Scanner Calibration - Plustek 8200i AI

[Edwin Ho]

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I am currently using a Canoscan 8800F scanner with Vuescan. Plan to upgrade to a dedicated film scanner - the Plustek 8200i AI.

I learnt the above-mentioned scanner comes with an IT8 target for scanner calibration and I briefly read somewhere that calibration is good only for positive film (slide).

While I have some "old" slides, shot a few years ago, I plan to shoot mainly black and white and color negative films. If the above is correct, then I do need to calibrate the Plustek.

I hope to hear from anyone who has experience with scanners, thank you.

 

 

 

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[frame-it]

https://forum.silverfast.com/nikon-f15/calibration-with-it8-target-does-it-help-with-nega-t3979.html

 

 

 

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by frame-it

[Edwin Ho]

Thank you frame-it. Are you using this scanner and if so, are you using the bundled software SilverFast or Vuescan?

[frame-it]

yes, silverfast

[ejg1890]

6 hours ago, Edwin Ho said:

Plan to upgrade to a dedicated film scanner - the Plustek 8200i AI.

With recently getting back into film and looking at current development prices I have decided to develop my own film. That means I need a way to digitalize the negatives to print from the computer, so I have been reviewing scanners and software as well.  

I have the scanners down to PlusTek 8200i AI and Pacific Image PrimeFilm XAs, but leaning towards the PrimeFilm. I am looking at SilverFast and ScanVue. I prefer ScanVue, but both scanners come packaged with SilverFast, so I’ll probably try that software. If it doesn’t work at least ScanVue is “only” $99 which is cheap compared to everything else. PlusTek also has the 8300i AI but I can’t seem to find who sells that machine or much else on it.

Curious if you looked at the PrimeFilm and what were your thoughts? What persuaded you towards the 8200i AI. For myself I understand the actual effective resolution scan for the PrimeFilm is between 4200-4600 which is higher than most others, I believe the 8200i is below 4000 but can’t find anything now on that. Also the DMAX is 4.2 vs 3.6 on the 8200i. All else appears to be very similar. 

Thanks

[Edwin Ho]

I have been experimenting with different scan options with my Canoscan 8800F/Vuescan combo. Getting better with acceptable results.

Will put off the idea of purchasing the Plustek 8200i AI for now. I was considering the Plustek as it come together with an IT8 target.

I understand I can purchase an IT8 target for Vuescan too (if needed).

If there is anyone who has the experience of using an IT8 target for scanner calibration in Vuescan, please share which target is suitable.

I am confused as there are different targets for Kodak and Fuji, etc. I plan to shoot only negative films, so is calibration necessary?

[Edwin Ho]

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On 4/14/2022 at 10:05 PM, ejg1890 said:

What persuaded you towards the 8200i AI.

I was carried away by the idea of scanner calibration and Plustek does include an IT8 target in the 8200i AI. I have learnt now calibration is good only for positive film.

While I have some sold slides which may benefit from a calibrated scanner, I plan to shoot mainly black & white and colour negs.

Over the past few days, I have improved in my scanning skills with Vuesan and Canoscan 8800F (4800 dpi). So for now, I shall put the idea of changing to Plustek to the back-burner.

I have no idea how good SilverFast is, but I am pretty happy with Vuescan. I must the say the learning curve for Vuescan was long and frustrating a times (for me), however I have got used to it and find it plenty good enough for me. "The Scanning Bible" by Sascha Steinhoff helped. Hardware- wise the Plustek may be a better scanner.

BTW, Ed Hamrick advised I can purchase an IT8 Target to work with Vuescan.

[Edwin Ho]

My scan using Canoscan 8800F with Vuescan

 

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[ejg1890]

3 hours ago, Edwin Ho said:

I have no idea how good SilverFast is, but I am pretty happy with Vuescan. I must the say the learning curve for Vuescan was long and frustrating a times (for me), however I have got used to it and find it plenty good enough for me. "The Scanning Bible" by Sascha Steinhoff helped. Hardware- wise the Plustek may be a better scanner.

BTW, Ed Hamrick advised I can purchase an IT8 Target to work with Vuescan.

Thanks for the reply. From YouTube videos appears Vuescan is better, however, SilverFast is the app included with scanners, so at least a Vuescan license isn’t as expense or complex as SilverFast.  Several questions:

1. ”The Scanning Bible” is from 2011 so 10 years ago. Do you still see that book as relavant or has the application not changed in the 10+ years?
2. I can see IT8 calibration not important for negative film as colors are reversed, but definitely Vuescan needs calibration just as does my monitor. I would assume the IT8 Target can be purchased from the Vuescan website, correct?

Thanks

[johnwolf]

On 4/14/2022 at 9:05 AM, ejg1890 said:

.... Curious if you looked at the PrimeFilm and what were your thoughts? What persuaded you towards the 8200i AI. For myself I understand the actual effective resolution scan for the PrimeFilm is between 4200-4600 which is higher than most others, I believe the 8200i is below 4000 but can’t find anything now on that. Also the DMAX is 4.2 vs 3.6 on the 8200i. All else appears to be very similar. 

Thanks

I have an 8200i and am wondering if the Pacific Image XAS would be an improvement. If it's really the same as the Reflecta RPS 10M, then the filmscanner site suggests it would be. I might order one and compare.  

John

Edited April 19, 2022 by johnwolf

[Edwin Ho]

18 hours ago, ejg1890 said:

”The Scanning Bible” is from 2011 so 10 years ago. Do you still see that book as relavant or has the application not changed in the 10+ years?

I am really a "newbie" when it comes to scanning. Despite the book being published 10 years ago, I do find it helpful and relevant.

[LocalHero1953]

Just throwing this in here in case it's helpful. I scan 4x5 colour film with my SL2-S, so I have no flat-bed or dedicated film scanner experience. I don't calibrate the system for negatives, but I do for reversal - Provia 100f. I bought a Provia 100f IT8 film target from Wolf Faust. It's clearly a bit of a cottage industry (longish delivery times), and pricy, but in the end the calibration with this target worked better than anything I could do myself, and saved a lot of time.

[Martin B]

Also using the 8200Ai, but IMO it is only good for 35 mm negatives and not for framed slides. Problem I observed with this scanner is the fixed focus point which can't be adjusted. Not an issue for negative or positive film strips, but a biggie when trying to scan framed slides since the thickness of the frames differs depending on where they were developed. The calibration slide works well, here the frame height is perfectly adjusted to the focus point of the scanner. But my 35 mm slides were thicker, and when added into the slide carrier which comes with the scanner, all images were out-of-focus. I had to crack the frames open to be able to make good scans of them using the negative carrier instead. 

[grahamc]

I hope this isn't a silly question but I've been using my Plustek straight out of the box (with Viewscan) ... scanning 35mm negatives in the holder provided . I didn't go through a calibration process.   

Should I ?

The scans definitely aren't as sharp as my lab scans but I put this down to the difference in consumer versus commercial equipment at this point. Also I'm scanning a very flat image , not adding any sharpening (and then doing all my adjustments in Lightroom/Photoshop) and I assume my scans from the lab have been sharpened 

I'm new to Plustek, as well as scanning in general, so please let me know if I would benefit from calibration in this type of use.  Thanks  

[Edwin Ho]

4 hours ago, grahamc said:

I hope this isn't a silly question but I've been using my Plustek straight out of the box (with Viewscan) ... scanning 35mm negatives in the holder provided . I didn't go through a calibration process.   

Should I ?

The scans definitely aren't as sharp as my lab scans but I put this down to the difference in consumer versus commercial equipment at this point. Also I'm scanning a very flat image , not adding any sharpening (and then doing all my adjustments in Lightroom/Photoshop) and I assume my scans from the lab have been sharpened 

I'm new to Plustek, as well as scanning in general, so please let me know if I would benefit from calibration in this type of use.  Thanks  

No scanner calibration is necessary if scanning negatives in Vuescan (so I understand). I've decided to hold off purchasing the Plustek 8200i as I feel I have yet to give Vuescan and Canoscan 8800F a chance to proof itself (because I am new in scanning). And I have been exploring Vuescan, particularly the available options in the Colour tab. I see improvements in my scan. Afterwhich, I did further editing in Lightroom if required. I believe you can sharpen the pic  in the filter tab. I abandoned the Canon proprietary software that came with Canoscan 8880F.

[grahamc]

30 minutes ago, Edwin Ho said:

No scanner calibration is necessary if scanning negatives in Vuescan (so I understand). I've decided to hold off purchasing the Plustek 8200i as I feel I have yet to give Vuescan and Canoscan 8800F a chance to proof itself (because I am new in scanning). And I have been exploring Vuescan, particularly the available options in the Colour tab. I see improvements in my scan. Afterwhich, I did further editing in Lightroom if required. I believe you can sharpen the pic  in the filter tab. I abandoned the Canon proprietary software that came with Canoscan 8880F.

Thank Edwin

[Edwin Ho]

I am having a blast learning the intricacies of Vuescan and I am getting better results from my scans.