Topic: Filmwasters Guide to the Pakon F135 Plus scanner

[tkmedia]

added keyboard shortcuts, they were on the Facebook page but I did contribute a lot of them before I left the group.

[tkmedia]

added a few more aspi screen shots.

[MacArron]

A Pakon user here. I used your info long before I registered in this forum. I'd like to thank you for the complete info.

It's amazing the results of this device, though the automatic process doesn't allow accurate results. But all in all it is very useful.

I have tried with slides but results are very bad so I gave up.

[tkmedia]

A Pakon user here. I used your info long before I registered in this forum. I'd like to thank you for the complete info.

It's amazing the results of this device, though the automatic process doesn't allow accurate results. But all in all it is very useful.

I have tried with slides but results are very bad so I gave up.

No, problem. It was a much smaller article before. The only reason I decided to expanded it was because at the time i keep on hearing repeated questions on the Facebook Pakon group, and other places on this scanner. While a lot of questions were answered, it was hard to locate. I changed my review of the scanner into a usage guide, then a setup guide.

The only thing I use it for is quick scans as im not a very serious 35mm film user. I didnt write anything re scanning slides, too much hassle to get it work with not enough advantages imo.

[MacArron]

Recently I tried with slides again  This time I used quite an old Agfa CT Precisa (3 years now) and I must say they weren't that bad, I mean, the images were ok, sharp and the scanner did not return an error, but some of them (most of them) had weird colours that, and this is the worst part, I was not able to correct.

Also, if I managed to get one of them to its point, I could not use the same adjustments on the next one.

If I ever find a solution, I will post it here for sure 

[tkmedia]

Recently I tried with slides again 

If I ever find a solution, I will post it here for sure 

I never really had any errors on slides, there are different way to get good slide scans like you said, but not anything consistent enough to produce a good workflow imo. Have you used the TLXClient for this?

[tkmedia]

updated portion on VM install, mentioning best practice for virtual hard drives.

[Aksel]

Thank you!

I`m still awaiting delivery of my "new" F135 Plus, need to sort out the setup, eager to test it!

[MacArron]

Have you used the TLXClient for this?

Mmmm, I am not sure. I can't remember  That was almost one year ago and I didn't answered you back in time  Sorry

But you're fully right: you can get decent scans from slides to be individually processed and corrected in PS or similar, sadly. However that correction is not satisfactory at all, at least for me by now.

I hope someone obtains a decent workflow for slides, and of course, shares it with the community 

[tkmedia]

I`m still awaiting delivery of my "new" F135 Plus, need to sort out the setup, eager to test it!

Let me know if things are unclear or if you have any questions.

[tkmedia]

I hope someone obtains a decent workflow for slides, and of course, shares it with the community 

I dont think it can easily be done, maybe something to do with the LED based lighting.

[Francois]

I'm strangely wondering if the light source on these isn't filtered to help minimize the orange mask before the light hits the sensor?

[MacArron]

I'm strangely wondering if the light source on these isn't filtered to help minimize the orange mask before the light hits the sensor?

Could be...

The LED light is blue, opposite to orange 

[MacArron]

I hope someone obtains a decent workflow for slides, and of course, shares it with the community 

I dont think it can easily be done, maybe something to do with the LED based lighting.

Yes, I agree. Too complicated...

[Francois]

Then that's why it's so hard to scan slides...

[tkmedia]

xTRA PART 3
How to scan Panoramic
on Pakon F135 Plus

• Launch TLXClientDemo (Start, Programs, Pakon)
  (C:\Program Files\Pakon\F-X35 COM SERVER\TLXClientDemo.exe)
• On the left pane click Scan
  
  \ Scan /
• Select proper Film Color, Resolution radio button settings as desired and choose Single Strip
  
  \ Scan Settings /
  
• Click Scan, and feed the film like usual. Remove film from exit path
• On the left pane click Move Oldest Roll from Scan Group to Save Group.
  
  \ Scan group /
• A scan summary will appear, click OK.
• A image will be displayed, but will be cropped for a single 24x36mm image.
• How to Adjust Frame Size
  Click Framing in the left pane to display the Framing Adjustment.
• Ensure that the left part of the image is displayed so that the frame can be seen. If not add or subtract values using the Left input field. Click the Apply button to preview the results.
  
  \ 9: Left adjustment /
• Click the Adjust Cropping radio.
• Finding width value
  example for 24 x 72mm Holga 135Pan frames the width is approx 6500 or so. The frame spacing on Holgas are a bit unpredictable. With this info I would guess that XPan images at 24 x 65mm and Noblex at 24 x 66mm at approx 5870 wide or so. Widelux F are at 24 x 59mm so at least 5330 width or so. The KMZ Horizont / Horizon are at 24×58mm a value at about a bit under 5000 wide.
• Calculating Right Value
  With a calculator take your Left value and add Width value to get the Right value and use the Apply button to preview the results. Modify values as necessary. Ensure that the frame edges capture the entire photo.
  
  \ Calculating Right Value /
• Use the Next button to advance to the next exposure. To get the Left value use the previous Right value and subtract -150 to 200 or so. Modify values as necessary. Add Width value and the subtracted value to get the Right value. Repeat until done with the entire roll / strip.
  
• Afterwards use the Delete Picture button to delete the extra photos at the end. Be careful there is no confirmation of delete.
• File name, Directory.
  Go back to the first photo using the Previous button. Adjust the Picture Attributes section on the right pane, making sure the File Name and Directory are as desired. In File name I would typically just put the frame number. The default Directory location is C:\Temp, but can be changed by typing in the desired location path. Click Next thru all photos and repeat for additional exposures. Double check the file names for each photo. Rename if necessary. Make sure they are all different so they don't overwrite existing photos.
  
  \ File Name & Directory settings /
• Click the Save Button on the left pane.
• Save Settings
  In Picture Selection select All Pictures.
• In Type of Save Operation select To Disk
• Choose your preferred file type and click OK. The filetype you chose will add .jpg or tif to the name you specified in step 15 .
  Remember to uncheck scratch removal if scanning B&W film. Your photos will be located in the directory specified in step 15.
  \ Save Settings /
  

The Easy way (sort of)
Instead of doing all the calculations for cropping you can scan multiple frames. Once you obtain the Left field you can randomly insert a gigantic number into the Right field and that will result in a error Invalid Frame Data. This error message informs you of the width that was scanned. Input this number into the Right field and multiple photos can be scanned onto a single file. Use an image editor to crop and save the images. Note this method does not always work with the entire roll but smaller strips work okay.

[Aksel]

xTRA PART 3
How to scan Panoramic
on Pakon F135 Plus

Thank you for sharing!
I have 30+ rolls from the Widelux in need of digitalization, and finally got the scanner set up in my office. It only took what? Two years 



A

[Francois]

Like they say: better late than never

[tkmedia]

I have 30+ rolls from the Widelux in need of digitalization, and finally got the scanner set up in my office. It only took what? Two years 

Its a pretty weird hackish way of scanning panoramic. Id suggest a pad of paper and a calculator by the computer. Lots of manual entries of numbers, feels like working on a spread sheet! haha also please share your scanning width of your widelux.  The number i gave was just an estimate based on the width of other films.

[Aksel]

I have 30+ rolls from the Widelux in need of digitalization, and finally got the scanner set up in my office. It only took what? Two years 

Its a pretty weird hackish way of scanning panoramic. Id suggest a pad of paper and a calculator by the computer. Lots of manual entries of numbers, feels like working on a spread sheet! haha also please share your scanning width of your widelux.  The number i gave was just an estimate based on the width of other films.

Haha! Yea, I`ll give it a try to see how time consuming it actually is. Might be faster to work with the epson v750 and just place the negatives directly on the glass with another "anti-newton" glass to keep it in place!? Will post results as soon as I get around to start the scanning 

[tkmedia]

I guess it also depending on how you store your negative. If you kept it uncut in rolls scanning on the pakon will 100% be faster. This method takes me less than a half hour per uncut roll.

[Aksel]

Up until Pakon, mostly i 6x strips, some uncut and some singel images - those I want to do something with. I guess I will now reconsider what would be the most practical approach.
If I could choose I would just take pictures and let someone else handle the results but I guess that is not an option 

[tkmedia]

added approx Horizon width value