Silverfast question

[Ken Sky]

Is it worth the cost to upgrade from SE to Ai6 for someone who scans once a month? I am planning on batch scanning my slide collection as well as 30 plus years of negs. The only time I will print out these files is when someone requests a copy.

[lnbolch]

Why not wait to scan until someone requests a copy? Film, if well organized and preserved, is an excellent storage medium. When you do get a request, you can scan to the exact size and resolution needed and make best use the scanning and image processing skill you have acquired then. The more you study and practice the better the scans will be. Concentrate on skills before filling your drive with beginner-level scans.

Scanning on the speculation that someday someone may want an image, is only valid if you really have no life and your time has no value, and you have a huge hard-drive that you feel an obsession for filling.

Spend time organizing your negs and slides for easy access. Do triage and scan only your very top favorites - that is the way to build skill and renew your acquaintance with old friends. If you have minimal scanning skills, that is a delightful way to hone them. You can always rescan later when your skills improve.

Second, if any of the film is fading, make it a priority for the moment when you are capable of doing restoration. This is part of the triage.

If you try to scan everything, you will die a terminally bored person, or give up. Once fading images are rescued and old favorites revisited, scan as the interest moves you. With the film organized, you can quickly find whatever images you want quickly and then scan to the highest quality for the specific goal of the image.

[Ken Sky]

Good advice. I'd rather spend my time taking photos & printing. The old stuff (prints & slides)are well cataloged as are the negs. In a way that answers the first question - forget about the Silverfast upgrade.

[gcrogers]

That really is great advice, Larry.

I've been procrastinating a scanner due to the task as you described. Never stopped to think just to browse the slides and scan the ones that mean something to me. (as you so aptly put it, while I'm still alive)

Score another 'duh' for me.

[Doug Fisher]

Going back to the orginal question, there is a chart on the Silverfast site that compares the features of the different versions. You just have to decide if those features are worth the extra expense to you. The ability to set up batch scans and scan in 48 bit in more modes than just HDR mode MAY be worth the expense. It will vary by each person's needs/desires.

Doug

[Kevgermany]

There's little benefit in using Ai over Epson scan. It already does the batch scans and 48bit output. If you are going to spend some money, take a lok at Vuescan as well. However, like Silverfast, it's not right for everyone.

[Ken Sky]

Kev:
What I'm hoping Vincent will eventually do with his scanning tutorials is run a side by side comparison of VueScan, Silverfast and the proprietary drivers and clearly point out the pros and cons for duffers such as me.
Ken