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Modified Backend for Nikon Coolscan scanners

This software is a modified version Didier Carliers original coolscan backend. It implements a SANE backend that provides access to the following scanners (not all features are supported yet - see below):

Name other Name dpi Color modes remarks

Nikon LS-20 Coolscan II 2700 24-Bit RGB has been replaced by the LS-30 Nikon

Nikon LS-1000 - 2700 30-Bit RGB? has been replaced by the LS-2000 Nikon

Nikon LS-30 Coolscan III 2700 24/30-Bit RGB / 32/40-Bit RGBI dust-removal by infrared Nikon LS-30

Nikon LS-2000 Super Coolscan 2000 2700 24/36-Bit RGB / 32/40-Bit RGBI dust-removal by infrared / multiscan Nikon LS-2000

Consider this driver to be ALPHA. Nevertheless the following features are already implemented and have worked for me (and others) at least partially:

New Features of version 0.4.3:

A "Prescan Now" button
Changing of exposure values for LS-30 and LS-2000 as percent of the values determined by the prescan
Correction of byte order in the LUTs

New Features of version 0.4.2:

Scanning positive (Dia) and negative at 10 bit per color with LS-30 and 12-bit per color for LS-2000
Scanning of greyscale images
Correction of Infrared Channel from red channel to reduce cross-talk and allow for dust removal
Better implementation of user-lookup table (Gamma)

Implemented Features:

Scanning positive (Dia) and negative at 24 Bit RGB in any resolution up to 2700
Scanning with Infrared Channel (32 RGBI) using xscanimage (see Dust Removal)
Changing user-lookup table (Gamma)
Use Autofocus (it is an advanced option - see Autofocus)

Autofocus

The moment when to do the autofocus is an advanced option. Use (Preferences->Show advanced options in xscanimage/xsane) to make them show. For now the default is "never" as the autofocus command causes system crashes on some systems with some SCSI-cards and drivers. See Autofocus Problem.

never	don't do any autofocussing	all images are unsharp/scan time is quick
before preview	do autofocus before preview	need to do preview pefore every slide to get it sharp
before scan	do autofocus before scan	can do many scans without preview, but preview is unsharp
before preview and scan	do autofocus both before preview and before scan	you are waiting a long time on the autofocus

Current limitations (see also Future plans)

The autofocus is always done at the center of the slide while it should be done at the center of the scan area.
The LS-1000 is only partially supported: one important omission is the gamma correction.

Future plans (in this order)

Improve code for dust removal using the infrared channel. (automatic calibration of correction values)
Figure out how to treat negatives intelligently (it works now but you need to manually adjust the lower limit of the gamma curve to about 100)
Debug the SCSI-autofocus problem
Support the film strip feeder
Do non-regression tests for the older models (I need help on that one)
Promote the inclusion of the infrared channel code into the mainstream SANE distribution

Downloading

The latest snapshot of the backend (version 0.4.3) is available here (shift-click): sanepatch_coolscan043 (77kB)
If you prefer sane-1.0.2 with the patch applied look here: sane-1.0.2_coolscan043.tgz (1MB)
For historic interest, here is a link to the previous version: coolscan042.tgz coolscan041.tgz

Installation

The installation has changed. It is now a standard patch to sane version 1.0.2 (also works with v 1.0.1) To use it untar the sane distribution sane-1.0.2.tar.gz, change to that directory and apply the patch:

patch -Np1 < sanepatch_coolscan043

Configure, make and install sane as usual.

Drop me a line to tell me how it went!

Reporting problems / success

Either drop me a mail (andreas.rick@free.fr), or subscribe to the SANE mailing list (sane-devel@mostang.com) and post a description of your problem there.

Thanks to

Didier Carlier - For writing the original Coolscan backend (without it I would not have started this)

Oliver.Rauch - For adapting xsane so quickly to the infrared stuff

Hamrick Software for writing vuescan

David Fox for the Log files for the LS-2000

All the people that send me feed-back

All the people the have made SANE a reality

This page was last updated: April 2 2000

Access to this page since 8/1999

Name	other Name	dpi	Color modes	remarks
Nikon LS-20	Coolscan II	2700	24-Bit RGB	has been replaced by the LS-30	Nikon
Nikon LS-1000	-	2700	30-Bit RGB?	has been replaced by the LS-2000	Nikon
Nikon LS-30	Coolscan III	2700	24/30-Bit RGB / 32/40-Bit RGBI	dust-removal by infrared	Nikon LS-30
Nikon LS-2000	Super Coolscan 2000	2700	24/36-Bit RGB / 32/40-Bit RGBI	dust-removal by infrared / multiscan	Nikon LS-2000