Car from my gallery image "Discovery"

[G. Couch]

A couple of people asked about the car, so here is the original scan. This is from a huge group of Kodachromes that my Great Grandfather took during his various travels around the world (he was a bit of photography nut! ) The car is a Lancia...well...at least the hubcaps are!

The slide was scanned with an Epson 2450, which has really been a workhorse for me...and gives pretty sharp scans. I have not cleaned the dust from this yet. In fact all the color correction and contrast adjustments were done in the scanning software. (Silverfast)...makes life much easier when you can do some of the correcting prior to the scan!

Not sure where this was taken...Italy or southern France? The woman in the back seat is my great grandmother...she does not look real happy to me!

[DannyRaphael]

Very cool car (and photo), Greg. "They don't make 'em like they used to" certainly applies here!

[OhThatGirl2001]

Neat pictures...

Nice scan. Is your Epson a photo scanner or is it a scanner with an attachment for slides? I'm interested in the software used (Silverfast) can you elaborate a bit.

Lisa
P.S. No turkey tonight - huh!

[G. Couch]

No turkey Lisa! ...actually (and this might sound strange) I am getting used to this schedule. I have done my best work, digital or otherwise, in months. I seem to go to sleep around 4, sleep for 4 hours and then get up...later in the afternoon I sleep another 3-4 hours. Weird...but seems to get the creative juices flowing.

The Epson is a flatbed with a slide adapter built into the lid. Barry Fairclough wrote a review here ... I strated to work on one as well that focused on Silverfast...just have not finished it yet! For a flatbed, it gives very sharp scans and after switching from the Epson Twain to Silverfast I have been been getting great color...even on these ancient Kodachromes. I'll see if I can get my Silverfast review done within the next week or so.

[OhThatGirl2001]

Thanks Greg,

I have a flatbed scanner with a slide attachment - HP Scanjet 5470c. It's not bad for scanning negatives and so so for scanning slides. I think a flatbed scanner has limitations. I've scanned over 100 or so kodachome slides from the late 50's early 60's. The dust is a real pain to deal with.

As far as your sleep pattern goes... It's not good. I'm sure you feel you get a lot of work done this way - I thought the same. I was so desperate for quiet time with no interuption - that I trained myself to actually come alive at 11:00. I found it to be hard on my body after a while. I would go to bed between 1:00-3:00 and then have to get my girls off to school - which meant I had to wake up at around 7:00. By lunch time, I was ready for a nap. I never really had more than 4 hours in a stretch (that was the most at night). I ended up being very run down. It really was a vicious cycle. I realize as we get older, we require less sleep. I've read that 6 hours is sufficient. I just know for me, I was never getting a full 6 hours and after a while the sleep deprevation really got to me. Be careful - please.

Lisa

[G. Couch]

Lisa - The Epson 2450 is really the best consumer level flatbed I have seen for slides and negs. 2400 dpi probably has something to do with it...and I think Epson really went all out to try and capture the amatuer / semi-pro market. I actually use it more for scanning artwork and objects than slides...and it REALLY shines when scanning 3d objects.

The sleep thing probably will catch up to me...but hopefully not before I can get all my slides of artwork out to galleries!

[BigAl]

Could you zoom in on the badge above the radiator grill? Would be interesting to see if you can read that.

[G. Couch]

blown up 200% and over sharpened...can't really make out much...

[BigAl]

I found this site which has a whole host of Lancia models. (look under models - one of those sites which hijack everything in your browser )

[G. Couch]

Ha! just found the exact same site! ...can;t find the model but it is a Lancia front grill - http://www.omicron.uk.com/lanciacent...sc/aprilia.jpg

[G. Couch]

Almost - http://www.motorbase.com/vehicle/N1/...5/picture.html

[BigAl]

Gee, Mussolini's car...

but you're right. Right model

[G. Couch]

Yeah, I noticed the Mussolini bit...doubt Lancia was very proud of that little part of their history.

[chris h]

That car looks like its right hand drive or perhaps its just the curve of the facia. Italians usually drive on the wrong side of the road, well most of the time !
My local Lancia fetishist says the bodywork is by Pinnafarina, the car chassis left the factory with just an engine and was fitted with bodywork by the purchasers preferred coachbuilder.

[BigAl]

Here's something from the carsfromitaly site regarding the Astura:

The Astura became a favourite of the coachbuilders and many, many different versions were built by almost all of the leading names.