SilverFast Archive Suite 8

      Photo Review 8.0

      In summary

      LaserSoft Imaging’s SilverFast Archive Suite 8 consists of two complementary applications: SilverFast Ai Studio 8 and SilverFast HDR Studio 8.

      The quality produced by the scanner is high enough for archived images, making SilverFast Ai Studio 8 a valid choice for both professional photographers and serious enthusiasts with enough images to scan to justify the investment.

      HDR Studio 8 is less easy to recommend because it adds very little to Ai Studio 8 and lacks many tools photographers might need for ‘finishing’ scanned images.

      Full review

      LaserSoft Imaging’s SilverFast Archive Suite 8 consists of two complementary applications: SilverFast Ai Studio 8 and SilverFast HDR Studio 8. Together, they provide a superior scanner driver with facilities for dust and scratch removal, colour calibration and dynamic range optimisation plus a post-scan image adjustment application. Ai Studio 8 lets users save scans as high-bit depth (48- or 64-bit) files that can be accessed within HDR Studio 8 for ‘finishing’.

      Most scanned images are likely to require additional work to remove dust and scratch marks that weren’t picked up during the scan. The iSRD is pretty good but there will always be situations when blemishes are missed, regardless of the capabilities of the software. The same is true for the AACO tool, which operates globally across the image; there are times when adjustments should be confined to discrete areas.

      We have some reservations about the high price tags commanded by the SilverFast applications, although for anyone who wants to squeeze the best possible quality out of images recorded on film or paper Ai Studio 8 represents the best-performing and most versatile scanning application we have used thus far.

      Specs

      • Systems compatibility: Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8 (32/64), Mac OS X from 10.5 (Intel Mac only)
      • Scanners supported: All enthusiast/professional models from the major scanner manufacturers (including Canon, Epson, Microtek, Nikon, PIE, Plustek and Reflecta)
      • Features: Fully automatic IT8 scanner calibration; rapid scanning into a 64bit HDRi RAW data archive, incl. infrared data; image optimisation for different applications using SilverFast HDR Studio; batch processing via JobManager
      • Disk space requirement: Min. 2 GB free space on hard disk drive for the software file plus 20 GB free space on the main system hard disk drive for the cache
      • Minimum RAM: 2 GB RAM main memory (4 GB RAM recommended)
      • Computer interface: DVD drive or internet connection (QuickTime Player and PDF reader required); colour calibrated monitor recommended
      • ICC Profile support: Yes, includes more than 120 ‘canned’ negative profiles.

       

      Rating

      RRP: AU$549 or 499 Euros

      • Ease of use: 8.5
      • Scan quaity: 9.0
      • Versality: 8.3

       

      Buy