From: PhotoGecko Austin (gecko@photogecko.com)
Date: 10/01/03-01:12:03 AM Z
Catherine,
I have the very same model, the Flextight Photo, and have experienced
many of the same problems, including tabby hair (Go to
Preferences/Imacon/Peculiarities/Dermatological/Hair, and make sure
that Tabby is NOT checked to fix this one).
I had no idea that the grey lines of garbage were caused by static
electricity--thank you for that explanation.
I have found (on a Windows device, mind you--I've never even hooked it
up to any of our Macs) that a re-install of the software has favorable
results on getting it to even turn on and be recognized by the computer
(which is, as I understand it, important to scanning). Every time I
want to start it up, I re-install the software.
I have also found that reading the 25th Anniversary Edition of Zen and
the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Persig (sp?) helped me
stare at the menu choices until I could grok the settings for each
individual scan while attempting to square and load the negatives into
the magnetic carrier with no help at all from the built in light table
(which is never quite convenient while loading negatives in to the
aforementioned magnetic carrier. . . right?).
I then close out all other programs (this being, as I mentioned, a
Windows device) and scan at the highest resolution gleaned from the
groking mentioned in the previous paragraph. Then I turn out all the
lights, fire up some incense, and fall onto my prayer blanket chanting
" Imacon, Imacon, Imacon. . . " (just that way, including the italics).
Several hours later I have occasionally managed to get a full set of
decent medium format scans. In the meantime I have usually
batch-scanned several dozen rolls of 120 film at higher resolutions
through my MicroTek 9800XL, and have edited those babies out for
printing.
Mostly what I like about the Imacon is the way it sits on the counter
in our production space, not plugged in or hooked up to a computer at
all--the way it just sits there looking important in its Imacon-ness!
God, that's beautiful.
If it were more than two of us, I would suggest a class action.
I hope this helps, but I know better
--John
__________________________
John Campbell
PhotoGecko Studios & Gallery
1413 South First Street
Austin, Tx 78704
(512) 797-9375
www.photogecko.com
On Tuesday, September 30, 2003, at 05:51 PM, Catherine Rogers wrote:
> Dear List,
>
> I am struggling with what appears to me to be a very temperamental
> piece of
> machinery - an Imacon Flextight Photo film scanner. It's looking like
> a
> very foolish outlay at present as I have not been able to make it work
> consistently or even well after many months of trying. The dealers
> insist it
> works OK so now I feel really foolish.
>
> I don't like to admit defeat but I might have to. Yesterday, for
> example it
> built up so much static electricity (yes it was a windy, dry day) that
> eventually all I got was lines of grey garbage on screen. It wouldn't
> even
> turn off. Usually, however, if I manage to get a preview scan, it is
> potluck
> ( :-) no pot involved really) if I get it to make a full scan. And
> that is
> not sharp. The 2 accompanying instruction books can't decide which way
> up
> the emulsion should be either.
>
> All my plans for what I was going to do with this thing - i.e. scan my
> own
> negs to make quality digital prints, and make my own enlarged negs for
> gum
> etc, have been on hold for nearly a year now. And my hair is going
> tabby due
> to this frustrating machine.
>
> I would really appreciate some advice, even words of encouragement -
> offlist
> is fine. I am sure there is some good soul on this list who has one of
> these
> terrible things who has got its measure.
>
> TIA
> Catherine
>
>
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