Software
Image Garden I have not installed because so can not say. The important IJ Scan Utility uses it to control the scanner. The automatic modes I have left are left, I miss important parts of the control over the scanning process. I have worked only under the mode ScanGear with advanced settings. The software is 1.0.2 Copyright 2012, but felt even older and a bit confusing. For the Windows 7-adaptation was probably not invested a lot of time, "forgets" Windows 7 they also like to have a setting from one session to the next. So the most important parameters always check shortly. But it was only the beginning for me that way. I then started in XP SP2 compatibility mode, so in my opinion the software are more familiar.
Scan negatives
I have my small picture negatives scanned at 2400dpi, equivalent to about 7 megapixels with a digicam. This is sufficient for my purposes. Important settings are FARE (dust and scratches removed) and High Quality = ON. The setting is tucked under to find "exposure / color settings" but very important for the result. Unclear why the default is "Off". You can clamp the negatives about the enclosed holder with two parallel brackets. They're usually cut into strips of four images, so you can simultaneously insert two more strips. But it is also possible to "stick out" to let the negatives and then insert four strips, two one must then turn around again in the next round, as only six negatives fit into a bracket. The negatives come with the matte side down into the holder. Why the holder is so bad in some reviews off is beyond me. I've learned to appreciate him, he keeps the negatives in a good shape, is very easy to use and 100% locked straight. The actual scanning will take approximately 2 minutes per negative ie 16-24 minutes. I have always done only in passing, if I had to do something else for a greater number of films that's quite a project for the winter. For my 2400 negatives I have invested about 80-90h scan time.
In the Preview ScanGear presents the already exempted pictures, you have to rotate them only when necessary. If the image is a mirror image, the wrong side is below. Then rather not correct about the software, but insert the strip in the correct direction. This important support of the software works perfectly.
I would also like to scan some 16mm negatives from a compact camera (Ritsch-Ratsch-click). There is neither a holder nor a support in the software. You can with a little tinkering to get out, but the effort it is really big. The negatives must all be separated and are tensioned by far in the holder. It was not worth it to me. I have also experimented with the demo version of SilverFast (scanner supports natively) but is too confusing and better it has thus not worked. The part has remained the same way. If the passage is completed, the software can play a small sound, which is useful if you casually what's cooking or television looks.
Scan photos
I then scanned, for I have no negatives about 500 photos. That's pretty fast. On the transparency unit must necessarily top the cover, otherwise the automatic cropping is not working. 10x15 always match two photos on the scanner, as the edge and between the pictures about 1cm space must be left. The pictures should just lie but minor deviations to 10-15 degrees expects the software out again. Thus, you do not have to overdo it is correctly positioned. I've done always by eye. I've scanned with 600dpi photos. Pro photo you have to expect about 10s, going so fast out of hand. Within a few hours you have a pretty good stack of photos being scanned. If you want to scan glued photos from a photo album, you must unfortunately accept and mark the images in the preview individually with a rubber band and individually scan farewell to the automatic cropping. So multiple scanning passes per album. This is time-consuming. Automatic Cropping lets estimated at 5-10% of the images are a small white border, which has to be reworked manually then. With negatives it works with 100% accuracy.
Papers
A few A4 documents I have scanned, the scanner can also create multi-page PDFs in one pass. Everything worked well. If you have to scan mountains of documents, but I would rather rely on a scanner with automatic document feeder back, this device is optimized for negatives and photos.
Equipment
The piano finish I find nonsense, because these attract dust and that you do not want to now with a scanner. You can also start automatic scan directly on the scanner over a couple of buttons on the device itself. Was not important to me. The USB connection works without complaint, between 2.0 and 3.0, however, I have noticed no difference.
Conclusion
The quality of the results has convinced me and the automatic cropping takes a lot of work from. The scanner was the right choice for the job. The software does what it should, but would have to be renovated again, deliver a star.
