Customer Reviews

Minolta DiMAGE Scan Dual II Film Scanner

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I had some difficulty obtaining quality scans with this scanner, and the software wasn't very efficient. Focusing was often inaccurate. However, I tried Viewscan software and the results became very acceptable and fast. 4 slides at 2800 dpi in about 10 minutes. Accurate colors and 8x10 prints are very sharp. I have scanned about 600 slides without a malfunction.

I have now owned this film scanner for nearly a year. I have scanned approximately 150 slides and 50 negatives in this time period. From these files, I have produced 50 8'10 prints using an inexpensive inkjet printer. Every one of these prints is superior to what I would expect to receive from an above-average color photo lab.
The scanner produces sufficiently large files for an 8'10 at 300 dpi. Once you set up the color management options, the software minimizes the need for any major post-processing in a program like photoshop. This is not a fast scanner, but fast scanners producing 4000 dpi cost 3-4 times the price of this unit.
I can recommend this unit to anyone looking for an inexpensive, yet capable film scanner.

I was very disappointed in this scanner. It's extremley lightweight and has a cheap feel. When operating, it emits a number of noises and vibrations, all of which reinforce the impression of cheapness. It uses a USB bus, and will operate very slowly unless you can dedicate the bus to it (no mouse, joystick, etc. on the same bus). If operated on a dedicated bus, the actual scan speed is okay, but the preview and focus speeds are still painfully slow. The scan quality was okay, but nothing spectacular. The software wasn't very intuitive, and seemed to get in the way more than help the process.

To make matters worse, the scanner stopped working correctly after only a dozen or so scans. I must now send it off to one of two Minolta service centers to be repaired, paying insured shipping both ways. To be honest, I don't even really want to bother - the scanner is that disappointing. All in all, I wish I had gone with one of the better-known and established names like Nikon or Polaroid.

The scanner is a decent , affordable package for low volume scanning of 35mm film (APS users add $200 for the APS adapter), but the software is a letdown for any volume scanning.
The software is not fully automated to do volume scanning, requiring manual intervention when saving (e.g. selecting filename and file format).
However, my biggest gripe is that the software does not show you the orientation of each frame without doing a 90sec preview first. When you want to scan 80 rolls of film, I'd rather just skip the preview and get straight to the scan. This sometimes results in upside down or flipped scans as I would have forgotten what orientation each frame was in.
One of the few USB and Macintosh compatible scanners, although more appear to be on the horizon.

I bought this scanner and while pleased with the some of the scans, the software always seems to be locking up and is quite a nuisance. It is currently in the shop being repaired. If the Nikon IV wasn't so much money, I would have dumped it and went with it.

Scanner gives Great Color and Contrast but the setup seems to take forever, under Win2000 scans terminated if IE/NS Browsers are used. ...,

I bought this scanner to do several hundred family slides. I found a refurbished one, and was able to get that with my limited budget.

The scanner came in an old box, and without the original packing - unlike other refurbished items I've bought before; which came in new boxes and with new packing. I was suspicious, but continued anyway, because I need to get the family's stuff done.

I hooked it up and installed it per the instructions. The scanner initialized correctly, but when I went to insert the slide holder, it just sat and rattled loudly. It then kicked the slide holder out an eighth inch at a time. No amount of re-installs, re-initializations, or gently "helping" the slide tray into the scanner did any good. I wasted three whole days in fiddling with it.

What's worse is that Minolta has gone out of this business, and Sony (Consumer) is now in charge of parts and service. Sony (Consumer) does not have any online resources, updates, or any other type of support for this device. You have to rely upon hearsay materials from the internet. I used to repair broadcast video gear for a living, but this is cheaply made inside with cheap connectors and cables. They're designed to mate only once; if you have to unplug them, you throw the cable out and put in a new one. I suspect that's the case with my 'refurbished' unit. Other knocks: the transport mechanism is all plastic.

I sent it back, and took the bath on the restocking fee. Somebody else can risk their money on this useless, time-sucking box.