Message-Id: <mailto:199504051511.KAA29898@library.wustl.edu> Date: Wed, 5 Apr 1995 08:43:36 CST From: David Riecks <mailto:riecks@CC-MAIL.AGCOMED.UIUC.EDU> Subject: Re: Transparency Adapters for Flatbed Scanners To: Multiple recipients of list IMAGELIB
David:The results I have seen from transparency adapters on flat bed scanner lack adequate shadow detail. If you will be using the images for identification only it might be worth pursuing. I met one photographer who was using one of these devices and getting decent results, but after spending some time discussing the specifics, realized that all of his originals were 4 x 5 transparencies. Most of our work is with 35mm, so we are archiving images onto Kodak Photo-CD.
Don't forget to consider storage costs. If you are trying to get anything more than screen resolution images can eat up a lot of hard drive space (a 8.5 x 11 image in color at 300 ppi ñ8-20 MB). Photo-CD's allow you to have five resolutions of each image at a cost of $1 to $3 each for the 35mm versions(depending of who does it). Master Photo-CD can handle images larger than 35mm...but costs are higher. You also don't have to have trained personnel to handle the scanning. Copying black and white text is far easier than trying to capture the subtle nuances of a continuous tone negative or transparency.
Just my $.02 worth.
David
********************************************************************** *| David Riecks | |* *| University of Illinois | "Without art, we are but |* *| mailto:riecks@uiuc.edu | monkeys with car keys" |* *| mailto:71543.1617@compuserve.com | |* ********************************************************************** ------------------------ I am trying to offer some advice to someone doing volunteer work with a small town library which has a special collections archive of 40,000+ negatives. The library is considering the possibility of putting the collection into a digital image database. The volunteer already has a 486 DX2/66 computer and is in the process of learning Photoshop 3.0.
I am not sure as to the sizes of the negatives, but I assume they are larger than 35mm. Has anyone had experience with transparency adapters for flatbed scanners? The HP ScanJet IIcx has an optional transparency adapter, though it is rather expensive. I would like to know what quality one might expect from this type of setup and if there are any other better alternatives.
Thanks,
David
-- DAVID EDWARD WATSON | | Internet : mailto:dew2w@virginia.edu Voice: 804-295-6736 | FAX: 804-295-3282 | CompuServe: 72066,3142 Snail Mail: 2111 Michie Drive #77, Charlottesville, VA 22901-2872 USA