Minolta or Nikon scanner

[MP Guy]

Looks like I am back into the film arena, After selling most everything I had, now I need a good scanner. The nikon coolscan or minolta ? They both cost about the saame. Nikon is 4000dpi vs Minolta 5400dpi.

[peter_n]

I have read that the Nikon is better with color and the Minolta with B&W. What kind of film do you plan on using?

[MP Guy]

both types. You just never know.

[peter_n]

A tough question to answer. Here are a couple threads from photo.net as food for thought:

Minolta 5400 vs. Everything else (http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00AWSv)

First scanner purchase Coolscan 4000 V or Minolta 5400? (http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00AWQH)

Scanning colour negatives on Minolta 5400 (http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00AJJ7)

Nikon 5000 ED vs Minolta 5400 (http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00AEdd)

Nikon LS 5000ED vs Minolta 5400 (http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=009uE6)

Nikon/Minolta 5400 redux: workflow question? (http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=009h1J)

[RObert Budding]

There are rumors that a 5400 replacement may be launched soon. You might want to wait a month or two and see. Then again, the only area that seems to need improvement is scan time.

Robert

[Tim]

Who knows??? because, who _really_ has practical experience with both?

All I can say is that the Nikons seem to be great.... (I have a Coolscan IV)....when I had to make the decision I looked everywhere for a comparison; it didn't exist. So I made the decision based on individual reviews. Maybe the Minolta's are better, I wouldn't know. The Nikon is very good tho....

tim

[Nikon Bob]

Made my choice last year in favour of the Minolta 5400 based on reviews at that time and cost. I am happy with it but then again have no experience with the Nikons.

Bob

[Pherdinand]

Hmmm...Jorge, didn't you have a Minolta Multi Pro that you've put up for sale at half price awhile ago?

Just curious...

[djon]

I've had a longish exchange with Erik, the "Scanhancer" guy in the Netherlands....

http://www.scanhancer.com/

I asked him his opinion of 5400 Vs IV Vs Nikon 5000 and V... his view (I'm not his spokesman but this is my best effort) is that the Minolta's extra 1400ppi is significant, giving it the advantage on that basis alone, though he also likes the "grain dissolver" (whatever that is).

MY big question remains: Since I've proven to myself that a mere 3200ppi (perhaps the real resolution of my Epson flatbed) is ALMOST good enough (certainly * great * for 9" prints), wouldn't 4000 real ppi (maybe true of Nikon and a detuned Minolta 5400 or the Epson 4990) be plenty ? And don't the interpolation thangs ( Lanczos and Vector and Genuine Fractals) go the rest of the way with really big prints? I don't need to see true grain, though I love it.

[peter_n]

I think the Minolta Grain Dissolver removes the digital effect of grain in the film, which is noise that shows up in smooth uniform areas of the scan. I'm new to scanning and I haven't yet used the Grain Dissolver but I have had comments about the noise level in my scans (too high).

[GeneW]

I think the Minolta Grain Dissolver removes the digital effect of grain in the film, which is noise that shows up in smooth uniform areas of the scan. I'm new to scanning and I haven't yet used the Grain Dissolver but I have had comments about the noise level in my scans (too high).
The Minolta grain dissolver (on the 5400) is a diffusion plate that moves into place between the light source and the film during scanning. When you use the Minolta software, it only slides into place if you use ICE. If you use VueScan, you can control the grain dissolver mechanism separately and so can use it for B&W scanning of silver halide films.

Gene

[felipe]

slightly OT: Minolta just announced a new version of the 5400, seems the only improvements would be the color correction and faster scanning..if they price it competitively to the original 5400 it may be a tough choice..
link:
http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/news/articles/story_2547.html

cheers,
phil

[Nikon Bob]

It looks like it also adds ROC/GEM/SHO to the mix.

Bob

[rover]

I wonder what the close out price of the 5400 will be?

[peter_n]

New Minolta also announced at PMA in Orlando:

http://www.pma-show.com/konica_minolta/002_dimage_scan_elite_5400.html

[bigdog]

In addition, the new Minolta has an LED light source rather then flourescent light source. The flourecent light source is supposed to be superior for scanning black and white.

Look at these threads for info regarding light source affecting b & w scanning

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00AKZC

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00BIiO