Laboratory of Synapse Structure and Function
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The scanner must be connected to the PC via either a USB 2.0 or Firewire port to achieve maximum throughput.  Turn on the scanner and wait approximately 45 seconds until the self-test procedure is completed. Start Photoshop.

1.  From Photoshop File/Import menu select "Silverfast Microtek (32-bit)."

2.  The last image scanned should appear in major window.

3.  Select the General tab in the Silverfast Ai window and confirm the following settings:

            Scan mode = Normal(file) 

            Original = transparency

            Positive/Negative = Negative

            Frame-set = Save

4.  Select the Frame tab and confirm the following settings:

            Scan type = 16 -> 8 bit grayscale

            Filter = none

            Setting = Save

            Image type = Standard

            Name = this can be anything, before each scan you will enter the directory and filename for the negative

            Original = dimensions should be ~ 2.9 x 3.6 inches

            Scale % = 100 [VERY IMPORTANT!  MUST BE 100%!]

            Output = Original dimensions

            Q factor = 1.0

            Screen = 1000

            DPI = 1000 [VERY IMPORTANT!]

5.  Select the Densitometer tab.  It should show the last image scanned with the black box of the label to the right side of the negative.  If not, press the "Scan Rotation 90" icon until that orientation is achieved.

6.  The Negative window should have the following values:  Other, Other, Standard, and 0.0.

DO NOT CLOSE THE NEGATIVE WINDOW.  Just move it out of the way.

7.  Load the negative upside down, as if the label is being read from the beneath the negative, into the front negative holder.  Always hold negatives by the edges and it is good idea to wear lint-free cotton gloves to prevent getting finger prints on the negatives.  By convention, negatives are positioned with the label toward the back of the scanner and the "top" edge against the left side of the holder.  Position the edge of the negative opposite the label tightly against the front of the holder.  Close the holding mechanism over the negative taking care not to move, bend or deform the negative.  CONFIRM THAT THE NEGATIVE HOLDER INSERT (which has the two negative holders) IS FULLY PRESSED DOWN EVENLY IN THE DRAWER.  Close the drawer completely.

8.  On the first negative only, do a prescan.  Adjust the area of the scan and, only if necessary, adjust the brightness/contrast.  Most negatives do not need any adjustments.  Scanning results are generally more consistent if "Auto correction" is not active and both the "Histogram" and "Gradation" are also inactive.  If necessary open the latter two and click on the “Reset” button to turn them off.  Different members of the lab may have preferences for the amount of contrast and brightness in the images they align and trace.  However, the scanned images should avoid extremes of contrast and brightness to avoid loosing information in the negative.  After this initial alignment, press the zoom icon in the control panel window.  Another prescan will be done and only the negative holder being used will be visible at higher magnification.  This allows you to more precisely align the scan lines on the negative image.  This prescan and alignment procedure is usually done only on the first negative scanned in a session and only needs to be repeated if the contrast of the negatives changes.

9.  When the adjustments are made, press the Scan Gray button.

10.  A “Save file” dialog box opens. Select the folder, enter the filename*, confirm the file format is tif, and press save.  The scan starts.  The prescanned image is displayed in the large window throughout the session. The image being scanned shows up only in a small window during the course of the scanning.  Looking at that image should be sufficient to confirm that the brightness, contrast and alignment in the scanner are satisfactory. When the scan is finished it is rotated and the file is saved.

11.  Remove the scanned negative, put it back in its envelope and position the next negative.  If you position the negative with care and the contrast doesn't change significantly, you do not need to do a prescan on each negative.  Press Scan Gray, enter the filename and proceed.

12.  When you have finished, use a graphic program’s “browse” or “thumbnail” feature to confirm all negatives are properly oriented.

*If you are scanning negatives for someone else, please confirm with them what “filename” format they prefer.  Some may prefer to use the negative number while others may use something else, e.g., sample and section number.

Assuming only the first negative is prescanned, it is possible to scan the rest of the negatives in less than two minutes each, depending to a large extent on how long it takes to exchange negatives.  Therefore, it may be possible to scan a series of 150 negatives in just over 5 hours.

Last Updated: 05/13/2004