Photo scanning problem
Thread Starter


Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 1,993
Likes: 512
From: UK
Photo scanning problem
In the process of scanning a large batch of colour and B&W slides. The scanner is a Minolta Dimage Scan Dual IV and the TWAIN provider is Adobe Phoroshop Elements. The first 20 or so were fine, but, for no apparent reason subsequent scans have generated the white line as seen in the pic below. I have tried gentle air cleaning but no improvement. Any helpful tips. please ?
TIA

The pic is Kanchanaburi WGC memorial (Kwai river bridge)
TIA

The pic is Kanchanaburi WGC memorial (Kwai river bridge)



Joined: Mar 2002
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 3,392
Likes: 325
From: near an aeroplane
It's a small rainbow of colours, almost as if something is refracting the light from the scanner at that point. I don't really have a clue but it could point to something that is on the scanning element itself or on the light source. As such, the scanner is not really usable, so perhaps a bit less gentle cleaning? Can't think of many other solutions. Is it always at the same location?

Joined: Oct 2019
Aviation Qualifications: Non-Aircrew
Posts: 1,701
Likes: 1,084
From: USA
Looks like contamination or (oh no!) a scratch. If it lost a channel it would be a single color, such as cyan or yellow or magenta. If it lost all channels it would be black. An adaptation is to turn the slide 180 and scan it a second time and then use the second to correct the first - which is a lot of pain, but is doable.


Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 315
Likes: 57
From: LONDON
Looks like contamination or (oh no!) a scratch. If it lost a channel it would be a single color, such as cyan or yellow or magenta. If it lost all channels it would be black. An adaptation is to turn the slide 180 and scan it a second time and then use the second to correct the first - which is a lot of pain, but is doable.



Joined: Feb 2006
Aviation Qualifications: LAME
Posts: 36,138
Likes: 5,738
From: Falling off the end of the thread
On my one at work, (different model) we need to clean the glass over the scanner head every now and then with isopropyl alcohol as that’s a classic symptom of what happens.
Thread Starter


Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 1,993
Likes: 512
From: UK
Thank you for that - the problem was (expensively) solved by buying the Vuescan Professional package. If I was a conspiracy theorist, I could easily be persuaded of 'possible interference', since the problems started when I downloaded their free (watermaked) version, while still using the PS Elements, Vuescan works very well and at £100 a licence, so it should !
I might have to do a little experimental loading on another machine, to see if the problem replicates
I might have to do a little experimental loading on another machine, to see if the problem replicates
Joined: Jan 2008
Aviation Qualifications: SLF
Posts: 1,025
Likes: 1,070
From: Australia
Thank you for that - the problem was (expensively) solved by buying the Vuescan Professional package. If I was a conspiracy theorist, I could easily be persuaded of 'possible interference', since the problems started when I downloaded their free (watermaked) version, while still using the PS Elements, Vuescan works very well and at £100 a licence, so it should !
I might have to do a little experimental loading on another machine, to see if the problem replicates
I might have to do a little experimental loading on another machine, to see if the problem replicates





