Instructions for using the ST ViewScan Microform Reader/Scanner
Basic Run Down
- Switch on microform carriage (black switch at front right).
- Press switch in at top for film or fiche.
- Press switch in at bottom for aperture cards.
- Pull microform carriage gently forward by handle in front of buttons so that glass lid raises.
- Load new film on left-hand spool with film coming off top right.
- Pass film under white roller, under glass and under second white roller.
- Thread into right-hand spool.
- Hand wind on a few turns in clockwise direction.
- Push microform carriage gently back so tray is fully engaged at rear and film is under glass viewer.
- Ask Staff to log you on to the computer.
- Click Microfilm icon on the desktop.
- You should see an image of the film in the microfilm carriage on screen.
Viewing Image
On the Microform/microfilm reader
- Press right hand red button to advance film quickly.
- Press right hand grey button to advance film slowly.
- Left hand buttons will reverse direction of film.
- Browse button will advance or reverse film at slow speed.
- Browse speed may be adjusted by black knob.
- Should film advance too far and come off left-hand spool, feed film back in reverse of step 3 from the Getting started section and thread into left-hand spool. Hand wind a few times in an anti-clockwise direction.
On the computer
- You are automatically in Browse. Various icons down the left hand side will allow you to manipulate and enhance the image
Tools to enhance the image on the screen
- Rotation: move the image through 90° in the direction listed Using the rotate right and rotate left icons
- Flip: if the film has somehow been loaded back to front click on
- Mirror image and the image will be readable.
- Flip vertical will change the view by 180°.
- Adjust Light Levels: This button allows control of brightness and contrast.
- Auto Focus: If you have zoomed in or out and the image is no longer in focus, this button will automatically refocus the image [it takes about 1 minute].
- Focus: If you have zoomed in or out and the image is no longer in focus, these buttons will allow you to manually refocus the image.
- Digital zoom: These buttons will allow you to zoom in or out slowly.
Positive / negative: If an item (a newspaper for example) has been copied as a negative so that it appears as white writing on a black background these buttons will allow to change to black writing on white background [and vice versa].
Magnify: This allows you to change the image to a certain set
of magnifications [see also Digital zoom above]. Image can also be fitted to screen using Magnify.
Revised January 2022
Instructions for using the ST ViewScan Microform Reader/Scanner
Selecting an image to print or save
Whole Page
- Select – Capture Full frame (bottom left of screen)
- A thumbnail will appear in box at bottom.
Part of a page
- Click on Cropping tab at very top left of screen. Cursor will change to +
- Click on screen (above and to left of part to be selected), hold down and drag down and right to create rectangle enclosing article.
- You can use multiple rectangles to select more articles (Selections will automatically merge should they overlap).
- Click Clear Selections if you wish to redo cropping.
- Click on Capture Cropped Area icon (at bottom of screen) when you are satisfied with cropped image selected
- A thumbnail will appear in box at bottom
Saving
- Click on File (very top left of screen).
- Select File Save
- Click on little tick box just above image if not already selected
- Select the format you want.
- JPEG, TIFF, PDF or multipage for several images which will print on one page.
- Open folder next to Save Location box and select the location on the hard drive where you would like the image to be saved.
- The save name will be the name you choose for your thumbnail.
- Select OK.
- Click on Save icon to save file.
To save to USB memory stick
- Select –Capture Full frame or Capture Cropped Area (bottom left)
- A thumbnail image should appear in box at bottom.
- Click on thumbnail image.
- Ad an image name in box.
- Close image i.e. x out of Captured Image Review
- Click on File (very top left of screen).
- Select – File Save
- Click on little tick box just above image if not already selected
- Select – Format e.g. JPEG, TIFF or PDF or multipage for several images which will print on one page.
- Open folder next to Save Location box and select the location on the hard drive where you would like the image to be saved.
- The save name will be the name you choose for your thumbnail.
- Insert USB into Hard Drive
- Select – Removable disk (F:) or name of USB on F: and name file
- Select – OK.
- Click on Save icon to save to USB.
Note: Files can also be saved to This PC, Desktop and then saved to USB.
Finishing up
- Please rewind microfilm back onto the original roll.
- To wind back microfilm hold down left orange button to rewind.
- Turn light switch off on Microfilm carriage
- Log out of computer.
- Press the window button down on the key board and the letter L to log out.
- Replace microfilm in relevant box and put on some cart near the microfilm
Troubleshooting
If the reel will not rewind.
- Check the small switch to the left of your reel, this alters which way the reel will spin, and adjust accordingly.