Nikon SCAN 3 REFERENCE MANUAL

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Nikon Scan 3 Reference Manual

Overview (pp. 1–3)

Getting Started (pp. 4–17)

Tutorial (pp. 18–35)

Reference (pp. 36–137)

Appendices (pp. 138–152)

Overview

About This Manual

Welcome to Nikon Scan 3! At its most basic, Nikon Scan is a driver that acts as an interface between your scanner and your computer, making it possible to preview the image to be scanned, adjust scanner settings, and scan the image into another application. It also allows you to take advantage of the advanced features of your Nikon film scanner, such as multi-sample scanning and Digital ICE3 photo retouch options. Nikon Scan is more than just a scanner driver, however. Using its sophisticated color enhancement and sharpening tools, you can edit images before or after scanning.

Nikon Scan functions in two roles, first as TWAIN source (Windows) or acquire plug-in (Macintosh) that can be used to scan images directly into any application that supports the TWAIN standard (Windows) or Adobe Photoshop 5.0 acquire plug-ins (Macintosh). It also functions as an independent, or “stand-alone,” application that, in addition to supporting the scanning and editing functions included in the TWAIN source or acquire plug-in, allows you to open saved images, edit them, and save them to disk.

Supported scanners

Overview

Nikon Scan 3 can be used with the following scanners:

• 4000 ED (SUPER COOLSCAN 4000 ED)

• COOLSCAN IV ED

• SUPER COOLSCAN 2000 (LS-2000), firmware version 1.3 or later (see 57)

• COOLSCAN III, firmware version 1.3 or later (see 57)

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57 Firmware

This reference manual has been written to guide you through the process of using Nikon Scan to scan and edit images. The next chapter, “Getting Started,” describes the type of system required to run Nikon Scan and takes you step-by-step through the installation process. The “Tutorial” section provides enough information to enable you to scan images and open them in another application or save them to disk.

More information on scanning and image editing options is provided in the “Reference” section, which also describes how to use Nikon Scan as a stand-alone application and includes a detailed description of the Nikon Color Management System (CMS) and other scan preferences. The manual ends with a series of appendices, including a visual index to the program’s windows, menus, and dialogs, and instructions for reinstalling Nikon Scan.

To make it easier to find the information you need, the following symbols and conventions are used:

This icon marks cautions, information that you should read before use to prevent damage to your Nikon scanner.

This icon marks notes, information that you should read before using Nikon Scan.

This icon marks tips, additional information you may find helpful when using Nikon Scan.

This icon indicates that more information is available elsewhere in this manual or in other documentation.

This symbol indicates that the cross-reference marked with the icon is to the Nikon Scan 3 Reference Manual (this manual).

This symbol indicates that the cross-reference marked with the icon is to the hardware documentation provided with your scanner.

Blue text indicates a link to another part of this manual or to the World-Wide Web. Click the text to follow the link.

Printing This Manual

If desired, portions of this manual can be printed for ease of reference using the Print… command in the Adobe Acrobat Reader File menu.

Overview

Terminology

Background Knowledge

Throughout this manual, “4000 ED” is used in reference to SUPER COOLSCAN 4000 ED film scanners and “LS-2000” in reference to SUPER COOLSCAN 2000 film scanners. “MA-20 (S)” is used in reference to both MA-20 and MA-20 (S) slide mount adapters, “IA-20 (S)” in reference to both IA-20 and IA-20 (S) adapters for APS (IX240) film (available separately), and “SF-200 (S)” in reference to both SF-200 and SF-200 (S) slide feeder adapters (available separately for 4000 ED and LS-2000 film scanners).

Illustrations

This manual is for use with both the Windows and Macintosh versions of Nikon Scan. While the majority of the illustrations are taken from the Windows version of the product, save where otherwise noted the operations described apply to both the Macintosh and Windows versions.

This manual assumes familiarity with operations common to the Macintosh and Windows operating systems. If you are in doubt about the meaning of any of the terms used here, refer to the documentation provided with your operating system.

Life-Long Learning

As part of Nikon’s “Life-Long Learning” commitment to ongoing product support and education, continually-updated information is available on-line at www.nikon-euro.com. Visit this site to keep up-to-date with the latest product information, tips, answers to frequently-asked questions (FAQs), and general advice on digital imaging and photography.

Overview

Getting Started

About This Chapter

Installing Nikon Scan

Before You Begin (pp. 5–6)

Installation (pp. 7–17)

This chapter takes you step-by-step through the process of installing Nikon Scan. Users who have already completed installation can proceed directly to the next chapter for a tutorial covering basic scan operations.

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152 Custom install 148 Uninstall

Before You Begin

Before installing Nikon Scan, make sure that your computer system satisfies the following requirements:

System Requirements

Windows

CPU

RAM

Hard-Disk Space

MMX Pentium 166 MHz or better (Pentium II or better recommended) Windows 98 Second Edition (SE)*, Windows Me, Windows 2000 or later 32 MB (64 MB or more recommended)

†

20 MB free for installation with additional 20 MB available while Nikon Scan is running (200 MB or more recommended, or 400 MB or more when using Digital ROC or Digital GEM)

Video Resolution 640 × 480 pixels or greater with 16-bit RGB color (high color) or more

IEEE 1394/Firewire

(4000 ED)

USB

(COOLSCAN IV ED)

SCSI (LS-2000,

COOLSCAN III)

Only boards compliant with Open Host-Controller Interface (OHCI) are supported**. If your computer has an empty PCI slot and is not equipped with a suitable board, you can install the board provided with the 4000 ED.

Only built-in USB ports are supported

Only boards compliant with the ASPI interface standard are supported

Miscellaneous CD-ROM drive required for installation

* The IEEE 1394 driver update provided with Nikon Scan is required when using the 4000 ED with Windows 98 SE. † A minimum of 128 MB is recommended when using Digital GEM, Digital ROC, the optional IA-20 (S) APS (IX240) film adapter, or the optional

SA-30 roll-film adapter for the 4000 ED. Additional memory is required to run the host application when Nikon Scan functions as a TWAIN source.

**The scanner may not function as expected when connected to an IEEE 1394/Firewire or USB hub.

Getting Started: Before You Begin

Macintosh

CPU

RAM

Hard-Disk Space

Power PC G3 or later (Power PC G4 or later recommended) Mac OS 8.6 or later 24 MB (64 MB or more recommended)

20 MB free for installation with additional 20 MB available while Nikon Scan is running (200 MB or more recommended, or 400 MB or more when using Digital ROC or Digital GEM)

Video Resolution 640 × 480 pixels or greater with 16-bit RGB color (thousands of colors) or more

†

IEEE 1394/Firewire

(4000 ED)

Firewire Support 2.3.3 or later recommended Built-in ports supported from Firewire Support 2.0. If you are using an old-model (beige) G3 desktop computer not equipped with a Firewire board, you can install the board provided with the 4000 ED.

USB

(COOLSCAN IV ED)

SCSI (LS-2000,

COOLSCAN III)

Only built-in USB ports are supported

Only boards compliant with Macintosh SCSI Driver 4.3 are supported

†

Miscellaneous CD-ROM drive required for installation

* A minimum memory allocation of 128 MB is recommended when using Digital GEM, Digital ROC, the optional IA-20 (S) APS (IX240) film adapter,

or the optional SA-30 roll-film adapter for the 4000 ED. Additional memory is required to run the host application when Nikon Scan functions as an acquire plug-in.

† The scanner may not function as expected when connected to an IEEE 1394/Firewire or USB hub.

Getting Started: Before You Begin

Installation

Installing Nikon Scan

Windows

If you are connecting your scanner for the first time, do not connect the scanner until you have completed installation of Nikon Scan. Follow the steps below to complete installation.

Step 1—Turn the computer on

Turn the computer on and wait for the operating system to start up.

Click here to proceed to the next step.

Macintosh

Step 1—Turn the computer on

Turn the computer on and wait for the operating system to start up.

Click here to proceed to the next step.

If an earlier version of Nikon Scan is already installed on your system, before upgrading to version 3 you will need to uninstall the existing version of Nikon Scan. To uninstall Nikon Scan, insert the Nikon Scan CD into the CD-ROM drive and start the installer. In the main install dialog, select Uninstall from the pop-up menu at the top left corner of the dialog, then click the Uninstall button to uninstall Nikon Scan.

Nikon Scan 3 offers full support for the scanners supported under version 2.x. Users of Nikon Scan 2 can enjoy the improved functionality of Nikon Scan 3 while continuing to use their existing scanners.

Getting Started: Installation

Step 2—Start the installer

Before starting installation of Nikon Scan, quit any other programs that may be running, including any viruschecking software. Insert the Nikon Scan 3 CD into the CD-ROM drive. After a pause, the Welcome dialog shown at right will open automatically.

Click here to proceed to the next step.

Windows

Macintosh

Step 2—Start the installer

Before starting installation of Nikon Scan, quit any other programs that may be running, including any viruschecking software. Insert the Nikon Scan 3 CD into the CD-ROM drive and double-click the installer icon. The window shown at right will be displayed; click Continue….

Click here to proceed to the next step.

If the Welcome dialog does not appear when the CD-ROM is inserted in the drive:

1. Double click the My Computer icon

2. In the My Computer window, click on the CD-ROM drive icon with the right mouse button

3. Select Autorun from the menu that appears

Getting Started: Installation

Depending on where you purchased your scanner, the Nikon Scan 3 CD will contain installers for from one to four language versions of Nikon Scan: English (EN), French (FR), German (DE), and Spanish (ES). Where installers for more than one language version are available, the installers may be found in separate folders; open the folder for the language of your choice and double-click the installer icon.

Windows

Step 3—Click Nikon Scan 3 Click Nikon Scan 3 to begin installation of Nikon Scan.

Click here to proceed to the next step.

The other links in the Welcome dialog are described below.

Link Description

Depending on where you purchased your

Other

software

scanner, one or more third-party software packages may be bundled with Nikon Scan. For information concerning installation and use, see the manuals provided.

Macintosh

Step 3—Accept the license agreement

The software license agreement will be displayed. After reading the agreement, click Accept to continue with installation.

Click here to proceed to the next step.

Opens the ReadMe file, which may contain

ReadMe

information that could not be included in the manual. Read this file before using Nikon Scan.

Exit Exits the Welcome program.

Click to open your web browser to a

URL(s)

Nikon Digital Imaging web-site (your computer must be set up for an Internet connection).

Getting Started: Installation

To print the software license agreement (above) or the ReadMe file described in Step 4, click Print…. Copies of these files are stored on the Nikon Scan 3 CD in the same folder as the installer, where they can be accessed at any time.

Windows

Step 4—Choose a language for Nikon Scan

Depending on where you purchased your scanner, you may be prompted to select the language in which Nikon Scan’s menus and dialogs will be displayed. Choose a language from the list provided.

Macintosh

Step 4—Read the ReadMe file

After accepting the license agreement, take a few moments to view the ReadMe file, which may contain important information that could not be included in this manual. When you have finished, click Continue….

Step 5—Start the installation wizard

The dialog shown at right will be displayed; click Next to proceed to the next step.

Click here to proceed to the next step.

Step 5—Select the installation type

The installer dialog shown at right will be displayed. Select Easy Install from the pop-up menu at the top left corner of the dialog.

Click here to proceed to the next step.

The other options in the installer dialog are described below.

Button Description

Opens your web browser to the Nikon

Go to Nikon

Home Page

Digital Imaging web-site for your area (your Macintosh must be set up for an Internet connection).

Getting Started: Installation

Read Me… Opens the ReadMe file described in Step 4.

Quit Quits the installer.

Step 6—Accept the license agreement

The software license agreement will be displayed. After reading the agreement, click Ye s to continue with installation.

Step 7—Choose a location for Nikon Scan

The default location for Nikon Scan is shown in the Destination Folder text box in the Choose Destination Location dialog. To install Nikon Scan to a different folder, click Browse and navigate to the desired location.

After selecting a destination folder, click Next to begin installation. The dialog shown at right will be displayed while installation is in progress.

Windows

Macintosh

Step 6—Choose a location for Nikon Scan

The disk and folder to which Nikon Scan will be installed (by default, the root directory on the system disk) are shown in the Install Location panel. Choose a new disk from the Install Location pop-up menu, or choose Select Folder… to navigate to the desired location.

Step 7—Click Install

Click Install in the installer dialog to begin installation. A progress indicator will be displayed while files are copied to your hard disk.

Click here to proceed to the next step.

Getting Started: Installation

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152 Custom install 148 Uninstall

Windows/Macintosh

Step 8—Select an RGB profile

When images are scanned in RGB, Nikon Scan uses calibrated RGB profiles to ensure consistent color reproduction. As part of the installation process, you can choose which of these profiles will be used as the default for the calibrated RGB color space when you first start Nikon Scan. A new profile can be chosen at any time from the Nikon Scan Preferences dialog.

8-1 Once the Nikon Scan program

files have been installed, a dialog similar to that shown at right will be displayed.

To choose a profile from a list, click Use name list and proceed to Step 8-4. To choose a profile with the help of a Wizard, click Use Wizard and proceed to Step 8-2. If you are unsure as to what color-space profile to choose, we recommend that you select Use Wizard and choose the profile suggested for your platform. A new profile can be chosen at any time after installation in the Nikon Scan Preferences dialog.

8-2 The Color Space Wizard opens

with the dialog shown at right.

Choose Windows if the majority of the images that you scan will be edited on Windows platforms, or Macintosh if you do most of your editing on a Macintosh.

Click here to proceed to the next step.

“Profile”

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105 Preferences 115 Color-space profiles 107 Nikon Color Management System

Getting Started: Installation

To ensure accurate color reproduction, the Nikon Color Management System (Nikon CMS) must have information about the color characteristics of your scanner, monitor, and the color space used when editing or printing images. This information is contained in files called “profiles.”

8-3 Depending on your choice, you will be presented with one of the dialogs shown below.

Narrow gamut: vivid,

“saturated” colors

Wide gamut: low-

contrast, “flat” colors

Windows profiles Macintosh profiles

(gamma 2.2) (gamma 1.8)

Choose a profile from the list (sRGB is recommended for images destined for Windows computers, Apple RGB for the Macintosh). The effects of the color range and gamma value for each profile can be previewed in the image to the right of the list. If the image seems too dark or too bright, click Too dark to choose from a list of Windows profiles, or Too light to choose from a list of Macintosh profiles. Click OK to choose the selected profile as the initial RGB color space.

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72 Gamma and color range (gamut)

Getting Started: Installation

Click here to proceed to the next step.

8-4 A list of ten RGB color-space profiles will be displayed. Choose a profile for use as the initial

calibrated RGB color space. The effects of the color range and gamma setting for each profile can be seen in the image to the right of the profile list. Select a profile and click OK. If you are not sure which profile is right for you, click Back to Wizard to open the Wizard dialog shown in Step 8-3.

Click here to proceed to the next step.

Choosing the profile that is right for you

When choosing a profile for the RGB color space, you should bear two things in mind: the gamma value for your platform and the gamut (range) of colors required for the task at hand.

Gamma is a fundamental characteristic of imaging systems, used to adjust the brightness of scanned images so that they display

correctly on your monitor. The first seven profiles in the profile list have a gamma value of 2.2, which is the de facto standard for Windows. The last three have a gamma value of 1.8, the default value for the Macintosh. Select a profile appropriate to the platform on which the image is to be displayed.

The other factor to bear in mind when selecting a profile is the gamut, or range of colors you will need for the task at hand. If you are not planning to make fine adjustments to color, a profile with a narrow range of colors is suitable. Note, however, that a narrow gamut may produce colors that are too “saturated,” or vivid. If you intend to fine-tune color, contrast, and brightness using an editing tool such as the Curves palette, choose a profile that offers a wide range of colors. Without editing, however, such a profile may produce “flat,” low-contrast images.

Profiles within each of the two groupings are ordered by the size of their gamut. Those with a narrow gamut are listed at the top, those with a wide gamut at the bottom.

Getting Started: Installation

Step 9—Read the ReadMe file

When installation is complete, the dialog shown at right will be displayed. Confirm that Please ReadMe first is checked and click Finish to display the ReadMe file. Take a few moments to view this file, which may contain information that could not be included in this manual.

Step 10—Quit the installer

Closing the ReadMe file returns you to the Welcome dialog. Click Exit to return to Windows.

Click here to proceed to the next step.

Windows

Macintosh

Step 9—Select a plug-ins folder

To scan images using a third-party application, you will need to install a copy of the Nikon Scan plug-in in the application’s plug-in folder. The installer will automatically locate the plug-in folders on your computer and display them in the dialog shown at right. Select the plug-ins folders for the desired applications and click OK.

Step 10—Quit the installer

The dialog shown at right will be displayed when installation is complete. Click Restart to restart your computer.

Click here to proceed to the next step.

Getting Started: Installation

The installer saves a copy of the Nikon Scan plug-in in a plug-ins folder under the folder to which you installed Nikon Scan. To use the plug-in with another application, first make sure that the application is not running and then copy the plug-in to the application’s plug-in folder.

Windows

Step 11—Check that the Nikon Scan CD is in place

If you will be connecting your scanner for the first time, before you will be able to use the device you will need to register it with the Windows Device Manager. Before proceeding to the next step, make sure the Nikon Scan 3 CD is inserted in the CD-ROM drive, and then click here to proceed to the next step.

If you have already registered your scanner with Windows, either because you are re-installing Nikon Scan or are a user of a LS-2000 or COOLSCAN III film scanner who is upgrading to Nikon Scan 3, installation is complete. Click here to view the next chapter.

Macintosh

Step 11—Check the memory available to Nikon Scan

Locate the Nikon Scan 3.0 icon in the location you chose in Step 6. A fter clicking the icon once to select it, choose Get Info ( I) from the Finder

File menu. Select Memory from the Show pop-up menu in the information

dialog to display memory requirements as shown at right. If possible, enter a value for “Preferred size” greater than or equal to the suggested size.

Click here to proceed to the next step.

Memory requirements for the Macintosh

Getting Started: Installation

Memory requirements vary with the adapter used. The following minimum allocations are recommended:

Adapter Preferred Size

MA-20 (S) 65,536 K (64 MB)

SA-21/SA-20 65,536 K (64 MB)

IA-20 (S) 131,072 K (128 MB)

SA-30 131,072 K (128 MB)

* A minimum allocation of 128 MB is recommended when using Digital ROC

or Digital GEM.

Windows

Step 12—Connect the scanner

Connect the device as described in the hardware documentation. If you are using the LS-2000 or COOLSCAN III, be sure to turn the computer off before connecting the device. If you are using a scanner with an IEEE 1394/Firewire or USB interface, such as the 4000 ED or COOLSCAN IV ED, you can leave the computer on while connecting the scanner. Note, however, that if you are using the 4000 ED under Windows 98 Second Edition, you will need to install the IEEE 1394 driver update provided with Nikon Scan before connecting the scanner.

Step 13—Turn the scanner on

Turn the scanner on. If you are using a scanner with a SCSI interface, such as the LS-2000 or COOLSCAN III, after turning the scanner on turn on the computer and start Windows.

Step 14—Register the scanner with Windows

The registration process differs depending on the scanner and operating system used. Click here for step-by-step instructions on registering your scanner.

Macintosh

Step 12—Connect the scanner

Step 13—Turn the scanner on

Turn the scanner on. If you are using a scanner with a SCSI interface, such as the LS-2000 or COOLSCAN III, after turning the scanner on turn on the computer and start Windows.

Installation is now complete. Click here to view the next chapter.

Once you have registered your scanner, installation is complete. Click here to view the next chapter.

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A–1 IEEE 1394 driver update for Windows 98 SE

Getting Started: Installation

To check whether Mac OS recognizes the scanner, use the Apple System Profiler in the Apple menu.

Tutorial

Basic Scanning

The Scan Window (pp. 19–25)

Making a Scan (pp. 26–35)

About This Chapter

This chapter:

• Introduces you to the scan window, the scanner control center

• Takes you step-by-step through the process of making a scan

This chapter provides enough information to enable you to scan images and open them in another application or save them to disk. More information on scanning, image processing, and preferences is included in the following chapters.

The Scan Window

The Nikon Scan Plug-in or TWAIN Source

Nikon Scan consists of the following two modules:

• The Scan Window

The scan window is the interface between your scanner and the imaging application that acts as a host for Nikon Scan. It is where you adjust scanner settings and perform image enhancement before scanning the image into the host application, which can be any application that supports TWAIN (Windows) or Adobe Photoshop 5.0 plug-ins (Macintosh).

• The Nikon Scan Applet

The Nikon Scan applet, or mini-program, serves as a host for the scan window when no other compatible program is available, or when you don’t have the resources needed to run a more sophisticated imaging program. When you are using the Nikon Scan applet, Nikon Scan is said to be functioning as a “stand-alone” application.

This section describes how to access the scan window and introduces you to scan window controls.

Installing Photoshop 5.0 LE Windows: After inserting the Photoshop LE CD into the CD-ROM drive, double-click in turn

on the My Computer and CD icons, open the Photosle folder in the folder for the language of your choice, and double-click Setup.exe. The serial number can be found on the userregistration card in the CD-ROM case. Macintosh: After inserting the Photoshop LE CD into the CD-ROM drive, double-click the CD-ROM icon on the desktop, open the Photoshop 5.0 LE folder in the folder for the language of your choice, and double-click the installer icon. The serial number can be found on the user-registration card in the CD-ROM case.

Tutorial: The Scan Window

Opening the Scan Window

Before opening the scan window, make sure that your Nikon scanner is connected and powered on.

• Opening the Scan Window from a Host Application

To open the scan window from a third-party application such as Adobe Photoshop, select Nikon Scan from the host’s import or acquire menu (see the host application manual for details). If you are using a Macintosh, the Nikon Scan 3.0 plugin must first be copied to the application’s Plug-ins folder. In the Windows version of Adobe Photoshop LE, the File menu contains a sub-menu of import commands which in-cludes an option for selecting the TWAIN source; select this option and choose “Nikon Scan 3.0” from the list of sources that appears. In the Macintosh version, the scan window can be opened by choosing “Nikon Scan 3.0” from the sub-menu of import/export plug-ins under the File menu.

• Using Nikon Scan as a Stand-Alone Application

Double-click the Nikon Scan 3.0 icon in the folder to which you installed Nikon Scan. Windows users can also start Nikon Scan by clicking the Windows Start button and selecting Nikon Scan 3.0 from the Programs sub-menu.

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90 Starting the Nikon Scan applet

Getting to Know the Scan Window

Take a few moments to familiarize yourself with scan window controls.

Thumbnail drawer tab

Control area

(see 21)

Contains the most frequently used scanning and preview controls, including the film eject button and media type and color-model menus.

Information panel

(see 22)

Indicates:

• whether the image has been

flipped or rotated

• the physical dimensions and

file size of the portion of the image to be scanned

• what extra processing will be

performed when the image is scanned

• the color values for the pixel

under the cursor

Preview button

(see 23)

Click to preview the frame to be scanned. The preview shows how the image will look when it is scanned.

Click to select frames to be scanned from multi-frame film (this tab is not displayed when the MA-20 (S) or SF-200 (S) is inserted in the scanner).

Scan button

(see 23)

Click to scan the selected portion of the image into the host application.

(see 23)

Interactive help

Gives a brief tip about the control under the mouse cursor.

Preview area

The preview image is displayed here. Click the Natural tab (see 23) to see how the image looked before processing; click the Processed tab (see 23) to see how the image will look when it is scanned.

Tool chest

(see 24)

Contains tools for:

• setting the image orientation and choosing the portion of the image to be scanned

• controlling the physical dimensions and file size of the image when opened in the host application

• enhancing color, contrast, and sharpness before the image is scanned and, when Nikon Scan is used as a standalone application, after images are opened in the Nikon Scan applet

• removing the effects of scratches, dust, fading, and film grain

• controlling the exposure values for the scanning element

Scan Progress window

(see 23)

Shows what actions are being performed, and gives a log of automated tasks.

and other features particular to your scanner

Tutorial: The Scan Window

The Control Area

Eject Button

Autofocus Button Autoexposure Button Zoom Buttons

Ejects film from multi-frame adapters (this button is disabled when the MA-20 (S) slide-mount adapter is in place). Control-click (Windows) or option-click (Macintosh) to eject a slide from the optional SF-200 (S) slide feeder without feeding a new one.

Click to focus the scanner on the selected point of the image, or control-click (Windows) or option-click (Macintosh) to select a new focus point.

Before scanning, the scanner needs to gather information about the image to adjust exposure for best results. Click this button to adjust exposure.

Click the button to zoom in on the current crop, enlarging it to fill the preview area. Click the button to zoom out.

Settings Menu Media Type Menu Color Model Menu Window Buttons

Using the options in this menu, you can reset the scanner to default settings, or save scanner settings suited to particular scanning conditions and recall them as desired.

Adjusts scanner settings to match the media in the scanner. Select positive when scanning film positives (slides, reversal film, or monochrome positives), negative (color or monochrome) when scanning negatives. A separate option is available for scanning Kodachrome positives.

Select a color model according to the capacities of your image editing software and whether the image is destined for output on a commercial four-color printing press or display on a monitor.

• Prefs: click to open the prefer- ences dialog (see 105)

• Help: click to open the Nikon Scan help file

• Tools: open the Tool Chest ( 40) or Scan Progress win- dows ( 31).

Tutorial: The Scan Window

The Information Panel

Orientation

Dimensions/File Size Image Enhancement Scanner Extras

Shows the orientation of the preview image relative to the original, reflecting any flips or rotations that have been performed.

Color Values

Gives the color values for the pixel under the cursor. After processing, two values appear, one reflecting the color in the Natural tab (top row), the other the color in the Processed tab (bottom row).

Gives the height and width of the current crop in pixels, and the size of the file that will result if the crop is scanned at current output size and resolution.

Indicates whether Digital ICE3 and analog gain are in effect. Remember to use Digital ICE3 only when needed, as turning these features on can substantially increase scanning times.

Indicates the current bit depth (which determines the maximum number of colors in the image) and whether multi-sample scanning (4000 ED and LS-2000 only) is in effect.

Tutorial: The Scan Window

The Thumbnail Drawer Tab

The Natural/Processed Tabs

This tab is only displayed when a multi-frame adapter is inserted in the scanner. Clicking this tab opens the thumbnail drawer, where you can select the frame to be scanned by clicking the associated frame number. To view the frames as small previews (thumbnails), click the button. Multiple frames can be selected by clicking each frame in turn while holding down the control (Windows) or command (Macintosh) key, or by holding down the shift key while clicking two frames to select these frames and all the frames between them.

The Preview Button The Scan Button

Clicking this button displays a preview of the image to be scanned (if multiple frames are selected in the thumbnail drawer, a preview will be performed for each frame). You will need to create a new preview after changing the media type or using the zoom buttons.

Scans the image and opens it in the host application (if multiple frames are selected in the thumbnail drawer, each frame will be scanned and opened in a separate window).

These tabs allow for a quick “before-and-after” comparison showing the effects of processing. The Natural tab shows how the image looked before processing, the Processed tab how the image will look when scanned at current settings. If you are using Nikon Scan as a stand-alone application, you can switch back and forth between the tabs using the Show Natural Pane/ Show Processed Pane commands in the View menu or the Ctrl-T (Windows) or -T (Macintosh) keyboard shortcuts.

The Scan Progress Window

This window shows the progress of preview and scan operations. The current task can be cancelled by clicking the Stop button. Tasks that have yet to be performed are listed in the Queue tab and can be cancelled by selecting the task and clicking the icon. Completed tasks are listed in the Log tab.

Tutorial: The Scan Window

The Tool Chest

Layout Tools

Information

Crop

†

Curves

Use these tools to select the portion of the image to be scanned (the “crop”) and to rotate and flip the image prior to scanning. You can also select a new focus area and scroll images that have been opened in Nikon Scan after scanning.

Color Balance

Use the color balance tools to make adjustments to brightness, contrast, and color balance that affect the entire image.

Tutorial: The Scan Window

Gives height and width of the current crop and the coordinates of its top left corner. The color value display shows the color of the pixel under the cursor before and after processing.

LCH Editor

Like the Curves too, the LCH editor can be used to adjust brightness and contrast in shadows, mid-tones, and highlights. It also incorporates hue and chroma editors, which provide extremely flexible tools for adjusting color.

This is where you adjust the resolution and size of the image according to the output device (printer or monitor) on which the image will be displayed.

Unsharp Mask

Unsharp mask increases the sharpness of the image by making edges more distinct, either over the entire image or in areas where specific colors are prominent.

One of three color editing tools offered by Nikon Scan, the curves tool is useful when adjusting contrast and making changes to color balance that effect only a specific portion of the tone range (shadows, mid-tones, or highlights).

Tools marked with an asterisk (“*”) are available both in the scan window and (where Nikon Scan is used as a stand-alone application) when images are opened in the Nikon Scan applet after scanning. Those marked with a “†” are only available in the scan window.

The Tool Chest (Continued)

Digital ICE Cubed (Digital ICE3)

†

Analog Gain

†

Scanner Extras

†

Depending on your scanner, up to three image enhancement tools are available:

• Digital ICE: reduces the effects of dust and scratches

• Digital ROC: restores colors lost through fading

• Digital GEM: reduces the effect of film grain

This tool allows exposure for the colored elements in the scanner’s light source to be adjusted manually. Use when you want to change exposure from the values produced by the autoexposure operation.

These tools offer you control over features specific to your scanner.

Tools marked with a “†” are only available in the scan window.

Tutorial: The Scan Window

Making a Scan

The Basics

This section covers the basics of making a scan, from opening the scan window to scanning an image into the host application. A detailed description of Nikon Scan’s color editing and image enhancement features may be found in the following chapter.

STEP 1Open the scan window ( 27)

STEP 2Insert the medium in the scanner ( 27)

STEP 3Select the media

type ( 27)

STEP 4Select the color

model ( 28)

STEP 6Preview the frames

to be scanned ( 31)

STEP

Scan the images

( 35)

Tutorial: Making a Scan

STEP 5Select the frames to be scanned ( 29)

STEP 7Open the Layout

Tools palette ( 32)

STEP 8Adjust image orien-

tation ( 32)

STEP 9Select the area to be

scanned ( 33)

STEP

Select an output

resolution ( 34)

STEP

Adjust the output

size ( 34)

STEP

Adjust settings for

the remaining frames ( 35)

STEP

Save the scanned im-

ages ( 35)

Before making a scan, connect the scanner and turn it on as described in the scanner manual. You will also need to turn on your computer and wait for the operating system to start up.

Option When to use it

Positive

Use when scanning most makes of positive slides or reversal film.

Step 1—Open the scan window

Open the scan window as described in the previous section under “Opening the Scan Window.”

Step 2—Insert the medium in the scanner

Insert the medium to be scanned in the scanner as described in the hardware documentation.

Step 3—Select the media type

Select the media type from the popup menu in the control area. The options available depend on the selected scanner.

Neg (Color)

(4000 ED/

COOLSCAN IV ED

only)

Neg (Mono)

(4000 ED/

COOLSCAN IV ED

only)

Negative

(LS-2000/

COOLSCAN III

only)

Kodachrome

(4000 ED/

COOLSCAN IV ED

only)

Use when scanning color film negatives.

Use when scanning black-and-white negatives.

Use when scanning film negatives.

Use when scanning Kodachrome positives.

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19 Opening the scan window

Tutorial: Making a Scan

Select Positive when scanning AGFA SCALA monochrome film, or when scanning prepared microscope slides using the FH-G1 medical slide holder (available separately).

Step 4—Select the color model

Select a color model according to how you intend to use the image. The options available depend on whether the Nikon Color Management system (CMS) is on (the default setting) or off.

Option When to use it

Grayscale

Use for images that will be printed or displayed in monochrome

Nikon Color Management

The Nikon Color Management system (CMS) ensures that the colors from your scanner are reproduced accurately on different output devices such as printers and monitors. Accuracy is ensured by means of ICC profiles that provide information about the color space used for scanning and the characteristics of the video system, printer, or monitor. Profiles are available for RGB (for use when editing images or displaying them on a monitor) and CMYK (for professionals who wish to create a file ready for printing on a commercial four-color printing press).

Calibrated RGB

(CMS on)

CMYK

(CMS on)

RGB

(CMS off)

Use for images that will be edited or displayed on a computer monitor

Use for images destined for output on a four-color printer

Use to edit raw RGB data from the scanner

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107 Turning Nikon CMS on and off

Tutorial: Making a Scan

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107 Nikon Color Management

Step 5—Select the frames to be scanned

If you are using a multi-frame adapter, you can select the frames to be scanned from the thumbnail drawer. Click the thumbnail drawer tab to open the drawer as shown below.

Multi-frame adapters

A multi-frame adapter is an adapter that allows you to scan more than one frame of a film roll or strip film without having to remove the media from the adapter between scans. The following multi-frame adapters are available for the Nikon scanners supported under Nikon Scan 3:

• the SA-21 (4000 ED/COOLSCAN IV ED) and SA-20 (LS-2000/COOLSCAN III) strip-film adapters

• the IA-20 (S) adapter for APS (IX-240) film (sold separately)

• the SA-31 film-roll adapter for the 4000 ED (sold separately)

• the SF-200 (S) slide feeder for the 4000 ED and LS-2000 (sold separately; note that because the SF-200 (S) can preview only one frame at a time, the thumbnail drawer is not available when this adapter is in use)

Tutorial: Making a Scan

By default, frames are identified by number only. To view a small preview image (thumbnail) for each frame, click the button. The button icon will change to ; click the button again to return to a frame number display.

The frame to be scanned can be selected by clicking the associated frame number or thumbnail. To select multiple frames, click each frame in turn while holding down the control (Windows) or command (Macintosh) key, or hold down the shift key while clicking two images to select the images and all frames between them.

Thumbnail drawer controls

• To hide the thumbnail drawer: click the button at the

top right corner.

• To adjust the size of the thumbnail drawer: drag the

bottom right corner (the thumbnail drawer can not be made larger than the scan window).

If the thumbnails don’t fit in the frame, use the Strip Film Off- set control in the Scanner Extras palette to adjust their position.

Tutorial: Making a Scan

When film is inserted in the SA-21 strip-film adapter for 4000 ED/ COOLSCAN IV ED film scanners, six frame numbers will be displayed in the thumbnail drawer regardless of the number of frames in the film. Similarly, when film is inserted in the optional SA-30 roll-film adapter for 4000 ED film scanners, forty frame numbers will be displayed regardless of the number of frames in the film. The correct number of frames will be displayed when the button is clicked to create thumbnail previews.

Step 6—Preview the frames to be scanned

Click the Preview button. A pre- view of the image to be scanned will appear in the Natural and Processed tabs to the right of the control area.

The Scan Progress window

While scanning is in progress, the progress window will show the operation currently being performed. The current task can be cancelled by clicking the Stop button.

To view operations that have yet to be performed, first click the triangle under the progress meter, then click the Queue tab to display the Queue sheet listing unfinished tasks. Tasks can be cancelled by selecting the desired operation(s) and clicking the icon.

Completed tasks are listed in the Log sheet.

If you are using a multi-frame adapter, a preview of each of the selected frames will be created and stored in memory. You can switch between frames by opening the thumbnail drawer and clicking the frame you want to view. Note that the more previews stored, the greater the demands that will be made on your computer’s memory.

Tutorial: Making a Scan

Step 7—Open the Layout Tools palette

Before scanning the image, you may need to use the Layout Tools in the Tool Chest to correct its orientation and select the area to be scanned. Click the triangle to the right of the palette to display the Layout Tools.

Step 8—Adjust image orientation

Depending on how the medium was inserted into the scanner, you may need to use the rotate and flip buttons in the Layout Tools palette to return the image to its original orientation.

Opening the Tool Chest

To display the Tool Chest, click the Tools button in the control area and select Tool Palette 1 from the menu that appears.

Tutorial: Making a Scan

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43 Layout Tools

Step 9—Select the area to be scanned

After confirming that the crop button in the Layout Tools palette is selected, drag the mouse over the image to select the area to be scanned, also known as the “crop.”

You can change the size of the crop by dragging its borders, or move the entire crop to a new location by placing the cursor within the crop frame and dragging it to another position.

To enlarge the crop to fill the preview area, click the button. If desired, you can then select a smaller crop within the original crop and click the button again to enlarge the image still further. To zoom out to the previous view, click the button.

Changing the size of the preview area

To adjust the size of the preview area, drag its bottom right corner (note that the preview area can not be enlarged beyond the borders of the scan window).

Owing to the way in which the preview image is displayed, the area of the image that appears in the final scan may differ slightly from the selected crop. When selecting a crop, allow a sufficient margin to ensure that no important element is cropped out.

Tutorial: Making a Scan

To speed processing, Nikon Scan does not create a new preview when the image is zoomed in, but instead simply enlarges the existing preview. For an accurate assessment of the effects of processing and film grain at higher zoom ratios, click the Pre-

view button to create a new preview.

Step 10—Select an output resolution

Click the triangle next to Crop in the Tool Chest to open the Crop palette. Enter a value for Resolution that matches the effective resolution of the printer or monitor on which the image will be displayed after scanning. Resolution can also be set by selecting an output device from the output resolution popup menu.

Step 11—Adjust the output size

Before scanning, adjust the output size to determine the size of the image that will be produced, either in terms of the physical dimensions of the image when printed or displayed at the selected resolution, or in terms of the amount of space it will occupy when saved to disk. The Crop palette contains three options for determining output size: Keep this crop, Keep this output size, and Keep this file size.

Output resolution

Output resolution menu

Picking an output resolution

When scanning images for output on a household inkjet printer, keep in mind that unit “pixels per inch” (used on monitors and in image editing software) is not equivalent to the “dots per inch” used on inkjet printers. An output resolution of around 240 ppi is usually adequate for printers rated for 360, 720 or 1,440 dpi.

Computer monitors are usually considered to have resolutions of 96 ppi (Windows) or 72 ppi (Macintosh).

Tutorial: Making a Scan

Output size

File size

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46 The Crop palette

Output units menu

• Keep this crop

Choose this option when you want to select the precise area to be scanned using the mouse, then adjust the output resolution and size according to how the image will be used. Choose the units for output size from the output units menu and enter a value for either Width or Height in the output size text boxes. The other dimension will be adjusted automatically to maintain the crop selected in the preview area.

• Keep this output size

Choose this option when you want to select the general area to be scanned using the mouse, then specify the exact dimensions of the image to fit it into a pre-determined space, for example in a magazine or on a web page. Choose the units for output size from the output units menu and enter the desired Width and Height in the output size text boxes. The crop selected in the preview area will automatically be adjusted to maintain the crop at these proportions.

Step 12—Adjust settings for the remaining frames

If you selected multiple frames in the thumbnail drawer in Step 5, open the thumbnail drawer. The images selected in Step 5 will be shown with green frame numbers or a green border around the thumbnail; click the next of the images to display the associated preview. Repeat steps 8 through 11 to adjust settings for the selected image, and then display the preview for the next frame. Repeat until you have adjusted settings for all the selected frames.

Step 13—Scan the images

Click the Scan button to scan all the selected images and open them in separate windows in the host application. If Nikon Scan is being used as a stand-alone application, the images will be opened in windows within Nikon Scan.

• Keep this file size

Choose this option when you want to select the general area to be scanned using the mouse and then specify the exact file size of the final image, for example to keep file sizes to a minimum for storage or electronic transfer, or because you have been asked for a file of a certain size. Enter a value for file size in the file size text box and select the units for file size from the menu to its right.

Tutorial: Making a Scan

Step 14—Save the scanned images

After editing, save the scanned images from the host application. If you are using Nikon Scan as a stand-alone application, choose Save As… from the File menu to save the images to disk.

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90 Using Nikon Scan as a stand-alone application

Reference

Getting the Most from Nikon Scan

Adjusting Focus and Exposure (pp. 37–39)

The Tool Chest (pp. 40–87)

Reusing Settings (pp. 88–89)

The Nikon Scan Applet (pp. 90–104)

Preferences (pp. 105–137)

About This Chapter

This chapter covers scan window settings not detailed in the previous chapter, including contrast, color balance, sharpening, and Digital ICE3 controls. It also describes the options available in the settings menu and Preferences dialog, and details the options available when Nikon Scan is used as a stand-alone application.

Adjusting Focus and Exposure

Resetting Autofocus and Exposure

Under normal circumstances, the scanner will automatically adjust focus and exposure before an image is displayed in the preview area. If the film is warped or uneven, however, part of the image may not be in focus, making it necessary to select a new focus point to achieve satisfactory results. Because the autofocus operation works best on high contrast areas of the image, you may also need to select a new focus point if the default focus point at the center of the image lacks contrast. This operation can be performed using the button in the scan window control area.

By default, the scanner adjusts exposure as necessary before previews or scans. Depending on the settings selected for the autoexposure options in the Preview Settings, Single Scan, or Batch Scan tabs of the Preferences dialog, you may however need to adjust exposure before scanning or preview using the

button in the scan window control area.

Reference: Adjusting Focus and Exposure

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135 Preferences—Preview Settings 126 Preferences—Single Scan 128 Preferences—Batch Scan

Selecting a New Focus Point

Manual Focus Point Selection

By default, clicking the button focuses the scanner on a point in the center of the preview image. Two methods are available for selecting an alternate focus point:

• Use the focus tool in the Layout Tools palette

Click the focus tool ( ) in the Layout Tools palette, then click on the image in the preview area to select a new focus point (we recommend that you choose a high contrast area of the image). Your selection will be used as the focus point the next time you click the button in the scan window control area.

• Control/option click the button

To perform an autofocus operation when the new focus point is selected, hold down the Ctrl (Windows) or option (Macintosh) key while clicking the button. The cursor will take on the shape of a cross; move the cross-shaped cursor over the point in the preview image you want to use as the new focus point and click (we recommend that you choose a high contrast area of the image). An autofocus operation will be performed using the selected point as the focus point.

If Perform auto focus when focus point is moved is se- lected in the Automatic Actions tab of the Preferences dialog, an autofocus operation will be performed each time you change the focus point using the focus tool.

If Auto focus is selected in the Preview Settings tab of the Preferences dialog, an autofocus operation will be performed as necessary when the Preview button is clicked. Separate autofocus options are also available for single and batch scans.

Reference: Adjusting Focus and Exposure

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44 The focus tool 132 Preferences—Automatic Actions 135 Preferences—Preview Settings 126 Preferences—Single Scan 128 Preferences—Batch Scan

58 Manual focus adjustment

Autoexposure

Performing an Autoexposure Operation

By default, an autoexposure operation is performed as necessary when the Preview button is clicked. If Auto exposure for negative film or Auto exposure for positive film is turned off in the Preview Settings tab of the Preferences dialog, however, autoexposure must be performed manually before previewing media of the selected type. Similarly, if Auto expo- sure for negative film or Auto exposure for positive film is turned off in the Single Scan or Batch Scan tab of the Preference dialog, autoexposure must be performed manually before scanning media of the selected type.

To adjust autoexposure manually, click the button in the control area.

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135 Preferences—Preview Settings 126 Preferences—Single Scan 128 Preferences—Batch Scan

Reference: Adjusting Focus and Exposure

The Tool Chest

Setting up Scans and Enhancing Images

The Tool Chest contains the tool palettes you will use prior to scanning to select the area to be scanned, adjust the output size and resolution, and enhance images to correct common problems caused by scratches, dust, film grain, and fading. It can also be used to edit images for contrast, color balance, and sharpness, whether prior to scanning or—when using Nikon Scan as a stand-alone application—after scanning, when the image is opened in an image window within Nikon Scan.

• Opening the Tool Chest

To display the Tool Chest, click the Tools button in the scan window control area and select Tool Pal- ette 1 from the menu that appears.

• Displaying the contents of a tool palette

To display or hide the contents of a tool palette, click the triangle to the left of the palette title.

• Changing the order of palettes in the Tool Chest

To change the order of palettes in the Tool Chest, click a tool palette title bar and drag it into a new position.

Title bar

Reference: The Tool Chest

• Opening a tool palette in a separate window

Tool palettes can be opened in a separate window by clicking the palette title and dragging it outside the Tool Chest window to create a new Tool Chest window containing only the selected palette.

Tools can be added to the new Tool Chest by dragging additional palettes into the window. The new Tool Chest will be added to the tools menu in the scan window. If you close the new Tool Chest by clicking the window close box, you can open it again by selecting the desired Tool Chest from the tools menu.

Reference: The Tool Chest

• Using the Tool Chest

Between previewing an image and saving it to disk in the host application, there are four distinct stages to scanning an image, each involving separate tools:

Stage

Stage 1: Select a crop

Use the Layout Tools to correct the orientation of the preview image and select the area to be scanned. The Information palette can be used to determine the size and location of the crop.

Stage 2: Adjust resolution and size Use the tools in the Crop palette to adjust the output size and select a resolution suited to the device on which the image will be printed or displayed.

Stage 3: Digital ICE3 and scanner settings Use the tools in the Digital ICE Cubed (Digital ICE3) palette to reduce the effects of scratches, dust, film grain, and fading. Adjust scanner settings using the Scanner Extras palette.

If you are using Nikon Scan as a stand-alone application, Stage 4 can be performed in the Nikon Scan applet after the image has been saved to disk. This allows you to make multiple copies of the same image, each edited for color and sharpness in a different way and saved in a separate file. Before scanning the image, you may want to increase the scan bit depth in the Scanner Extras drawer to preserve image quality. Once the image is opened in the Nikon Scan applet, save a copy in NEF format to store any changes to the image independently of the original image data. You can then edit the image in a number of different ways, saving the results in separate files.

Stage 4: Color enhancement and sharpening Use the tools in the Curves, Color Balance, LCH Editor, and Unsharp Mask palettes to adjust tone, colors, contrast, and sharpness.

Reference: The Tool Chest

Setting up a Scan

The Layout Tools palette contains the following controls:

The Layout Tools, Information, and Crop Palettes

Layout Tools

The Layout Tools palette contains tools for use both in the scan window and in image windows opened in Nikon Scan applet when Nikon Scan is used as a stand-alone application. In the scan window, the layout tools are used to select the portion of the image to be scanned and to set the focus point for autofocus operations. In image windows, they are used to scroll the image, zoom it in and out, and select part of the image to be copied to the clipboard. The flip and rotate tools in the Layout Tools palette can be used to correct the orientation of images both in the scan window and in image windows.

Control Description

The image orientation display takes the form of a capital letter “R.” Any flips or rotations performed on the image are

Image Orientation

Hand Tool

Crop Tool

reflected in the orientation of the letter; if the letter is shown in red, the image has been flipped from its original orientation.

This tool is only available if Nikon Scan is being used as a stand-alone application and an image has been opened in the Nikon Scan applet, when it can be used to scroll images that are too big to fit in the image window. For details, see

95. When the scan window is ac-

tive, the hand tool is disabled. When the crop tool is active, a selec-

tion can be made by dragging the cursor over an image. In the scan window, this tool is used to select a portion of the image to be scanned and opened in the host application (see 33). When Nikon Scan is used as a stand-alone application and an image window is active in the Nikon Scan applet, it duplicates the function of the Selection Cursor. For details, see 96.

Reference: The Tool Chest

DescriptionControl

ABC

DescriptionControl

Zoom Tool

Focus Tool

Rotate 90°

counter-clockwise

Rotate 90°

clockwise

Flip horizontal

Flip vertical

This tool is only available if Nikon Scan is being used as a stand-alone application and an image has been opened in the Nikon Scan applet, when it duplicates the function of the Zoom Cursor. For details, see 95. When the scan window is active, the zoom tool is disabled.

When this tool is active, you can select the point that will be used for subsequent autofocus operations. For details, see

38. The focus tool is only available

when the scan window is active. Rotates the image in

the active window ninety degrees to the left.

Rotates the image in the active window ninety degrees to the right.

Flips the image in the active window horizontally.

Flips the image in the active window vertically.

ABC

When this box is checked, a layout grid is displayed superimposed over the im-

Show grid

If you are using Nikon Scan as a stand-alone application, you can select the hand, crop, zoom, and focus tools using the Hand

Cursor, Selection Cursor, Zoom Cursor, and Focus Cursor commands in the View menu.

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90 Using Nikon Scan as a stand-alone application

age in the active window. The grid spacing and color can be set in the Grid panel of the Preferences dialog (see 137).

Reference: The Tool Chest

Information

This palette provides information about the size and location of the current crop, the position of the cursor within the active image, and the color of the pixel under the cursor.

The Information palette display will be updated automatically to reflect changes to the crop in the Crop palette. All measurements are in the Information palette are in pixels.

The Information palette contains the following items:

Item Description

The vertical (Y) and horizontal (X) distance of the cursor from the top left corner of the image.

The color values for the pixel under the cursor. If the selected color model is grayscale, values for only one channel (L) will be displayed. If the selected color model is RGB, separate values will be displayed for each of the Red, Green, and Blue channels. If the selected color model is CMYK, separate values will be

L: R: C:

G: M: B: Y:

displayed for each of the Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and blacK channels. If the image has been modified, two values

will be shown for each channel: the value before the slash represents the color of the pixel before processing, the value after the slash the color after processing. The size of the area sampled to determine the color value can be changed using the Sample point size option in the Advanced Color tab of the Preferences dialog (see 135).

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46 The Crop palette

134 Preferences—Advanced Color

Reference: The Tool Chest

L: T:

The coordinates of the Top Left corner of the current crop.

The Height and Width of the current crop.

Crop

The Crop palette is where you specify the physical dimensions, or output size, of the image opened in the host application after scanning.

How you set the output size depends on how you intend to use the image.

• If the image will be printed or used in desktop publishing:

After selecting a crop, choose a resolution suited to the device on which the image will be printed or displayed. Then set the output size in inches or metric either by direct entry or using the Scale slider (if you are using the image in a desktop publishing application, you may want to choose picas or points as the output units). Where the resolution of the printing press is not known, you may be requested to produce a file of a specific size. In this case, simply select Keep this file size and enter the file size directly.

• If the image will be displayed on a monitor or web page:

After selecting a crop, set the output size in pixels using the Scale slider. Resolution in this case is not an issue. Where file sizes must be kept small to minimize transfer times, as when the image is to be sent by e-mail or used on a web page, you may want to select Keep this file size and enter the file size directly.

Reference: The Tool Chest

The Crop palette offers three methods for adjusting output size:

• Keep this crop

Choose this option when you want to select the precise area to be scanned using the mouse, then adjust the output resolution and size according to how the image will be used. When using this option, first select the area to be scanned using the mouse, then enter the desired output resolution in the Resolution text box. After choosing the units for output size from the menu to the right of the output size text boxes, you can either adjust output size using the Scale slider, or enter the output size directly in either the Width or Height text boxes (the other dimension will change automatically to maintain the same proportions as the crop selected in the preview area).

Selecting Keep this output size fixes the physical dimensions of the image when output on a printer or monitor. Consequently, when pixels is selected as the units for output size, adjusting resolution will cause the values shown in the output size text boxes to change. The physical dimensions of the image will however remain constant.

• Keep this output size

Choose this option when you want to select the general area to be scanned using the mouse, then specify the exact dimensions of the image to fit it into a pre-determined space, for example in a magazine or on a web page. When using this option, select a resolution and enter the desired output size in the Width and Height text boxes after choosing a unit other than pixels for output size. You can then select the area to be scanned using the mouse (the proportions of the crop will be adjusted to match the values entered for output size). This option is useful when the image has to print at a specified size.

• Keep this file size

Choose this option when you want to specify the exact file size of the final image, for example to keep file sizes to a minimum for storage or electronic transfer, or because you have been asked for a file of a certain size. When using this option, first enter the desired file size and then select the area to be scanned using the mouse. This option is most useful when scanning images for e-mail or the web.

Reference: The Tool Chest

The other items in the Crop palette are described below:

Input size

Output size

File size

Scale

Output

resolution

Item

Description

Output

resolution

This display shows the dimensions of the current crop. The units for input size can be

Input size

chosen from the menu to the right of the display; the units chosen are used for the rulers in the preview area.

Item Description

The output size can be entered in these text boxes. The units for output size can be chosen from the menu to the right of the display. When Keep this crop is selected, changing the height or width will result in the other

Output size

value be adjusted automatically to maintain the height-width aspect ratio at the proportions of the current crop. When Keep this file size is selected, changing one of dimension will result in the other being adjusted to maintain a constant file size, changing the proportions of the crop.

The size of the file that will be produced when the input crop is scanned at current settings, before JPEG compression (if appli-

File size

cable) and not including file headers (which typically increase file size by about 10 KB). In addition to output size and resolution, file size is determined by the scan bit depth (see

57) and the selected color model.

Reference: The Tool Chest

Item Description

Choosing a resolution

Scale (the output size relative to the size of

Scale

the original) can be set by direct entry or using the Scale slider.

Output resolution can be entered in this text box or set to match a particular output de-

Output

resolution

vice by selecting the device from the output resolution menu. The units for resolution can be chosen from the menu to the right of the text box.

Adding resolution menu options (Macintosh only)

In the Macintosh version of Nikon Scan, options can be added to the resolution menu by selecting Add Resolution… from the output resolution menu and entering a name and resolution. Options can be deleted from the output resolution menu using the Delete Resolution… option.

• Inkjet printer Most inkjet printers require three or four dots of different colors to reproduce a single pixel (simulated halftone). The target resolution for an inkjet printer (in pixels per inch, or ppi), is therefore less than the printer’s catalogue resolution (in dots per inch, or dpi). In general, resolutions of 180–240 ppi will produce acceptable results on printers with catalogue resolutions of 360, 720 or 1,440 dpi. (Note that although the terms used differ, both pixels and dots refer to the individual elements used to make up a picture—pixels in the case of monitors, dots in the case of printers.)

• Dye-sublimation printer Printers that use photographic or dye-sublimation processes reproduce each pixel with a single dot (continuous halftone). The target resolution for these devices is therefore the same as the printer resolution.

• Commercial printing Commercial printing processes typically use from 150 to 300 lines per inch (lpi). As a rule of thumb, resolution for output on a commercial printer (in ppi) should be about twice the number of lines per inch.

• Monitor Computer monitors are usually considered to have resolutions of from 72 ppi (Macintosh) to 96 ppi (Windows).

Reference: The Tool Chest

The Crop Settings Menu

Clicking the triangle at the top right of the Crop palette displays the Crop settings menu, where you can save or export crop settings and recall them as desired. The information saved includes scale, output resolution and size, and the size and location of the current crop.

The Crop settings menu contains the following options:

Item Description

Saves the current crop settings under a user-

Save Crop Settings…

specified name. These settings will be added to the end of the Crop settings menu, where they can be recalled by selecting the desired settings by name.

Item Description

Reset to

Default

Crop

Settings

Reset to

User Crop

Settings

Sets the crop to include the entire image and restores the default resolution and scale settings.

Restores the user default settings created with the Set User Settings option in the scan window settings menu (see 88).

Delete

Crop

Settings…

Import

Crop

Settings…

Export

Crop

Settings…

Reference: The Tool Chest

Displays a dialog where you can select for deletion settings saved using the Save Crop Settings… option.

Imports settings saved using the Export Crop Settings… option.

Exports the current crop settings to a separate file in the folder of your choice.

Retouching Photographs

Item Description

Digital ICE, Digital ROC, and Digital GEM (Digital ICE3)

Nikon Scan is equipped with three photo retouch tools: Digital ICE, Digital ROC, and Digital GEM. These tools can be used to help repair defects caused by faults in the original image, including dust, scratches, fading, and film grain.

Digital ICE

Digital ICE is built into 4000 ED, COOLSCAN IV ED, LS-2000, and COOLSCAN III film scanners, where it is used to remove the effects of dust and scratches from images during scanning. To use Digital ICE, check the Enable Digital ICE box and choose a mode from the menu shown below.

4000 ED/COOLSCAN IV ED

The image is processed digitally to remove

Normal

Fine

LS-2000/COOLSCAN III

Normal

Sharpen

the effects of scratches and dust. The effects are reflected in the Natural tab in the preview area.

This setting is effective in removing the effects of very thin scratches or dust that is barely visible. It may, however, result in reduced sharpness. The effects are reflected in the Natural tab in the preview area.

The image is processed digitally to remove the effects of scratches and dust. The effects are reflected in the Natural tab in the preview area.

The image is processed digitally to remove the effects of scratches and dust. Edges are sharpened while defects are corrected. The effects are reflected in the Natural tab in the preview area.

Reference: The Tool Chest

When the Enable Digital ICE check-box is on, the information display in the scan window shows the option selected in the Digital ICE menu.

Turn Digital ICE3 off when using the FH-G1 Medical Holder (available separately) to scan prepared microscope slides. Using Digital ICE3 to scan prepared slides may produce undesirable results.

Digital ICE is equivalent to the “Defect Correction” function in Nikon Scan 2.

Digital ICE does not perform equally well with all types of film. If you are using Kodachrome film, you may find that Digital ICE does not have the desired effect, or that there is an overall degradation in image quality when Digital ICE is in effect. We recommend you turn Digital ICE off when using black-and-white (color monochrome film excepted) or Kodachrome film.

Digital ROC

Digital ROC, a tool for digitally restoring colors lost through fading of the original media, is built in to 4000 ED and COOLSCAN IV ED film scanners. To use Digital ROC, turn the Enable Post Processing check-box on and then select the amount of correction to be performed using the Digital ROC slider or by entering a value in the text box to its right. The default setting is “5”; move the slider to the right to increase the effect of Digital ROC, or to the left to decrease its effect. Choose “0” to turn Digital ROC off. To view the results in the Natural tab prior to scanning, click the Redraw button.

Because of the complexity of the processing involved, scans performed using Digital ICE requires longer scanning times.

Reference: The Tool Chest

Post-processing using Digital ROC and Digital GEM is not available with the LS-2000 and COOLSCAN III.

Digital GEM

Digital GEM, a tool for digitally reducing the effects of film grain, is built in to 4000 ED and COOLSCAN IV ED film scanners. To use Digital GEM, turn the Enable Post Processing check-box on and then select the amount of correction to be performed using the Digital GEM slider or by entering a value in the text box to its right. The default setting is “3”; move the slider to the right to increase the effect of Digital GEM, or to the left to decrease its effect. Choose “0” to turn Digital GEM off. To view the results in the Natural tab prior to scanning, click the Re-

draw button.

Digital ROC and Digital GEM

The current status of the Digital ROC and Digital GEM check- boxes is shown in the information display in the scan window. If changes are made to these settings without redrawing the preview image, a warning icon will appear in the information display.

Digital ROC and Digital GEM

Because of the complexity of the processing involved, Digital ROC and Digital GEM require a substantial amount of time to perform. To speed scanning, you can disable these features before making a scan by turning Enable Post Processing off. You can also save time by making a scan without first clicking Redraw to preview the effects of Digital ROC and Digital GEM.

Note that if the color model is not set to grayscale, using Digital ROC with monochrome film may introduce colors into the image.

Reference: The Tool Chest

We recommend that you increase the amount of memory available to Nikon Scan or the host application to at least 128 MB when using Digital ROC or Digital GEM on a Macintosh.

The Digital ICE3 Settings Menu

Clicking the triangle at the top right of the Digital ICE Cubed palette displays the Digital ICE3 settings menu, where you can save or export image Digital ICE3 settings and recall them as desired.

The Digital ICE3 settings menu contains the following options:

Item Description

Saves the current settings under a user-speci-

Save

Digital ICE

Settings…

fied name. These settings will be added to the end of the Digital ICE3 settings menu, where they can be recalled by selecting the desired settings by name.

Item Description

Reset to

Default

Digital ICE

Turns all Digital ICE3 settings off.

Settings

Reset to

User

Digital ICE

Settings

Restores the user default settings created with the Set User Settings option in the scan window settings menu (see 88).

Delete

Digital ICE

Settings…

Import

Digital ICE

Settings…

Export

Digital ICE

Settings…

Reference: The Tool Chest

Displays a dialog where you can select settings saved using the Save Digital ICE Set- tings… option for deletion.

Imports settings saved using the Export Digital ICE Settings… option.

Exports the current settings to a separate file in the folder of your choice.

Getting the Most from Your Scanner

Scanner Extras and Analog Gain

The Analog Gain and Scanner Extras palettes give you direct control over the following elements of the scanner firmware:

4000 ED, COOLSCAN IV ED, LS-2000, COOLSCAN III

Option

Analog gain

Adjusts exposure for each of the colored elements in the scanner’s light source.

Description

4000 ED/COOLSCAN IV ED only

Option

Perform

autofocus when

film is inserted

(MA-20 (S) only)

LS-2000/COOLSCAN III only

Option

If this option is checked, an autofocus operation will be performed when a slide is inserted in the MA-20 (S) strip-film adapter.

Description

Pixel data size

Manual focus

adjustment

Calibration

Crop choices

(IA-20 (S) only)

Strip film offset

(SA-21/20, SA-30

only)

Controls the amount of color information, or bit depth, for each pixel in the image. Bit depth for the COOLSCAN III can not be adjusted.

Allows you to adjust scanner focus manually using a slider or by direct text entry.

Re-calibrates the scanner after media have been left in the film slot for an extended period.

Adjusts crop settings for a variety of APS (IX-240) aperture settings.

Adjusts the position of the film to match the scan position.

Interpolation

method

Negative

prescan mode

4000 ED/LS-2000 only

Option

Multi-sample

scanning

Slide-feeder scan (SF-200 (S) only)

Controls how the scanner generates “extra” pixels not included in the information from the scanning element.

Controls the autoexposure operation performed before scanning negatives, producing excellent results even with low-contrast originals.

Controls the number of passes the scanner makes over the image to increase accuracy.

Sets the number of slides to be scanned each time the Scan button is clicked.

Description

Reference: The Tool Chest

Analog Gain

The controls in the Analog Gain palette are used to adjust colors by modifying exposure for each of the colored elements in the scanner’s light source. Gain is measured in Exposure Values (EVs), the same unit used for exposure compensation on many cameras. The controls for analog gain consist of four sliders: a master slider that adjusts exposure for all elements in the scanner’s light source, and separate red, green, and blue sliders for independent adjustments to the red, green, and blue LEDs.

To view the effects of analog gain on the image in the preview area, click the Update button. To return the exposure value for all LEDs to ±0, click Reset.

Exposure Value

Exposure Values are a measure of the quantity of light that falls on the scanning element (Charge-Coupled Device, or CCD). At +1 EV, the CCD is exposed to twice the normal amount of light, while at –1EV, the amount of light is halved. EVs are sometimes referred to as “steps.”

Reference: The Tool Chest

The current status of analog gain is shown in the information display in the scan window. If changes are made to analog gain without redrawing the preview image, a warning icon will appear in the information display.

Choosing too high a value for exposure may produce “smear” or other defects in the scanned image.

Scanner Extras

The options available in the Scanner Extras palette depend on the device selected in the active scan window, the scanner firmware version, and the film adapter in use. This section lists the options available for the scanners and adapters supported under Nikon Scan 3.

Pixel Data Size

The Scan Bit Depth menu controls the amount of color in- formation in each pixel scanned.

Bit Depth, Color, and File Size

Scanning at a bit depth of eight bits yields 256 shades per pixel for each color in the image (if the image is three-color RGB, the result is 24-bit color, capable of expressing roughly 16.7 million colors). Scanning at a bit depth of twelve bits (COOLSCAN IV ED and LS-2000 only) yields 4,096 shades per color, while scanning at a bit depth of fourteen bits per pixel (4000 ED only) generates 16,348 shades per color. RGB and grayscale images scanned at twelve and fourteen bits are converted to sixteen bits before being opened in the host application, effectively doubling file size. CMYK images are converted to eight bits, but the extra channel produces images one third larger than RGB images scanned at a depth of eight bits.

Firmware

“Firmware” is software built into a hardware device. In the case of Nikon film scanners, firmware upgrades may be available on the web or from your nearest Nikon-authorized service center. For details, contact your Nikon representative or see the following URLs:

North and South America: http://www.nikontechusa.com Europe: http://www.nikon-euro.com

The latest firmware for the LS-2000 and COOLSCAN III is also available on the Nikon Scan 3 CD.

Reference: The Tool Chest

Manual Focus Adjustment

Manual focus adjustment can be used when you are unable to obtain the desired results using autofocus. Adjust focus using the Position slider or enter a value in the text box to its right. Once set, this focus position will be used until the next time film is inserted in the scanner or Nikon Scan is restarted. To focus the scanner automatically, use the autofocus button in the control area of the scan window.

To use multi-sample scanning, select the desired setting from the Mode menu. The menu contains the following items:

Number

Mode Description

Normal

(1x)

Good

(2x)

of passes

Multi-sample scanning off.

Increases precision by the equivalent of one bit per channel.

Multi-Sample Scanning (4000 ED/LS-2000 only)

In “multi-sample scanning,” the scanner makes multiple passes over the image and averages the results to reduce the effects of electronic “noise,” producing more accurate reproductions with smoother changes in tone.

Fine (4x)

Fine (8x)

Super

Fine (16x)

Increases precision by the equivalent of two bits per channel.

Increases precision by the equivalent of three bits per channel.

Increases precision by the equivalent of four bits per channel.

Reference: The Tool Chest

Calibration

Under most circumstances, calibration is performed automatically at intervals when no media are inserted in the scanner. If film has been left in the scanner for a long period of time, you may need to remove the film and click the Calibrate button to recalibrate the scanner.

Interpolation Method (LS-2000/COOLSCAN III only)

Your scanner can scan at 2,700 ppi and at any resolution below this value that can be produced by dividing 2,700 by a whole number (1,350 ppi, 900 ppi, 675 dpi, etc.). At other resolutions, pixels must be calculated by computer algorithm to make up the specified number of pixels per inch. The interpolation method is the algorithm used in generating these extra pixels.

If you are using the MA-20 (S), remove the media from the adapter before clicking Calibrate. If you are using the SA-21/ SA-20 or SA-30, the film while automatically be ejected during calibration and feed back into the scanner when calibration is complete. In the case of the IA-20 (S), you will be prompted to rewind the film before calibration begins.

The following interpolation methods are available:

Method Description

Bilinear

Neighbor

Extra pixels are generated using a bilinear algorithm.

Extra pixels are generated using a “nearest neighbor” algorithm.

No interpolation is performed. Note that

None

this may result in the output size for the scanned image being larger than that specified in the Crop palette.

Reference: The Tool Chest

Prescan Mode (LS-2000/COOLSCAN III only)

With low-contrast images, autoexpo-sure may sometimes fail to produce the correct results. Three options are available that allow the autoexposure operation to be adjusted for different types of low contrast image, potentially producing better exposure. Selecting “nega-tive” as the media type activates a menu of autoexposure op-tions in the Scanner Extras palette (see above). Four options are available:

• Automatic

This is the recommended setting in most circumstances, suited to images that show a normal balance among shadows, midtones, and highlights. Use a different setting only if you experience problems scanning negatives using the automatic setting.

• Lo-Cont. Highkey

This setting is suited to low-contrast images with clearly-defined white areas, but no clear shadows, for example a photograph of white clouds in a blue sky.

• Lo-Cont. Neutral

This setting is suited to low-contrast images in which mid-tones predominate, with no clearly-defined areas of black or white, for example a photograph of red rose against a green background.

• Lo-Cont. Lowkey

This setting is suited to low-contrast images with clearly-defined black areas, but no clear highlights, for example a photograph of the night sky.

Reference: The Tool Chest

Perform autofocus when film is inserted

This check box is available only when the MA-20 (S) slide-mount adapter is inserted in a 4000 ED or COOLSCAN IV ED film scanner. When this option is checked, an autofocus operation will be automatically be performed when a slide is inserted in the adapter film slot.

Trip Film Offset

This option is available when a strip-film adapter (SA-21/SA-20 or SA-30) is inserted in the scanner, when it allows you to adjust the position of the film. To use this option, the thumbnail drawer must be open with thumbnails displayed. Select the desired thumbnail and adjust its position using the Boundary Off- set slider or by entering a value in the text box to its right (inthe case of the 4000 ED and COOLSCAN IV ED, the maximum and minimum values are 0 and 144 respectively for the first frame and –144 and 144 for all subsequent frames, while in the case of the LS-2000 and COOLSCAN III, the offset ranges from –127 to 127 for all frames). If the bottom of the thumbnail is cut off, move the slider to the right to bring it into position; if the top is cut off, move the slider to the left (note that the direction of adjustment changes when the thumbnails are flipped or rotated). Click the Reload Thumbnails button to view the effects of any adjustments in the thumbnail drawer.

Reference: The Tool Chest

IX240 Crop Choices

IX240 crop choices for APS (IX240) film are available when the IA-20 (S) adapter (sold separately) is inserted in the 4000 ED, COOLSCAN IV ED, LS-2000, or COOLSCAN III.

The following crop choices are available:

Method Description

Slide Feeder Scan (4000 ED/LS-2000 only)

This option is available when the SF-200 (S) slide feeder (sold separately) is inserted in the 4000 ED or LS-2000. To specify the number of slides scanned when the Scan button is clicked, enter the desired number in the Feed Images text box. To scan all slides in the feeder, enter a large value, for example “999.”

Classic

Wide

Panorama

Reference: The Tool Chest

The initial crop is adjusted to suit the “classic” setting for APS (IX240) cameras.

The initial crop is adjusted to suit the “wide” setting for APS (IX240) cameras.

The initial crop is adjusted to suit the “panorama” setting for APS (IX240) cameras.

Getting the Colors You Want:

The Curves, Color Balance, and LCH Editor Palettes

When scanning, you may come across images that are over- or under-exposed, obliterating details in highlights or shadows, or that show a general lack of contrast. You may also find that the colors are “flat” or unnaturally vivid, or that fluorescent lighting has given your photograph a greenish tinge. These flaws can be corrected using Nikon Scan’s three color enhancement tools: Curves, Color Balance, and the LCH Editor.

Of the three, the Color Balance palette is most useful when you want to make changes to brightness, contrast, and color balance that affect the entire image. This kind of adjustment may, however, result in loss of detail in highlights or shadows. The Curves tool, in contrast, allows adjustments to be made to specific portions of the tone range in highlights, mid-tones, and shadows.

The LCH Editor is useful when adjusting the vividness, or saturation, of colors. It can also be used to map a specific range of colors in the original image to a different range of colors in the output.

Curves

The main editing tool in the Curves palette is the curve edit display, which contains a curve showing the relationship between input (the tone information in the image prior to editing) and output (how these tones will be represented after changes to curves are applied). Separate curves control the relationship between input and output for the image as a whole (the “master curve”) and for each of the components, or “channels,” in the current color model (red, green, and blue in the RGB model, or cyan, magenta, yellow, and black in the CMYK model; only one channel is available in the case of grayscale images). The default curve in each case is linear, meaning that tones will be output exactly as they are input.

Current

channel

Curve edit

display

Reference: The Tool Chest

Input is plotted along the horizontal axis, with shadows (the dark areas of the image) to the left, highlights (the bright areas of the image) to the right, and mid-tones in between. The left end of the axis marks the minimum possible value for colors in the selected channel (zero, or no color), the right end the maximum value. In the case of the master curve, the minimum value represents areas of the input image that are a true black; the maximum value represents areas that are a true white. Output is plotted along the vertical axis, with the minimum possible output value (again, zero, or no color) at the bottom and the maximum output value at the top.

Output

Shadows

Mid-tones

Highlights

When the cursor is moved over the curve edit display, the input and output values for the point under the cursor are shown in the input/output display. The input value represents the level of the pixel in the original image, the output value the level of the pixel after any changes to the curve have been applied.

Apply

check box

Input/output

display

Reference: The Tool Chest

Input

Changes to curves only apply when the check-box at the top left of the Curves palette is checked. When this box is checked, changes to curves will be visible in the image being edited. The box can be checked and unchecked for a quick “before-andafter” comparison, allowing you to see whether changes to curves are having the desired effect.

Step 1—Viewing the Histogram

The first step in adjusting tone levels and color balance in the Curves palette is to view the histogram displayed in the background of the curve edit display. The histogram provides information on what tones are present in the image and in what amounts, information that you will use when editing curves to make the most of the tone range in the original image. By studying the histogram, you can determine the distribution of tones within the image.

The histogram takes the form of a bar graph. The horizontal axis shows the tone level (pixel brightness) as a value from 0 to 255, with the minimum possible value for colors in the selected channel at the left end of the axis and the maximum value to the right (if the selected color model is RGB, calibrated RGB, or grayscale, shadows are to the left and highlights to the right, while when CMYK is selected highlights are to the left and shadows to the right). The vertical axis gives the number of pixels of each tone level found in the image, scaled to fit in the curve edit display. The histogram bears no relation to the position of the individual pixels within the image.

To view the distribution of tones in the final, output image after changes to curves, click the histogram button ( ). Click again to view the distribution of tones in the original image.

Although values for input and output in the Curves window range from zero to 255 (eight-bit precision, familiar to users of other image editing software), the results of any changes to curves are calculated at a precision of sixteen bits. This makes it possible to modify images scanned at bit depths of twelve and fourteen bits without lowering the quality of the output.

Reference: The Tool Chest

Step 2—Channel Selection

You can modify tones for all colors in the image using the master curve, or select any of the red, green, and blue or cyan, magenta, yellow, and black curves for editing using the channel menu (see right; when grayscale is selected, only the master curve [L] is displayed). The histogram shows tone levels for the selected channel only.

When the master curve is selected, the auto-contrast button and white-point and black-point eyedropper tools (see below) apply simultaneously to all of the component channels (the master curve is unaffected). When one of the component channels is selected, these controls can be used to edit the chosen curve only.

The current channel can also be selected using the following shortcuts:

• Ctrl 1 (Windows)/ 1 (Macintosh) Red channel (RGB)/Cyan channel (CMYK)

• Ctrl 2 (Windows)/ 2 (Macintosh) Green channel (RGB)/Magenta channel (CMYK)

• Ctrl 3 (Windows)/ 3 (Macintosh) Blue channel (RGB)/Yellow channel (CMYK)

• Ctrl 4 (Windows)/ 4 (Macintosh) Black channel (CMYK)

Reference: The Tool Chest

Step 3—Setting the White Point and Black Point

The endpoints of the curve are referred to as the “white point” and the “black point.” The black point for a given channel represents the darkest shade (minimum value) for that color, the white point, the brightest shade (maximum value). In the CMYK color model, the black point is at the right end of the curve and the white point at the left, while in all other color models the white point is at the right end of the curve and the black point at the left.

By default, the input and output values for the black point are zero. The darkest shade in the input image may however be greater than zero, with the result that a portion of the curve is dedicated to reproducing tones not actually present in the image. Increasing the input value for the black point until it matches the darkest shade in the image will steepen the curve, enhancing overall contrast without causing a corresponding loss of detail in shadows. Similarly, if the original image does not actually contain shades corresponding to the maximum value, the white point can be lowered to match the brightest shade in the image.

White-Point and Black-Point Input Levels

Input levels for the white point and black point can be set using any of the following three methods:

• automatic contrast adjustment

• white-point and black-point sliders

• direct sampling using the white-point and black-point eyedropper tools

There are two steps to selecting a white point and black point for the final image: choosing the white-point and black-point input levels, and selecting output levels.

Reference: The Tool Chest

Automatic Contrast Adjustment

In automatic contrast adjustment, Nikon Scan automatically selects white and black points that exclude a certain percentage of the brightest and darkest pixels in the image, steepening curves for enhanced contrast (the exact percentage of pixels excluded can be specified in the Preferences dialog). By default, 0.5% of the brightest and darkest pixels are excluded, producing a curve that makes optimal use of the output tone range while preserving details in shadows and highlights.

To perform an auto contrast operation, click the auto contrast button ( ). The white and black points for each of the red, green, and blue channels will be modified simultaneously (the master curve is unaffected). Clicking the button with the Ctrl (Windows) or option (Macintosh) key held down adjusts contrast only for the channel currently selected in the channel menu. If both the brightness and color balance of the image seem to require adjustment, click the auto contrast button to adjust both brightness and color by creating new black and white points based on tone information for the current crop. If you are satisfied with color balance but feel that brightness and contrast require adjustment, select the master channel and click the auto contrast button while holding down the Ctrl (Windows) or option (Macintosh) key. This will adjust brightness without affecting the curves for the component colors.

Pg. For more information on:

134 Preferences—setting the “excluded” value for auto

contrast operations

Reference: The Tool Chest

White-Point and Black-Point Sliders

The white-point and black-point sliders can be used to match the white and black points to the histogram displayed in the curve edit display.

To edit the white point or black point, click the corresponding slider once to activate it, then drag it to the right or left (a value can also be entered directly in the text box underneath the slider). Matching the black-point slider with the lowest input value displayed in the histogram will set the minimum output value for the selected channel to the darkest pixel actually present in the image, steepening the curve and enhancing contrast without sacrificing detail in shadows. Similarly, matching the whitepoint slider with the highest input value displayed in the histogram will set the maximum output value for the selected channel to the brightest pixel present in the image, enhancing contrast without loss of detail in highlights. Any changes are applied instantly to the active image.

Black-point

slider

Black-point

input value

White-point

slider

White-point

input value

Reference: The Tool Chest

Sampling the Image for White Point or Black Point

The white point or black point can be set by directly sampling the image, allowing you to choose the pixels that will be used to set the maximum (white point) or minimum (black point) output value. This makes it possible to set the black point by matching it to a pixel in the darkest part of the image containing detail you want to preserve, eliminating details in darker areas that are not important to the final image. Similarly, you can match the white point to a pixel in the brightest area of the image containing details important to the final image. While direct sampling can be used with any channel, it is most effective when used with the master curve. When the master curve is selected, sampling will set the white or black point for red, green, and blue curves simultaneously; the master curve itself is unaffected.

To sample the white point, click the button. When the cursor is moved over the active image, it will take the shape of an eyedropper. Move the cursor over the image to find the pixel that you want to use to set the white point, keeping an eye on the color value display in the Information palette to identify the pixel with the highest input value. With the cursor over the target pixel, click the mouse button. The input value for the selected pixel will be used as the input value for the white point. The cursor will return to its original shape, and the image will automatically be altered to reflect the new value for white point.

To sample the image for the black point, click the button and move the eyedropper cursor over the image until you find the point that you want to use to set the minimum input value, then click the mouse button to select the black point.

Setting white/black points for the current channel

By default, sampling sets the white point or black point for all channels. To set the white point or black point for the current channel only, sample the image while holding down the Ctrl key (Windows) or option key (Macintosh) on the keyboard. To adjust brightness and contrast without affecting color, select the master channel and sample the image while holding down the Ctrl key (Windows) or option key (Macintosh) on the keyboard.

Reference: The Tool Chest

Pg. For more information on:

135 Setting the sample-point size

White Point and Black Point Output Levels

Once you have set the input level for the black point and white point, output levels can be altered to reflect the actual shade of the darkest and brightest pixels in the image. If the darkest shade in the image represents a true black, for example, the output level for the black point can be left at zero. If, however, darkest shade present in the image is a lighter color, the output level for the black point can be raised to achieve more natural coloration.

The output levels for the white point and black point are set using the white-point and black-point output sliders on the left side of the curve edit display.

White-point

output

slider

Black-point

output

slider

To set the output level, click the slider once to activate it, then drag it up or down until you have found the desired output level (the output level can also be set by entering a value directly in the text box to the left of the slider). The effects of the change will be reflected in the active image.

It is sometimes the case that the darkest and lightest points of the image should not be displayed or printed as a saturated black or white, even where the colors in the original image represent a true black or true white. The reasons for this are varied, but include:

• The need to reduce the amount of ink consumed by making blacks less saturated

• The need to prevent an undesirable line from appearing when a true white is printed using ink (for example, when printing whites on a colored background)

• The need to prevent distortion on monitor or television sets caused by very strong or very weak signals at the edges of the screen

Reference: The Tool Chest

Pg. For more information on:

134 Setting default output values for the eyedropper tools

Step 4—Setting the Gray Point

The point midway between the maximum and minimum input values is known as the “gray point” (or “midpoint”). This point represents a neutral shade corresponding to an output level of

128. The gray point is controlled by a gray-point slider at the bottom of the curve edit display. Moving the gray-point slider to the left increases the brightness of mid-tones without “washing out” details in highlights. Moving the slider to the right darkens mid-tones without obliterating detail in shadows.

The Gray-Point Slider

The gray-point slider is located at the bottom of the curve edit display.

Gray-point

slider

Gamma

value

After clicking the slider once to activate it, move it to the left to increase the brightness of mid-tones in the selected channel, or move it to the right to decrease brightness. Alternatively, you can enter a value for gamma directly in the text box under the slider. The effects of changes to the gray point can be seen in the active image.

Gamma

Gamma (also written “ γ ”) is a fundamental property of video systems, one that determines the intensity of the output signal

relative to the input. When calculating gamma, the maximum possible input intensity is assigned a value of one, and the minimum possible intensity (no input) is assigned a value of zero. Output is calculated by raising input to a power that is the inverse of the gamma value (output = input

(1/γ)

). In practical terms, raising the gamma value has the same effect as moving the gray-point slider to the left, raising mid-tone output values and brightening the image while leaving the maximum and minimum values untouched. Lowering the gamma value has the same effect as moving the gray-point slider to the right, lowering mid-tone output values and darkening the image. The default value for gamma is one, which produces a linear curve. Gamma can be set to any value between

0.45 and 3.00.

Reference: The Tool Chest

Sampling the Image for Gray Point

The gray point can also be set by direct sampling. Sampling the image leaves the selected pixel at its current brightness while adjusting color balance by altering the gray point for each of the component channels in the image.

To sample the gray point, click the button. When the cursor is moved over the active image, it will take the shape of an eyedropper. Move the cursor over the image to find the pixel that you want to use to set the gray point, keeping an eye on the color value display in the Information palette to identify pixels with a neutral input value (look for pixels that you think should be a neutral gray color in the final image). With the cursor over the target pixel, click the mouse button. The average of the input values for each of the channels in the selected pixel will be used as the reference value for the gray point. The cursor will return to its original shape, and the image will automatically be altered to reflect the new value for gray point (the weight assigned to each channel when determining the average value can be set using the “Gray point target” option in the Advanced Color tab of the Preferences dialog).

Reference: The Tool Chest

Pg. For more information on:

134 Preferences—Advanced Color

Step 5—Editing Curves Directly

Fine adjustments can be made to brightness and contrast in specific portions of the tone range by adding additional points to the curves for each channel. These points can be freely adjusted by dragging them into new positions, changing the shape of the curve. Steepening the slope in a given portion of the curve will enhance detail in that portion of the tone range. Changing the curve so that input levels in a given portion of the tone range are mapped to higher output levels will brighten tones in the affected tone range; similarly, changing the curve to map input levels to lower output levels will darken tones in the affected range.

Adding New Points to the Curve

Move the cursor over the curve edit display and click once to enter curve edit mode. Move the cursor to the position where you would like to add a new point, then click. A new point will be added at this position and the curve will automatically be adjusted to pass through this point. The position of the point can be adjusted by dragging it to a new location within the curve edit display. The image in the active window will automatically be adjusted to reflect changes to the curve.

Removing Points from the Curve

Points can be removed from the curve by dragging them out of the curve window.

Resetting Curves to Linear

The default linear curve for the current channel can be restored by clicking the button in the Curves palette. To return all curves to linear, hold down the Ctrl (Windows) or option (Macintosh) key on the keyboard while clicking the button.

The Tool Chest can be resized by dragging its borders (Windows) or by dragging the handle at its lower right corner (Macintosh). The curves edit display changes with the size of the window, allowing you to enlarge the display to a maximum of 256 × 256 pixels. At this size, each of the 256 points on the curve is represented by a separate pixel, granting maximum precision when editing curves.

Reference: The Tool Chest

The Curves Settings Menu

Clicking the triangle at the top right of the Curves palette displays the Curves settings menu, where you can save or export curve settings and recall them as desired.

The Curves settings menu contains the following options:

Item Description

Saves the current curves under a user-speci-

Save Curve

Settings…

fied name. These settings will be added to the end of the Curves settings menu, where they can be recalled by selecting the desired settings by name.

Item Description

Reset to

Default

Curve

Resets all curves to linear.

Settings

Reset to

User Curve

Settings

Restores the user default settings created with the Set User Settings option in the scan window settings menu (see 88).

Delete

Curve

Settings…

Import

Curve

Settings…

Export

Curve

Settings…

Reference: The Tool Chest

Displays a dialog where you can select settings saved using the Save Curve Set- tings… option for deletion.

Imports settings saved using the Export Curve Settings… option.

Exports the current curves to a separate file in the folder of your choice.

Color Balance

The Color Balance palette offers simple controls for adjusting overall brightness, contrast, and color balance for the entire image. Unlike the Curves palette, the Color Balance palette does not allow you to make changes that affect only a portion of the tone range.

The controls available in the Color Balance palette are detailed below. Note that when the selected color model is “grayscale,” the Color Balance palette contains only brightness and contrast controls, while when “CMYK” is selected the palette contains a slider for each of the cyan, magenta, yellow, and black channels in addition to brightness and contrast controls.

Item Description

The brightness slider adjusts brightness for the entire image. Dragging the brightness slider in the + direction brightens all the col-

Brightness

ors in the image. Dragging the slider in the – direction darkens all the colors in the image. A value for brightness between –100 and +100 can be entered directly in the text box to the right of the slider.

Dragging the contrast slider in the + direction heightens the difference between highlights and shadows in the image, increasing contrast. Dragging the slider in the – direc-

Contrast

tion decreases the difference between light and dark portions of the image, lowering contrast. A value for contrast between –100 and +100 can be entered in the text box to the right of the slider.

Reference: The Tool Chest

Changes to color balance are only apply when the check-box at the top left of the Color Balance palette is checked. When this box is checked, changes will be visible in the image being edited. The box can be checked and unchecked for a quick “beforeand-after” comparison, allowing you to see whether changes to color balance are having the desired effect.

Item Description

While the brightness slider adjusts brightness for the image as a whole, the color-balance sliders (one for each channel in the current color model) allow the user to adjust bright-

Color

balance

(not available

when

grayscale is

selected)

ness for each color individually. For example, when the RGB color model is selected, dragging the red slider in the + direction brightens the red portions of the image, making the image as a whole more red. Dragging it in the – direction dims the red elements in the image, bringing out the remaining colors. Color balance can also be set by entering values directly in the text boxes to the right of the sliders.

The Color Balance Settings Menu

Clicking the triangle at the top right of the Color Balance palette displays the Color Balance settings menu, where you can save or export colorbalance settings and recall them as desired.

The Color Balance settings menu contains the following options:

Item Description

Saves the current color-balance settings

Save Color

Balance

Settings…

under a user-specified name. These settings will be added to the end of the Color Balance settings menu, where they can be recalled by selecting the desired settings by name.

Delete Color

Balance

Settings…

Import Color

Balance

Settings…

Export Color

Balance

Settings…

Displays a dialog where you can select settings saved using the Save Color Bal- ance Settings… option for deletion.

Imports settings saved using the Export Color Balance Settings… option.

Exports the current settings to a separate file in the folder of your choice.

Reset to

Default Color

Balance

Resets all brightness, contrast, and colorbalance settings to zero.

Settings

Reset to User

Color Bal-

ance Settings

Restores the user default settings created with the Set User Settings option in the scan window settings menu (see 88).

Reference: The Tool Chest

The LCH Editor

The LCH Editor models color using three components, Luminosity (brightness), Chroma (color saturation, or vividness), and Hue, each with its own edit display. The luminosity and chroma displays take the same form as the curve edit display in the Curves palette. By steepening the curve in the luminosity display, you increase the difference between the bright and dark portions of the image, increasing contrast. Steepening the curve in the chroma window increases color saturation, making colors more vivid. Both editors feature a histogram display, auto contrast, and white point, black point, and gray point sliders, allowing you to match the maximum, minimum, and mid-range output levels for luminosity and chroma to the values actually present in the input, making the maximum use of the scanner’s dynamic range. They also incorporate output level sliders, making it possible to edit the maximum and minimum values for output.

The hue editor features unique controls that grant unparalleled flexibility when editing colors. Using this tool, you can map a specific range of colors in the input to a different range of colors in the output, allowing you to make the reds in the image more orange, for example, or even green or blue.

Changes made in the LCH Editor only apply when the checkbox at the top left of the palette is checked. When this box is checked, changes will be visible in the image being edited. The box can be checked and unchecked for a quick “before-andafter” comparison, allowing you to see whether changes are having the desired effect.

Reference: The Tool Chest

The LCH Editor can only be used when the Nikon Color Management system (CMS) is on. If Nikon CMS is off, the tools in the editor will be disabled. To use the LCH Editor with a color space that has the same gamut as uncalibrated RGB data obtained directly from the scanner, turn CMS on and select Scanner RGB as the color-space profile for the RGB color model.

Pg. For more information on:

107 Nikon CMS

The desired editor can be chosen from the menu at the top the LCH Editor palette (see below).

The Luminosity Editor

Although it affects brightness rather than color, editing luminosity has a similar effect to editing the master curve in the Curves palette. Steepening the curve by, for example, lowering the maximum value for input and raising the minimum value increases the difference between light and dark areas of the image, increasing contrast. Changing the gray point alters the brightness of midtones while preserving details in highlights and shadows. You can also edit specific portions of the curve for more precise control.

The editor can also be selected using the following shortcuts:

• Ctrl Shift 1 (Windows)/ option 1 (Macintosh)

Luminosity editor

• Ctrl Shift 2 (Windows)/ option 2 (Macintosh)

Chroma editor

• Ctrl Shift 3 (Windows)/ option 3 (Macintosh)

Hue editor

Reference: The Tool Chest

Pg. For more information on:

63 Using the curves editor

The luminosity editor is shown below.

Item Description

Output level

sliders

Histogram

Black point

slider

Input/output

levels

Item Description

Shows the distribution of pixels of different

Histogram

luminosities in the input image. The horizontal axis shows luminosity (0–255), the vertical axis the number of pixels.

Output level

sliders

Sets the maximum and minimum values for output.

White point

slider

Gray point

slider

Gray point

slider

White point

slider

Input/output

levels

Sets the gray point (gamma value) for luminosity

Sets the maximum input level.

Luminosity input and output levels for the point under the cursor in the edit display.

The distribution of pixels of different luminosities in the output image are displayed when this button is clicked. Click again to view the luminosity distribution for the input image.

Restores the luminosity curve to linear. Control-click (Windows) or command-click (Macintosh) to restore the curves for luminosity, chroma, and hue to linear.

Sets the maximum and minimum values for input to values that exclude 0.5% of the brightest and darkest pixels in the crop. The percentage of pixels excluded can be adjusted using the Advanced Color tab in the Preferences dialog.

Black point

slider

Reference: The Tool Chest

Sets the minimum input level.

Pg. For more information on:

134 Preferences—Advanced Color

The Chroma Editor

The chroma editor is a useful tool for adjusting color saturation. Steepening the curve increases saturation in the affected range, making colors more vivid. Flattening the curve results in flatter, less vivid colors. Moving the gray point to the left makes the image as a whole more vivid, while moving it to the right “averages out” the differences between colors in the image, making the image grayer overall. In general, the most effective use can be made of the scanner’s dynamic range by steepening the curve in the portions of the histogram that contain the greatest number of pixels while leaving colors corresponding to a neutral gray unaffected.

The chroma editor is shown below.

Output level

sliders

Histogram

Black point

slider

Input/output

levels

Item Description

Shows the distribution of pixels of different

Histogram

chromas in the input image. The horizontal axis shows chroma, the vertical axis the number of pixels.

White point

slider

Gray point

slider

Pg. For more information on:

63 Using the curves editor

Reference: The Tool Chest

Output level

sliders

Sets the maximum and minimum values for output.

Item Description

Black point

slider

Gray point

slider

White point

slider

Input/output

levels

Sets the minimum input level.

Sets the gray point (gamma value) for chroma.

Sets the maximum input level.

Chroma input and output levels for the point under the cursor in the edit display.

The distribution of pixels of different chromas in the output image are displayed when this button is clicked. Click again to view the chroma distribution for the input image.

Restores the chroma curve to linear. Control-click (Windows) or command-click (Macintosh) to restore the curves for luminosity, chroma, and hue to linear.

The Hue Editor

When Hue is selected from the menu at the top of the LCH Editor palette, the editor takes on the appearance shown on the following page. The controls for editing hue are unique, consisting of a rainbow-colored background bisected by a straight line, representing the hues (colors) in the original image. Superimposed on this line is another representing the colors in the image after editing. Before editing, the output line is the same as the input line, so that, for example, reds in the input will be represented as red in the final image. By changing the shape of this line, you can change the relationship between input and output colors over a portion of the color range, with the result that colors that are red in the original might be output as orange, or even green or blue.

Reference: The Tool Chest

The other controls in the hue editor are described below.The hue editor is shown below.

Item Description

Adjusts the width of the curve that passes

Width slider

through the selected point, enabling you to determine what hues in the vicinity of the selected point are affected by the change.

Output

slider

Width slider Scale button

To edit the hue curve, click once in the edit window to activate the hue editor, then click the point on the curve where it intersects with the portion of the background showing the hue you want to edit. To determine the hue of a specific pixel in the input image, move the cursor over the pixel. The point corresponding to the hue of the selected pixel will be highlighted in the hue editor. You can then drag this point up or down until it in intersects with the background color that coincides with the hue you want to appear in the output.

Scale button

Output

slider

Changes the vertical scale from 60° through 120° to 180° and back again (the vertical scale indicates what portion of the hues in the full range of 360° range are displayed on the vertical axis). Increasing the scale gives you more hues from which to choose when editing hue, while lowering the scale increases precision.

Maps all hues in the input to different output hues.

Restores the hue curve to linear. Controlclick (Windows) or command-click (Macintosh) to restore the curves for luminosity, chroma, and hue to linear.

Reference: The Tool Chest

The LCH Editor Settings Menu

Clicking the triangle at the top right of the LCH Editor displays the LCH Editor settings menu, where you can save or export LCH settings and recall them as desired.

The LCH Editor settings menu contains the following options:

Item Description

Saves the current LCH settings under a user-

Save LCH

Curve

Settings…

specified name. These settings will be added to the end of the LCH Editor settings menu, where they can be recalled by selecting the desired settings by name.

Item Description

Reset to

Default

LCH Curve

Resets the luminosity, chroma, and hue curves to linear.

Settings

Reset to

User LCH

Curve

Settings

Restores the user default settings created with the Set User Settings option in the scan window settings menu (see 88).

Delete

LCH Curve

Settings…

Import

LCH Curve

Settings…

Export

LCH Curve

Settings…

Reference: The Tool Chest

Displays a dialog where you can select settings saved using the Save LCH Curve Set- tings… option for deletion.

Imports settings saved using the Export LCH Curve Settings… option.

Exports the current settings to a separate file in the folder of your choice.

Making Edges More Distinct

Unsharp Mask

Unsharp Mask is used to increase the sharpness of images by making edges more distinct. Unsharp Mask works by increasing the contrast of the edges in the image while leaving other areas untouched. The degree of sharpness is determined by three factors: intensity, halo width, and threshold.

• Intensity…

…is the amount the contrast of edges will be increased.

• Halo width…

…controls the width of the edges in the image after editing. The greater the halo width, the wider the edges in the sharpened image will appear. Too large a value for halo width will produce a “halo” along edges in the image.

• Threshold…

…defines the limit at which sharpening will be applied. If the threshold is zero, sharpening will apply to all edges in the image. Increasing the threshold increases the amount of contrast that must be present between pixels before Unsharp Mask will be applied, with the result that only more distinctly contrasting edges will be affected.

Unsharp Mask sharpens edges without affecting color balance by making adjustments only to luminosity (brightness). The effect is the same as performing Unsharp Mask with the Luminosity channel selected in the Adobe Photoshop Lab color model.

Unsharp Mask can be applied to all the colors in the image or selectively to areas of the image in which red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, or yellow are judged to predominate based on the color information for each pixel. The brightness (luminosity) of the affected pixels is adjusted to sharpen edges without altering color balance. Using the controls in the Unsharp Mask palette, you can create multiple masks, one for each color or all colors and each with different values for intensity, halo width, and threshold.

The amount of Unsharp Mask you will need depends on the size and resolution of the final image. The more pixels in the image, the greater the amount of Unsharp Mask you will need to achieve the same degree of apparent sharpness. Before applying an Unsharp Mask, scale the image to the desired size and resolution.

Unsharp Mask can only be used when the Nikon Color Management system (CMS) is on. If Nikon CMS is off, the tools in the Unsharp Mask palette will be disabled.

Pg. For more information on:

46 Resolution and size

107 Nikon CMS

Reference: The Tool Chest

Creating Unsharp Masks

Step 1—Select a color

Select a color from the color pop-up menu. The mask you create will be applied only to edges where the selected color predominates. To create a mask that applies to all colors, select All.

Step 2—Set intensity, halo width, and threshold

Select values for intensity, halo width, and threshold using the sliders, or enter values directly in the text boxes to their right.

Step 3—Check the results

To compare the effects of the Unsharp Mask with the unmodified image, click the check box at the top left of the Unsharp Mask palette to turn the effects of Unsharp Mask on or off.

Step 4—Create additional masks

Repeat steps 1–3 to create additional masks for different colors. As new masks are created, they will be added to the end of the Unsharp Mask list. Masks will apply in the order listed. To change the order in which the masks apply, select a mask in the Unsharp Mask list and click the up arrow to move it up in the list, or the down arrow to move it down. To delete an Unsharp Mask from the list, select it and click the button.

Reference: The Tool Chest

Changes made in the Unsharp Mask palette only apply when the check-box at the top left of the palette is checked.

The Unsharp Mask Settings Menu

Clicking the triangle at the top right of the Unsharp Mask palette displays the Unsharp Mask settings menu, where you can save or export masks and recall them as desired.

The Unsharp Mask settings menu contains the following options:

Item Description

Save

Unsharp

Mask

Settings…

Saves the current masks under a user-specified name. These settings will be added to the end of the Unsharp Mask settings menu, where they can be recalled by selecting the desired settings by name.

Item Description

Export

Unsharp

Mask

Exports the current masks to a separate file in the folder of your choice.

Settings…

Reset to

Default

Unsharp

Mask

Deletes all masks currently displayed in the Unsharp Mask palette.

Settings

Reset to

User

Unsharp

Mask Set-

Restores the user default settings created with the Set User Settings option in the scan window settings menu (see 88).

tings

Delete

Unsharp

Mask

Settings…

Displays a dialog where you can select settings saved using the Save Unsharp Mask

Settings… option for deletion.

Import

Unsharp

Mask

Imports settings saved using the Export Unsharp Mask… option.

Settings…

Reference: The Tool Chest

Reusing Settings

The settings menu in the scan window control area allows you to save or export settings and recall them as desired. You can also create, restore, and delete default settings for multiframe adapters.

The Settings Menu

The following settings can be saved and recalled using the options in the settings menu:

• the current scanner, media type, color model, and the dimensions and location of the current crop

• all settings in effect in the Tool Chest, including image orientation and crop, curves, color balance, LCH, Unsharp Mask, and Digital ICE3 settings.

The settings for the Crop, Curves, Color Balance, LCH Editor, Unsharp Mask, Nikon Enhancement, and Image Enhancement palettes can be saved and recalled separately using the palette settings menu.

Reference: Reusing Settings

The options in the settings menu are described below.

Option Description

Saves the current settings under a user-speci-

Save

Settings…

fied name. These settings will be added to the end of the settings menu, where they can be recalled by selecting the desired settings by name.

Saves the current settings as user default settings. These settings can be recalled by selecting the Reset to User Settings. Set-

Set User

Settings

tings for a selected palette can be recalled by selecting the “reset to user options” from the palette settings menu. Settings created with the SA-21/SA-20, IA-20 (S), or SA-30 can be used whenever any of these adapters is in place.

Export

Settings…

Import

Settings…

Exports current settings to a separate file in the folder of your choice.

Imports settings saved using the Export Set-

tings… option.

Clear User

Settings

Reset to

Factory

Defaults

Reset to

User

Settings

Last Saved

Settings

Deletes user settings created with the Set User Settings option.

Restores the settings in effect at installation.

Restores the user default settings created with the Set User Settings option. Settings created with the SA-21/SA-20, IA-20 (S), or SA-30 can be recalled whenever any of these adapters is in place.

Restores the settings most recently saved using any of the Save Settings…, Set User

Settings, or Export Settings… options.

Delete

Settings…

Reference: Reusing Settings

Displays a dialog box where you can select settings saved using the Save Settings… option for deletion.

The maximum crop size and other settings differ depending on the adapter and scanner used. When settings for a different scanner or adapter are selected from the settings menu, only those options that apply to the current adapter are affected.

The Nikon Scan Applet

Using Nikon Scan as a Stand-Alone Application

When Nikon Scan is used as a TWAIN source or acquire plugin for another program such as Adobe Photoshop, its role is complete when the Scan button is clicked to scan the image into the host application. Any further operations performed on the scanned image, such as making additional adjustments to color or saving the image to disk, must be performed in the host application.

To make it possible to save or print images without the intervention of a third-party program, a mini-program, or “applet,” is included with Nikon Scan. This applet, which starts automatically when you double-click the Nikon Scan 3.0 icon or select Nikon Scan 3.0 from the Windows Start menu, can be used to edit images after scanning, save images in a variety of formats, open previously saved images, and print images.

Starting the Nikon Scan Applet (Windows)

To start the Nikon Scan applet, click Start and select Nikon Scan 3.0 from Programs > Nikon Scan 3.0.

Starting the Nikon Scan Applet (Macintosh)

To start the Nikon Scan applet, double click the Nikon Scan 3.0 icon in the folder to which you installed Nikon Scan (the default location is System Disk : Nikon Software : Nikon Scan

3.0).

Reference: The Nikon Scan Applet

The Nikon Scan Window (Windows)

When you start the Nikon Scan applet in Windows, the Nikon Scan 3.0 window, containing a menu bar and toolbar, will open on the desktop. When you click the Scan button in the scan window, the resulting images will be opened separate image windows within the Nikon Scan 3.0 window.

Menu bar

Toolbar

Image window

The Menu Bar (Macintosh)

When you start the Nikon Scan applet on your Macintosh, Nikon Scan’s menus will appear in the menu bar. When you click the Scan button in the scan window, the resulting images will be opened in separate image windows on the desktop.

Status bar

Reference: The Nikon Scan Applet

The Toolbar (Windows)

The Windows version of Nikon Scan includes a toolbar that allows access to many commonly used commands with a single click. The toolbar can be dragged out of the menu bar to a new position anywhere within the Nikon Scan window, where it will “float” in an independent window.

The toolbar contains the following buttons:

Button Description

Duplicates the effects of the Zoom Cur-

Zoom

sor command in the View menu.

Duplicates the effects of the Selection

Selection

Cursor command in the View menu.

Click to open the Nikon Scan help file in

Help

your web browser.

Button Description

Duplicates the effects of the Open…

Open

command in the File menu.

Duplicates the effects of the Save com-

Save

mand in the File menu.

Duplicates the effects of the Copy com-

Copy

mand in the Edit menu.

Duplicates the effects of the Print…

command in the File menu.

Duplicates the effects of the Hand Cur-

Hand

Reference: The Nikon Scan Applet

sor command in the View menu.

Open Source

Opens the scan window.

To display or hide the toolbar, select Toolbar from the View menu.

The Status Bar (Windows)

When the cursor is moved over a button or menu, a brief description of its function will appear in the status bar at the bottom of the Nikon Scan 3.0 window. The status bar can be displayed or hidden by selecting Status Bar from the View menu.

Image Windows

Unless Save to Disk is selected in the Preferences dialog, im- ages scanned when Nikon Scan is used as a stand-alone application will be opened in separate image windows within the Nikon Scan applet. An image window is shown below.

Windows

Settings icon

Zoom ratio

Title bar

Scroll bars

Macintosh

Selecting the active window

If you have multiple windows open in the Nikon Scan applet, you can activate a window and bring it to the front by clicking the window or by choosing it from the windows listed at the bottom of the Window menu.

Image windows

Many of the tools in the Tool Chest can be applied to images in image windows. If multiple images are opened in image windows in the Nikon Scan applet, settings can be adjusted and saved separately for each image. With the exception of images saved in NEF format, the settings in each tool palette will be reset to default values when an image is opened. When an image saved in NEF format is opened, the settings in each tool palette will be reset to the values in effect when the image was saved.

Pg. For more information on:

Reference: The Nikon Scan Applet

97 Editing images in the Nikon Scan applet 98 Nikon Electronic image Format (NEF)

Viewing Information about the Image

To view information about the image in an image window, click the settings icon, or select Settings Section from the View menu.

Information

display

The information display shows the date and time the image was created, the color model, file type and compression, and image size and resolution. To hide the information display, click the settings icon a second time, or select Settings Section from the View menu.

Displaying the layout grid

A layout grid can be displayed on the active window by checking

Show Grid in the Layout Tools palette, or by selecting Show Grid from the View menu.

Reference: The Nikon Scan Applet

Rotating and Flipping the Image

The image in the active image window can be rotated or flipped using the tools in the Layout Tools palette, or by selecting Rotate CW (rotate clockwise), Rotate CCW (rotate counter-clock- wise), Flip Horizontal, or Flip Ver tical from the Transform sub-menu in the View menu. To flip the image both horizontally and vertically, select Flip Both Axes from the Transform sub- menu.

The View Menu

To zoom in on the image in the active image window, select Zoom In from the View menu. Select Zoom Out to zoom the image out.

If the image no longer fits in the image window, you can scroll it using the image window scroll bars. Alternatively, you can select the hand tool using the Hand Cursor command in the View menu or by clicking the button in the toolbar (Windows

Zooming the Image In or Out

You can zoom the image in the image window in or out using either of the methods described below.

The Zoom Tool

To select the zoom tool, either:

• click the button in the Layout Tools palette, or

• select Zoom Cursor from the View menu or using the

button in the toolbar (Windows only)

You can then zoom the image in by clicking anywhere within the image window, or zoom the image out by clicking on the image while holding down the Ctrl (Windows) or option (Macintosh) key.

Pg. For more information on:

43 Flipping and rotating images

only) or Layout Tools palette, and then drag the image in the image window. To view the entire image at the maximum possible zoom ratio, select Fit to Screen from the Window menu. The image can be viewed at a zoom ratio of 1 : 1 by selecting

Actual Size from the Window menu.

Undoing Changes (Macintosh Only)

To undo all changes made to the image since it was last saved, select Revert from the File menu. If the image has yet to be saved, it will be restored to the condition it was in immediately after scanning.

Reference: The Nikon Scan Applet

Changing the Bit Depth and Color Model

In the Windows version of Nikon Scan, you can change the color model and bit depth after scanning the image by selecting a new combination of color model and bit depth from the Document Color Space sub-menu in the Nikon Scan menu. The following options are available:

Option

Description

In the Macintosh version of Nikon Scan, you can change the bit depth of images in the active image window by selecting the desired setting from the Bit Depth sub-menu in the Nikon Scan menu. This can be used, for example, to scan images at a bit depth of more than eight bits, edit them in Nikon Scan, and then convert them to eight bit before saving them in JPEG format.

8-bit

Grayscale

16-bit

Grayscale

24-bit

RGB

48-bit

RGB

32-bit

CMYK

Converts the image to eight-bit grayscale capable of expressing 256 shades of gray. Note that color information lost in the conversion can not be restored by converting the image back to RGB or CMYK.

Converts the image to sixteen-bit grayscale capable of expressing 65,536 shades of gray. Color information lost in the conversion can not be restored by converting the image back to RGB or CMYK.

Converts the image to RGB at a bit-depth of eight bits per color (twenty-four bit RGB).

Converts the image to RGB at a bit-depth of sixteen bits per color (forty-eight bit RGB).

Converts the image to CMYK at a bit-depth of eight bits per color (thirty-two bit CMYK).

Copying a Selection to the Clipboard

To select an area of the image and copy it to the clipboard, first activate the selection cursor by clicking the button in the Layout Tools palette or choosing Selection Cursor from the View menu, then drag the cursor over the image to select a rectangular area. While the selection cursor is active, you can change the size of the selected area by dragging its borders, or move it by placing the cursor inside the selected area and dragging it to a new location. Once you have adjusted the selected area to your satisfaction, select Copy from the Edit menu to copy the selection to the clipboard.

Reference: The Nikon Scan Applet

Editing Images in the Nikon Scan Applet

Images opened in image windows within the Nikon Scan applet can be edited using many of the tools available in the scan window, including the following tool palettes:

• Layout Tools

Flip, rotate, and scroll images, zoom images in or out, select an area to be copied to the clipboard, and display and hide the layout grid

• Information

View information about the color of the pixel under the cursor and the size and location of the current selection

• Curves

Adjust contrast and color balance in specific portions of the tone range (shadows, mid-tones, and highlights).

• Color Balance

Adjust contrast, brightness, and color balance for the entire image

• LCH Editor

Make precise adjustments to brightness, color saturation, and hue

• Unsharp Mask

Increase the sharpness of images by making edges more distinct, either over the entire image or where a selected color predominates

The image opened in the host application after scanning is the image after any changes made in the scan window to curves, color balance, LCH settings, and Unsharp Mask have been applied. As a result, the controls in these palettes will be restored to their default values when the image is opened in an image window in the Nikon Scan applet.

Reference: The Nikon Scan Applet

Pg. For more information on:

95 Flipping and rotating images 95 Zooming images in and out 96 Copying selections to the clipboard 45 The Information palette 63 Curves 76 Color Balance 78 The LCH Editor 85 Unsharp Mask

Saving and Opening Images

Choosing a File Type

The image in the active image window can be saved under a new name by selecting Save As… from the File menu. The Save As dialog for your operating system will be displayed; after navigating to the desired drive and folder, enter a name for the image, and select a file type from the options available, then save the image. Files saved in a format supported by Nikon Scan can be opened in the Nikon Scan applet using the Open… option in the File menu.

Choosing a Compression Ratio

JPEG and PICT images can be compressed using JPEG compression, in which images are divided into blocks eight pixels on a side and detail within each block selectively reduced. Although raising the compression ratio decreases the file size, it also makes the block pattern more visible and may result in noticeable loss of detail (the actual effect depends on the output scale and the type of subject). It is recommended that you save files at the lowest compression ratio possible; if necessary, you can always save them again at a higher compression ratio.

The compression ratio can be chosen using the compression type menu in the Save As dialog. Five options are available, ranging from Excellent Quality, which offers the lowest compression and highest image quality, to High Compression, which offers the highest compression and lowest image quality.

Nikon Scan supports the following file types:

Format Description

NEF, or Nikon Electronic image Format, allows information on curves, color balance, LCH settings, and Unsharp Mask to be saved separately from the image data. You can view the unmodified image data at any time by opening the image in Nikon Scan and hiding changes to settings by clicking the check mark at the top left corner of the appropriate tool palette. NEF can be used to scan images at bit depths of twelve or fourteen bits, with settings in the Digital ICE Cubed

NEF

(Digital ICE3), Analog Gain, and Scanner Extras palettes adjusted before the image is scanned. You can then save the image in NEF format after adjusting brightness, contrast, color balance, and sharpness in the Nikon Scan applet. You can later open the image, undo the changes or make further adjustments as desired, and then save the results in a different format and in a separate file, repeating the process as often as necessary. NEF is supported only in Nikon Scan and Nikon Capture camera control software for Nikon D1 digital cameras.

Reference: The Nikon Scan Applet

Choosing a File Type (continued)

Format Description

JPEG is adequate for images that will be output at low resolution or distributed in electronic form. Images can be compressed, allowing more images to be saved in the same amount of disk space. Note, however, that JPEG compression results in loss of information that can not afterwards be

JPEG

(EXIF)

JPEG (JFIF)

restored. Save files at the lowest compression ratio possible; if necessary, you can always save them again at a higher compression ratio. This format is not available when saving CMYK images or images with a bit depth of sixteen bits per channel. JFIF is the standard JPEG format, widely used in imaging software and web browsers. EXIF is an extension of the JPEG format that allows thumbnail data and information about the image to be included in a JPEG file. This format can be read by most applications that support the JPEG format.

Format Description

Use TIFF when saving images for high-quality output or publishing. Images scanned at a bit depth of twelve or fourteen bits or that have been converted to sixteen bits after scanning will be saved as sixteen-bit TIFF, eight-bit images

TIFF

as eight-bit TIFF. CMYK images will be saved as CMYK TIFF. Although the lack of compression will result in larger files, a high level of image quality will be maintained. This file type is supported by a wide variety of applications on a variety of computer platforms.

PICT, the generic format used on the

PICT

(Macintosh

only)

supports JPEG compression. M users will be able to view files of this type. This format is not available in the Windows version of Nikon Scan, and does not support CMYK, sixteen-bit grayscale, or sixteen-bit RGB.

This is the generic format used on Windows

BMP

(Windows

only)

systems. Most Windows users will be able to view files of this type. This format is not available in the Macintosh version of Nikon Scan, and does not support CMYK, sixteen-bit grayscale, or sixteen-bit RGB.

Macintosh,

ost Macintosh

Reference: The Nikon Scan Applet

Nikon SCAN 3 REFERENCE MANUAL

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Overview

Getting Started

Before You Begin

Installation

Tutorial

The Scan Window

Making a Scan

Reference

Adjusting Focus and Exposure

The Tool Chest

Reusing Settings

The Nikon Scan Applet