Konika Minolta Elite 5400

  • Thread starter Thread starter Polar Light
  • Start date Start date
P

Polar Light

This scanner appears to be very good with a very high resolution, has
anybody had any experience with it?

Is there a difference between the Elite 5400 & the (newer?) Elite II 5400?

Thanks
 
Polar Light said:
This scanner appears to be very good with a very high resolution, has
anybody had any experience with it?

Is there a difference between the Elite 5400 & the (newer?) Elite II
5400?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I have been using a Scan Ellite 5400 for 6 months now, investing a lot
of time to scan nearly 80 color negative films - a total of about 1800
negatives I guess. I am very happy with the results, The Digital ICE is
performing wonders on especially the very old and scratched films -
fingerprinted heavily sometimes! Though I have Vuescan, I use the
Minolta software exclusively.
I used to have the Scan Dual IV also, but I sold this scanner when I
found myself hours on end to try and clean the scans in Photoshop. It
was good though for very clean films.

I don't know about the model Elite II, so I can't make a comparison.

Greetings, Alex
 
This scanner appears to be very good with a very high resolution, has
anybody had any experience with it?

Is there a difference between the Elite 5400 & the (newer?) Elite II 5400?

Thanks
Click to expand...
Had it for over a year with excellent results. Both Digital ICE and
the grain dissolver are extremely useful and the maximum resolution
will, in fact, resolve the grain on some films (that's why the grain
dissolver is so useful).

I don't know whether the v.II is any better/worse but I would suggest
that a reduced price v.I either new or used would be an excellent
choice (and cheaper) than the vII.

--

Hecate - The Real One
(e-mail address removed)
Fashion: Buying things you don't need, with money
you don't have, to impress people you don't like...
 
Is there a difference between the Elite 5400 & the (newer?) Elite II 5400?
Click to expand...

Basically the light source is different, the case has been redesigned
in plastics and the film/frame holders now have blunt endings instead
of pointed arrow-ones. It follows that the firmware must be vastly
different.

From what I've glimpsed the software was changed, too.

Read about it here: www.photo-i.co.uk (scroll down a bit). Vincent
does compare both scanners, not in a rigorous comparison test but
passim. A full review of the older model can be found under
Reviews->Scanners. Both provide pictures.
 
(e-mail address removed) (Polar Light) wrote in
This scanner appears to be very good with a very high resolution, has
anybody had any experience with it?

Is there a difference between the Elite 5400 & the (newer?) Elite II 5400?
Click to expand...

The differences are, the lightsource of the Elite II is now LED instead of
the cold-cathode fluorescent lamp. And the Elite II doesn't has anymore the
Grain Dissolver, and is lacking firewire, but it scans faster.

You could have found that information at
http://konicaminolta.com/products/consumer/digital_camera/dimage/index.html
and it was discussed here in this usegroup.

If there is a quality difference, and how it handles various films, I don't
know, since I'm owning only the 5400.

-Leonhard
 
LED arrays are typically the inexpensive solution to CCD technology.
For optimum quality imaging ( color, pantones , desktop publishing
scanning) I'd have to say that the images from CCD's using white lamps
look much better. LED array technology (RGB) still doesn't replace the
quality of imaging from a CCD using white lamps when capturing
high-resolution color or greyscale images.
 
(e-mail address removed) (Danny) wrote in <1120634769.901566.272450
@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>:
LED arrays are typically the inexpensive solution to CCD technology.
For optimum quality imaging ( color, pantones , desktop publishing
scanning) I'd have to say that the images from CCD's using white lamps
look much better. LED array technology (RGB) still doesn't replace the
quality of imaging from a CCD using white lamps when capturing
high-resolution color or greyscale images.
Click to expand...

In the specifications Minolta is talking about white LED. It would be
interesting what light spectrum those white LED covers.

And I'm wondering how the LED is affecting the grain and the focus.
AFAIK Nikon uses also LED for their scanner and their in-focus range is
narrower then the one with cold cathode. At least, that was the conclusion
of the testers at c't.

-Leonhard
 
Danny said:
LED arrays are typically the inexpensive solution to CCD technology.
For optimum quality imaging ( color, pantones , desktop publishing
scanning) I'd have to say that the images from CCD's using white lamps
look much better. LED array technology (RGB) still doesn't replace the
quality of imaging from a CCD using white lamps when capturing
high-resolution color or greyscale images.
Click to expand...

Don will disagree.
 
I've had my 5400 (original version) for several months and have been
scanning slides from various trips. Results are stunning...virtually
indistinguishable from the original slide. I do use Silverfast scanning
software instead of Minolta's, but I think the added cost is well worth it.
Don't know about version II which, predictably, was introduced about 3
months after I bought mine.
 
Len Schweitzer said:
I've had my 5400 (original version) for several months and have been
scanning slides from various trips. Results are stunning...virtually
indistinguishable from the original slide. I do use Silverfast scanning
software instead of Minolta's, but I think the added cost is well worth
it. Don't know about version II which, predictably, was introduced about 3
months after I bought mine.
Click to expand...

I've bitten the bullet and ordered a 5400 II. I have a version of Silverfast
that came with another scanner, don't know whether it'll recognize the 5400
II till it arrives, is Silverfast far superior to Minolta's own soft?
 
Don will disagree.
Click to expand...

;o) Yes, indeed!

I was going to comment yesterday, but there are so many things wrong
with the above statement it seemed, kind of, futile.

For starters, confusing the light source (LED) with the sensor (CCD)!?

Suffice to say, anyone reading along should completely disregard the
original message because it makes absolutely no sense.

Don.
 
I've bitten the bullet and ordered a 5400 II. I have a version of Silverfast
that came with another scanner, don't know whether it'll recognize the 5400
II till it arrives, is Silverfast far superior to Minolta's own soft?
Click to expand...
You need a separate version of Silverfast for each model of scanner.
Look at my discussion of scanning software optimization in the tips
section of my web site.
You an also try Vuescan, one copy works with all your scanners. It's
shareware so you can evaluate for free.
 
LED arrays are typically the inexpensive solution to CCD technology.
Rubbish.

For optimum quality imaging ( color, pantones , desktop publishing
scanning) I'd have to say that the images from CCD's using white lamps
look much better.
Click to expand...

More rubbish.
LED array technology (RGB) still doesn't replace the
quality of imaging from a CCD using white lamps when capturing
high-resolution color or greyscale images.
Click to expand...
And even more rubbish.

Care to post some evidence to back your claims of inferiority?
 
Leonhard Pang said:
And I'm wondering how the LED is affecting the grain and the focus.
AFAIK Nikon uses also LED for their scanner and their in-focus range is
narrower then the one with cold cathode. At least, that was the conclusion
of the testers at c't.
Click to expand...
The depth of focus is a consequence of the speed of the lens used in the
scanner *NOT* the illumination source! Nikon has, for some time, led in
the scan speed stakes. They could have provided a larger DoF by using a
lens with a higher f/#, but that would have slowed the scan speed,
making the product less desirable to a significant portion of its
intended market - professionals.
 
Interesting. Would it be possible to make a scanner with more than one
f stop where you could have the normal speedy mode and a special slower
mode to help with curved film or to maximize image quality?
 
You an also try Vuescan, one copy works with all your scanners.
Click to expand...

Unless they are made by Minolta (or it's the wrong time of day, or
there's an r in the month).

--

Hecate - The Real One
(e-mail address removed)
Fashion: Buying things you don't need, with money
you don't have, to impress people you don't like...
 
For the record the latest version of Vuescan (July 1, 2005) seems to be
completely functional. Even the IR cleaning works reasonably well with
the Canoscan FS4000US and the various preview, rotate bugs seem gone.
The cropping is still hit or miss but this version really seems like a
release candidate. How long have I been waiting for this?
 
Roger said:
Interesting. Would it be possible to make a scanner with more than one
f stop where you could have the normal speedy mode and a special slower
mode to help with curved film or to maximize image quality?
Click to expand...

On a slightly different technology level, drum scanners have an adjustable
aperture. Of course, PMTs work very different than CCDs, though the
adjustable aperture might be something that could help. Unfortunately, I
think it would add greatly to the cost. Adjusting the aperture setting of
a drum scanner does affect the resolution, regardless of the file size
dimensions.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
A G Studio
<http://www.allgstudio.com>
 
Gordon Moat said:
On a slightly different technology level, drum scanners have an adjustable
aperture. Of course, PMTs work very different than CCDs, though the
adjustable aperture might be something that could help. Unfortunately, I
think it would add greatly to the cost. Adjusting the aperture setting of
a drum scanner does affect the resolution, regardless of the file size
dimensions.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
A G Studio
<http://www.allgstudio.com>
Click to expand...

That's true, and the adjustable aperture is one of several reasons why drum
scanners *can* provide superior results, especially when they are used by a
very experienced operator.
 
Back
Top