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	Scanhancer intro Advantages Models & details FAQ About Downloads User comments Order now Contact us Did you know what your Minolta Dimage Scan Multi Pro is capable of? Well, we didn't until we invented the Scanhancer 5LE: the little piece of hardware Minolta forgot to put in the box. Scanhancer 5LE is a 'smart' diffuser, treating the (overly) collimated scanner light so that much better scans are now possible, rivaling drum scan quality by mimicking the effect of wet mounting. The Scanhancer is made of a high quality non-extruded optical polymer containing billions of micro bubbles. This makes it highly light transmissive, when compared to grained or frosted diffusing materials. It has no visible structure, so that it cannot disturb the image quality of scans. The surfaces are not frosted, but smooth as glass, so that the Scanhancer 5LE can be placed just above the film surface without being 'seen'. It is vital that the Scanhancer 5LE sits just above the film surface for optimum diffusing effect. The 'smart' diffusing is found in the fact that different wavelengths are diffused to a different amount. Infrared light is left untouched, thus leaving ICE functionality fully intact and even improving it. The blue light is diffused most as this wavelength is the main cause of grain grittyness in scans. This differing diffusing is lineary going up from red to blue, making it easy to compensate for the small colour shift that is caused by the shifting loss of light. The fact that the Scanhancer 5LE polymer is not extruded is very important in order to avoid tension in the material, which could cause colour fringes due to polarizing effects. This absence of tension also avoids bending when it warms up during scanning. It might seem a minor detail but bending could have unwanted optical effects (uneven reflection) and possibly endanger the safety of the inner scanner mechanics. The Scanhancer 5LE stays perfectly flat. Remarkable Fact: Minolta has been so charmed by the idea behind the Scanhancer 5LE that they have implemented it into their Elite 5400 35mm scanner and call it "Minolta's own unique Grain Dissolver". Another Remarkable Fact: recently Imacon, maker of state-of-the-art film scanners, has also been illuminated by the diffuser idea. Their latest and greatest model, the Flextight 949, has a new light source design: it incorporates a special diffuser too now! Wish they had done that with their former greatest model, the Flextight 848, too.