Message-Id: <mailto:199510291723.LAA28692@library.wustl.edu> Date: Sun, 29 Oct 1995 12:20:25 -0500 From: Joel Wolfson <mailto:DigiWolf@AOL.COM> Subject: Re: Flatbed vs. 35mm scanners To: Multiple recipients of list IMAGELIB
In regard to:>From: George Holmes <mailto:george.holmes@MAIL.UTEXAS.EDU>
>Subject: Scanners
>
>Hi, it's me again.
>
> We are very close to purchasing a Nikon CoolScan. I have been
>getting a bit befuddled lately tho- what with the flat bed scanners gaining
>ground on the Dynamic range of 3.0 and upwards.
> Is it possible that some of the newer flat beds with transparency
>adapters can give me equivalent results to the CoolScan? What else am I
>overlooking, I'm sure there is plenty but I'm in need of all the help I can
>get. Thanx
>
>George Holmes
>Photographer/Imaging Specialist
>Archer M Huntington Art Gallery
>23rd & San Jacinto Street
>The University of Texas
>Austin, Texas 78712
>Ph# 512.471.9194
>Fax#512.471.7023
If you're main purpose is 35mm scans, you'll never acheive the same quality of 35mm scan on a flatbed that you will on a dedicated 35mm scanner such as the CoolScan; Unless you are willing to spend MUCH more money. And at that price point I would be looking at desktop drum scanners. I haven't seen any flatbeds for less than $10,000+ that will rival a CoolScan or SprintScan for doing 35's. I would stay away from the CoolScan unless you have way more time than money. For a few hundred bucks more you can get a Polaroid SprintScan and it will produce a full res scan in under a minute. It's probably ten times that for a CoolScan. I've used both quite a bit and I'd take the Polaroid in a New York second. Also I think the Nikon software is awkward and buggy and the last time I tried getting tech support from Nikon it was unacceptable, or more accurately non existant. I recently tried the new Minolta 35mm scanner. It's fast and produces good scans. It appears to be comparable to the Polaroid SprintScan. You may want to look at it. The Minolta has kind of an odd ball SCSI connector (probably have to special order cables for daisy chaining). Be forewarned the Polaroid has a touchy SCSI connection. On occasion I've had to disconnect other devices and/or shorten the chain to keep it from crashing. I've heard the newer Super CoolScan is very nice but haven't tried it yet. Just to confuse the issue a little more- if you want something multi-purpose and still get 35mm scans, consider the Lumina from Leaf. This "scamera" uses Nikon lenses and will accept a carousel attachment for batch scanning 35mm slides. So you can use it as a camera and a scanner. They're under $5000 without the slide attachment. Let me know if you want more info.
Joel Wolfson DPI Manager Digital Photographics & Imaging a division of West Photo (612) 379-2321 Main (612) 699-2533 Direct E-mail: mailto:digiwolf@aol.com