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12-28-2017, 04:08 PM   #1
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Which Silverfast package?

Just ordered Pacific Image XA. It seems that results are much better when using Silverfast. I am not sure which package to get. Ai is more pricey than what I wanted to pay, but is it a must have? I was leaning towards SE pro (I think, second cheapest one) as I think I'd like multi processing. Does it make sense?

12-28-2017, 04:22 PM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by IgorZ Quote
Just ordered Pacific Image XA. It seems that results are much better when using Silverfast. I am not sure which package to get. Ai is more pricey than what I wanted to pay, but is it a must have? I was leaning towards SE pro (I think, second cheapest one) as I think I'd like multi processing. Does it make sense?
Doesn't the scanner come with SE?

I would hold off spending more money for another package unless you feel limited by the bundled version.
12-28-2017, 05:20 PM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by timw4mail Quote
Doesn't the scanner come with SE?

I would hold off spending more money for another package unless you feel limited by the bundled version.
I am not sure. B&H website has a little video about Silverfast, but the film scanner review website made it sound like one should get Silverfast, so I thought it didn't come with the scanner.

There is also a sale on Silverfast until January 8th, so I thought if I were to get one now would be a good time
12-28-2017, 05:33 PM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by IgorZ Quote
I am not sure. B&H website has a little video about Silverfast, but the film scanner review website made it sound like one should get Silverfast, so I thought it didn't come with the scanner.

There is also a sale on Silverfast until January 8th, so I thought if I were to get one now would be a good time
I bought this model from B&H, and it came with Silverfast SE.

12-28-2017, 06:16 PM   #5
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SilverFast SE is a good program, very in depth. It should come with multi scan.

Before you pay for an upgrade, try Vuescan. They have a free demo and you will get very good results. I use SilverFast on a regular basis but I found Vuescan to be more user friendly.
12-28-2017, 06:33 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by twilhelm Quote
SilverFast SE is a good program, very in depth. It should come with multi scan.

Before you pay for an upgrade, try Vuescan. They have a free demo and you will get very good results. I use SilverFast on a regular basis but I found Vuescan to be more user friendly.
SE does not have multi scan.
12-28-2017, 06:49 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by IgorZ Quote
Pacific Image XA

I'll definitely be looking forward to a review when you get your workflow sorted--I've been toying around with the idea of the PF120 to scan my 6x7's (since I was apparently not a good enough boy to rate a 'blad Flextight for Christmas...
)

12-28-2017, 07:11 PM   #8
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Silverfast has a feature matrix. Conventional wisdom is that Ai (or at least SE Plus) is worth the upgrade.

With any luck this link to the PDF will work...

http://www.silverfast.com/showdocu/en.pdf?docu=1178&direct=1


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12-28-2017, 11:24 PM - 1 Like   #9
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Another plug for Vuescan

Some pluses for Vuescan

When your scanner vendor no longer updates the driver, Vuescan lets you go on using it (and my blessings on Mr Hamrick for enabling me to use a film scanner that no-one wants me to be able to use!).
If you ever get another scanner, you won't have to pay for more scanning software.
You'll never have to pay for scanning software upgrades.

Scanning is a bit of a black art You'll need to use your grey cells on either Silverfast or Vuescan - I learned by playing around with all the options to see what effect they have.

BTW, because I only ever want to physically scan once, I also save the unprocessed version ("raw"). That way, if/when my processing skills improve and/or the post-processing software improves, I can always go back and try again. I'm using ColorPerfect/Photoshop and Lightroom to integrate with my DSLR image handling.
12-29-2017, 07:28 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by timw4mail Quote
SE does not have multi scan.
I couldn’t remember for certain. I originally purchased my scanner in 2006, it came with SilverFast SE which had multiscan. I purchased the upgrade this year so it would work with Win 10. My upgrade has multi scan so it must be the Plus version, since I wasn’t going to pay for Ai just yet.
12-30-2017, 04:26 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by CreationBear Quote
I'll definitely be looking forward to a review when you get your workflow sorted--I've been toying around with the idea of the PF120 to scan my 6x7's (since I was apparently not a good enough boy to rate a 'blad Flextight for Christmas...
)
We have some experienced XA users here, but I'll definitely post something once I get the hang of it. Seems like the main discussion point is whether batch scanning works or not...

---------- Post added 12-30-17 at 04:29 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by stevebrot Quote
Silverfast has a feature matrix. Conventional wisdom is that Ai (or at least SE Plus) is worth the upgrade.

With any luck this link to the PDF will work...

http://www.silverfast.com/showdocu/en.pdf?docu=1178&direct=1


Steve
Thanks! The link did work. I saw it, but it seemed strange that they would not include other packages in comparison (e.g. archival ones) and also I wasn't sure what job manager does and if it was worth such an investment...

---------- Post added 12-30-17 at 04:30 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by twilhelm Quote
I couldn’t remember for certain. I originally purchased my scanner in 2006, it came with SilverFast SE which had multiscan. I purchased the upgrade this year so it would work with Win 10. My upgrade has multi scan so it must be the Plus version, since I wasn’t going to pay for Ai just yet.
Do you find multi scan useful?

---------- Post added 12-30-17 at 04:34 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by vrphoto Quote
Some pluses for Vuescan

When your scanner vendor no longer updates the driver, Vuescan lets you go on using it (and my blessings on Mr Hamrick for enabling me to use a film scanner that no-one wants me to be able to use!).
If you ever get another scanner, you won't have to pay for more scanning software.
You'll never have to pay for scanning software upgrades.

Scanning is a bit of a black art You'll need to use your grey cells on either Silverfast or Vuescan - I learned by playing around with all the options to see what effect they have.

BTW, because I only ever want to physically scan once, I also save the unprocessed version ("raw"). That way, if/when my processing skills improve and/or the post-processing software improves, I can always go back and try again. I'm using ColorPerfect/Photoshop and Lightroom to integrate with my DSLR image handling.
Thanks for the advice. I had a look at the vuescan a while back when I got a flatbed scanner, but in the end I stuck to Canon software...

That raw bit sounds interesting. Silverfast also has a raw capability in one of the more expensive packages, and I was curious how useful it was.
12-30-2017, 04:53 AM   #12
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I scan with SilverFast in Tiff, I believe you have to go to Ai for other raw formats.

The original SE version I had would allow me to multi scan an image up to 16 times. SE Plus is a two scan multiscan only. I find it useful for older negatives, and especially when I shoot expired film. It seems to give me a little more detail and depth to work with. The difference in time equates to about 20 minutes a roll to multiscan the entire thing.
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