I have just started to use a Minolta Dimage Scan Dual and whenever I scan a slide the image always comes up very dark. Using brightness/ contrast improves the image to some extent,but the end result is always much poorer than the original. I have been unable to find any help in the Minolta ref. guide or "HELP" files. I am very new to digital imaging and have been looking forward to printing some 1500 images of the Scottish Island which I have taken over recent years. Can anyone help a newcomer to Digital Imaging please. Bill O'Brien,Carlisle,Cumbria,U.K.

-- Bill O'Brien (willskip@tesco.net), August 21, 1999

Answers

Hi Bill, sorry for the slooow response! - I'm so swamped, I rarely make it into our own forum these days!

Rather than brightness/contrast, try playing with the midtone slider on the Histogram control - This adjusts "gamma," which is what you're really needing to get at. Another possible hint, although I didn't have the chance to try it: A reader wrote in that holding down the option key on the Mac, or Alt key (I think) on the PC when you hit the "preview" button onscreen will produce a much better-exposed preview scan to start with.

Hope this helps, good luck!

-- Dave Etchells (web@imaging-resoure.com), September 12, 1999.