Creativity suite and other software

...Epson have also included SliverFast 6 (SE) with 4990 scanner, unfortunately this isn't the full version but nevertheless is still capable of producing excellent scans. There are many settings you can use, from curves through to levels and USM. SilverFast did produce some of the best colours from this scanner, but it also altered the files, if your scan has too much brightness applied then you will lose the highlight details. The best way to scan is by capturing as much information with the file as possible and then alter the image in Photoshop.

SilverFast SE interface	USM in SilverFast
Master shot
Using Epson Scan	Using SilverFast SE

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Conclusion

...The scanner is supplied with two excellent software items, SilverFast 6 SE scanning software and Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0. I have always liked SilverFast software and this version is no exception. However, the Epson Scan software produced some excellent scans and I felt that SilverFast wasn't offering much more. Epson Scan is an easier option for those who may not be familiar with scanning practices, for more experienced users the professional mode left nothing much to be desired. Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0 is a terrific imaging application, which incorporates many of the features found in Photoshop, it is an application which should not be underestimated. It's a pity that it isn't the latest version -Elements 3.0....

(Read the full article: photo-i, Vincent Oliver, 2005)