Imacon Precision II - Focus Calibration Issues

[robpayne]

I have just ben loaned this scanner with the option to buy if I'm happy.

I decided to run the focus calibration as I felt the scans were not as sharp as I wanted, I scanned with -120 and -60 USM. All scans were 5x4 negatives.

I have run through this process a dozen times and the same thing happens.

It Calibrates the transmission at 5770dpi, 2800dpi, 1440dpi with no issues, but when it gets to the end of 960dpi the following appears...

'Unable to detect calibration bar - please check that focus sheet is mounted' I click OK and it says the following...
'Scanner is focused but resolution has not been calibrated - use new settings anyway?'

Click Cancel or OK.

I've tried repositioning the focus calibration, I've tried it upside down, different 6x6 mount, but the same thing happens over and over again.

Has anyone else had the same issues? I've cleaned both the lens and taken the tubes out to check for dust, all are fine.

So far I have always clicked cancel, what would happen if I was to click OK?

Many thanks,
Rob

[ned]

I think there is a Imacon group in Yahoo groups. I  know there is a scan hi end group there. Might want to try posting there.

[design_freak]

Doug, Please !!!

[tjv]

Typical. A post about an Imacon film scanner turns into yet another sales pitch for Doug's D.T. services. Give us a break!

it sounds to me that either the optical unit or ccd of the scanner you are using is possibly out of alignment. Either that, or there is some dust on the CCD or optics that may be blocking some light, making it worse at lower dpi scan settings.

To test for this:

Make sure there are no film holders in the unit.
Type “debg” on the keyboard.
From the Maintenance menu choose Monitor.

It will come up with a window and show you a monitor graph. Check to see there aren't any dips in the graph – tiny dips are okay, but you shouldn't see big ones – as these indicate a light block somewhere.

I guess this is a long shot, and it's more likely that the optics have been bumped out of alignment, but good news is that both of these things are relatively easy to fix.

[tjv]

One more thing I will ask though, is with the scans you've made, is one side of the scan softer than the other? Or is the middle sharp and both sides off? Then you've definately got an alignment problem. Inside the unit there are little adjustment screws to change the position of either the CCD or lens, but you need to know what you're doing to fix them.

[kers]

Why don't you would use the 1440 dpi and make the scans smaller....?

if it calibrates on 1440 dpi you also have sharp scans on 960dpi -

or do i misunderstand you?
PK