sorry to report that I'm with Alan on this. No streaking since updating
> the firmware to 1.1.15. Not that I would want to stop Ed performing any
> further checks.
>
> I can only think of a couple of potential reasons for the issue -
>
> 1. Calibration - I do this immediately after the scanner and Vuescan have
> initialised, and sometimes again during a long scanning session. It is
> possible to forget this step.

Ed Hamrick told me he discovered something's wrong with VueScan's
calibration routine for the 5400. The error seems to be the resaon for
several complaints reported in this newsgroup: the 'Dmax problem', the
streakings and the problems with IR cleaning. He is working on it now,
but it may take till after September 6 before the fix is ready.

Steve Bell

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Aug 29, 2004, 4:31:30 PM8/29/04
to
On 22/8/04 5:16 pm, in article nmhhi01sqiost0pt2...@4ax.com,
"Fernando" <fcar...@tiscalinet.it> wrote:

(I have the latest firmware,

I looked on Minolta's web site for a firmware upgrade, see link below. It
mentions scanners and cameras, but when I attempt to select the 5400, all it
lists is cameras, no scanners. Where can the latest firmware for the DSE
5400 be downloaded from?

Steve Bell

<http://www.minoltaeurope.com/magic_frameEoI.shtml?/pe/head_pe.htm?cgi-bin/d
b4web_c/db/minoeu/custsupp/support_stage.d4w?language=english>

Mark L Caton

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Aug 29, 2004, 6:02:56 PM8/29/04
to

"Steve Bell" <i-hat...@no-replies.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:BD57FBB2.32F8A%i-hat...@no-replies.fsnet.co.uk...

Steve,

Try this. You may need to agree to a licenece first.

http://www.minoltaeurope.com/magic_frameEoI.shtml?/pe/head_pe.htm?cgi-bin/db4web_c/db/minoeu/custsupp/support_stage.d4w?language=english

Mark


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Wilfred

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Aug 30, 2004, 3:11:15 AM8/30/04
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Steve Bell wrote:
> On 22/8/04 5:16 pm, in article nmhhi01sqiost0pt2...@4ax.com,
> "Fernando" <fcar...@tiscalinet.it> wrote:
>
> (I have the latest firmware,
>
> I looked on Minolta's web site for a firmware upgrade, see link below. It
> mentions scanners and cameras, but when I attempt to select the 5400, all it
> lists is cameras, no scanners. Where can the latest firmware for the DSE
> 5400 be downloaded from?

The firmware is integrated in the latest version of the Scan Utility.
You will have to install the latest version of the Utility with your
scanner switched off. The next time you use it for scanning, the
firmware is upgraded if it isn't up to date.

Steve Bell

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Aug 30, 2004, 5:03:08 PM8/30/04
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On 30/8/04 8:11 am, in article cgujul$54g$1...@news.tudelft.nl, "Wilfred"
<inv...@vandervegte.com> wrote:

> Steve Bell wrote:
>> On 22/8/04 5:16 pm, in article nmhhi01sqiost0pt2...@4ax.com,
>> "Fernando" <fcar...@tiscalinet.it> wrote:
>>
>> (I have the latest firmware,
>>
>> I looked on Minolta's web site for a firmware upgrade, see link below. It
>> mentions scanners and cameras, but when I attempt to select the 5400, all it
>> lists is cameras, no scanners. Where can the latest firmware for the DSE
>> 5400 be downloaded from?
>
> The firmware is integrated in the latest version of the Scan Utility.
> You will have to install the latest version of the Utility with your
> scanner switched off. The next time you use it for scanning, the
> firmware is upgraded if it isn't up to date.

Mystery solved, thanks. My firmware will then be up to date.

Steve Bell

Jack Frillman

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Aug 30, 2004, 9:05:00 PM8/30/04
to
Wilfred wrote:

> Steve Bell wrote:
>
>> On 22/8/04 5:16 pm, in article
>> nmhhi01sqiost0pt2...@4ax.com,
>> "Fernando" <fcar...@tiscalinet.it> wrote:
>>
>> (I have the latest firmware,
>>
>> I looked on Minolta's web site for a firmware upgrade, see link below. It
>> mentions scanners and cameras, but when I attempt to select the 5400,
>> all it
>> lists is cameras, no scanners. Where can the latest firmware for the DSE
>> 5400 be downloaded from?
>
>
> The firmware is integrated in the latest version of the Scan Utility.
> You will have to install the latest version of the Utility with your
> scanner switched off. The next time you use it for scanning, the
> firmware is upgraded if it isn't up to date.
>

That's interesting. How do you tell if you have the lates version of the
softare and what version of firmware you have? I haven't been able to
find a reference to it in the hardware or ssoftware manuals.

Wilfred

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Aug 31, 2004, 2:59:19 AM8/31/04
to
Jack Frillman wrote:

> Wilfred wrote:
>
>> The firmware is integrated in the latest version of the Scan Utility.
>> You will have to install the latest version of the Utility with your
>> scanner switched off. The next time you use it for scanning, the
>> firmware is upgraded if it isn't up to date.
>>
>
> That's interesting. How do you tell if you have the lates version of the
> softare and what version of firmware you have? I haven't been able to
> find a reference to it in the hardware or ssoftware manuals.

In the Scan Utility, move your mouse over the grey area in the top right
corner of the application window.

Jack Frillman

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Aug 31, 2004, 7:55:15 PM8/31/04
to
Wilfred wrote:
> Jack Frillman wrote:
>
>> Wilfred wrote:
>>
>>> The firmware is integrated in the latest version of the Scan Utility.
>>> You will have to install the latest version of the Utility with your
>>> scanner switched off. The next time you use it for scanning, the
>>> firmware is upgraded if it isn't up to date.
>>>
>>
>> That's interesting. How do you tell if you have the lates version of
>> the softare and what version of firmware you have? I haven't been able
>> to find a reference to it in the hardware or ssoftware manuals.
>
>
> In the Scan Utility, move your mouse over the grey area in the top right
> corner of the application window.
>
>
Got it.
I have this:
Software: 1.1.3
Firmware: 1.10

Apparently the firmware did not get updated or I didn't get the lastes
version of the software. What are the latest versions?

Wilfred

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Sep 1, 2004, 2:47:29 AM9/1/04
to
Jack Frillman wrote:

AFAIK, your firmware is up to date and latest software version is 1.1.5.

Fernando

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Sep 1, 2004, 3:40:18 AM9/1/04
to
Jack Frillman <ja...@dnaco.net> wrote in message news:<41350fe9$0$98306$9a6e...@news.newshosting.com>...

> I have this:
> Software: 1.1.3
> Firmware: 1.10
>
> Apparently the firmware did not get updated or I didn't get the lastes
> version of the software. What are the latest versions?

I have installed Minolta Scan Utility v1.1.5, and it's the latest one.
But the firmware still says v1.10, so maybe they did not update it
since Scan Utility v1.1.3...

Fernando

Mark L Caton

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Sep 1, 2004, 2:00:28 PM9/1/04
to

"Fernando" <fcar...@tiscalinet.it> wrote in message
news:a2bed2d.04083...@posting.google.com...

> Jack Frillman <ja...@dnaco.net> wrote in message
> news:<41350fe9$0$98306$9a6e...@news.newshosting.com>...
>
> (snip)

> I have installed Minolta Scan Utility v1.1.5, and it's the latest one.
> But the firmware still says v1.10, so maybe they did not update it
> since Scan Utility v1.1.3...
>
> Fernando

Fernando,

Do you still get the streaks?

Fernando

unread,
Sep 1, 2004, 6:08:38 PM9/1/04
to
On Wed, 1 Sep 2004 18:00:28 +0000 (UTC), "Mark L Caton"
<mark.l...@nobtspaminternet.com> wrote:

>> I have installed Minolta Scan Utility v1.1.5, and it's the latest one.
>> But the firmware still says v1.10, so maybe they did not update it
>> since Scan Utility v1.1.3...
>>
>> Fernando
>
>Fernando,
>
>Do you still get the streaks?

Yes, unfortunately. Nothing changed. Even if I calibrate with Minolta
Scan Utility first, Vuescan still produces streaks (even the newest
8.0.14). Of course they are only visible with proper sharpening.

Fernando

Mark L Caton

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Sep 3, 2004, 3:04:54 PM9/3/04
to

"Wilfred" <m...@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:2pdte4F...@uni-berlin.de...

Wilfred,
Apologies for the slow reply - only just spotted your response. What you
say will potentially explain Fernando's problem then.

I must admit that looking at the scan where I did have streaks, I have
spotted that this was only 2 months ago - and I'm fairly sure I would have
updated the firmware before that. The only other changes between then and
when I have made a good scan (no streaks with the same image)have been the
Vuescan updates as Ed has released them, as far as I can tell.

If I get the time to load a comparison of the two images I will.

Mark


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