Getting started with the Nikon Coolscan 9000 ED

[uintaangler]

I just picked up a Nikon Coolscan 9000 ED and have a few questions....
***Is it advisable to use the supplied NIKON SCAN software or should I install something like VUESCAN (I'm a Mac user)
***When scanning 6x7 film is it advisable to use the supplied Medium Format film holder or should I upgrade to a glass film holder?
***When scanning MF Film the owner's manual indicates that only two images can be scanned at a time - should I be cutting the processed film into strips of two by myself or is this something I can request the lab do for me?

Thanks,
Bob

[Paul C.]

***Is it advisable to use the supplied NIKON SCAN software or should I install something like VUESCAN (I'm a Mac user)

Give it a shot - if nikonscan works for you, use it. I prefer vuescan.

***When scanning 6x7 film is it advisable to use the supplied Medium Format film holder or should I upgrade to a glass film holder?

The glass film holder holds medium format film much flatter. It's worth the upgrade.

***When scanning MF Film the owner's manual indicates that only two images can be scanned at a time - should I be cutting the processed film into strips of two by myself or is this something I can request the lab do for me?

The largest I've scanned is 6x6, which it can do three at a time. I've always cut the film myself.

It's likely something you can request from your lab, but if I'm gonna have a frame mis-cut I'd rather it be *my* fault.

[uintaangler]

Paul,
Thanks for your rersponse.
Regarding cutting the film, I'm a lefty and not particularly adept with a pair of scissors, what do you use for cutting the film?
Bob

[degrub]

Try the demo of Silverfast Ai. Nikon (Nikon Scan) no longer supports OSX as of 10.5 . Some have been lucky and had it work.

Frank

[uintaangler]

Based on an initial try with NIKON SCAN it seems to be functional on my Mac
However, I didn't find it all that easy to work with.
What is Silverfast like to work with for editing images as I scan them?
Thanks.

[Paul C.]

what do you use for cutting the film?

One of these: matin film cutter

[degrub]

Download the demo and try it.
I think it is a little less obscure than NS

They have basic video demonstrations available. The forums are a useful reference. Also start with the tutorials by Ian Lyons at www.computer-darkroom.com

Frank

[uintaangler]

Can I scan old 35mm slides that are in glass mounts using the same film holder as I do for 35mm slides in cardboard?
Or does that require a different holder?

[degrub]

check the Nikon specs and forums. i have the CS5000.

[uintaangler]

Frank,
Do you mean Nikon forums right here on LL or are they somewhere else online?
Bob

[degrub]

@ nikon support
@silverfast
There were plenty of cs9000 users at LuLa as well, although it has died down some.
There are a couple scanning groups in yahoo groups related to the Nikons - one is
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/coolscan8000-9000/

[Jonathan Ratzlaff]

Try Vuescan.  I have been using it for various scanners and it works very well for the price I have used it since it first came out.  You can try the free trial which will watermark your scan, however you will be able to tell if it works on your system.  Latest version was released in Yestereday so he does keep it up to date  64 bit osx support, although I am still running xp.

[Mark D Segal]

Based on an initial try with NIKON SCAN it seems to be functional on my Mac
However, I didn't find it all that easy to work with.
What is Silverfast like to work with for editing images as I scan them?
Thanks.

I've written four articles on this website about using SilverFast. I think if you start with those, and the ones from Ian Lyons, it will give you an adequate idea of this program's capabilities and challenges. LaserSoft Imaging provides a free demo download as well. Nothing beats trying it yourself. There is definitely a learning curve with SilverFast, but so there is with any software that has multiple capabilities. Everyone has their favorites of course. I have the works - Nikon Scan, Vuescan (latest version), SilverFast - and have used all of them. I've achieved consistently the best scan results with SilverFast, but that's not to say I can't achieve excellent results with the others too. Much depends on the imaging challenge and your approach to scanning. There are, for example, people who prefer zero or minimal image editing at the scan stage - just gather all the pixels the scanner can produce, and do the remainder in Lightroom and Photoshop. That's also a viable approach, again depending on the characteristics of the image. I go into some of this in one of my articles.