RE: [APML] Epson 4870 scanner (Was Wide field Packman nebula)

["Andrew Clegg" <andy@w4je.com>]

Alan,

Not sure if you read my previous post on this topic (or just ignored it!),
but the Microtek ScanMaker i900 is worth a look. It's their newest high-end
flatbed.

I've been using the i900 for a couple of months with good results. I
carefully compared several flatbeds' features, and it seems that the i900
was, IMHO,
the best bet. The URL is http://www.microtekusa.com/smi900.html. The price
of
the i900 is about the same as the pro version of the 4870. The only
drawbacks of the i900 I've noticed so far:

1) It's big and heavy (though it does do up to legal size reflectives)
2) The medium format film carrier only does individual frames, not strips.
However, I've adapted a Super Proofer to circumvent this problem
when I don't want to cut strips apart; I can scan an entire roll of 120 6x6
with one pass.
3) Scans are a bit slow. If I run a 16x sampling of a 6x7 frame @ 48 bit
depth, it takes about 20 minutes.
4) Scanner control software is pretty good, but not great

But the advantages are:

1) It scans film in a separate drawer that does not use glass
2) It will do glass-less film scans up to 4x5 (up through 8x10 if you use
glass carrier)
3) Good dmax claimed (4.2)
4) High res (3200 dpi optical, though this is impractical except for 35 mm
due to file size)
5) USB2.0 and Firewire (includes both cables)
6) Lots of extras included in the box; you will not need anything else
[software (including digital ICE), cables, test targets, all film holders,
manuals, etc., are included]
7) It will do legal size reflectives

Now if I only had a computer with enough RAM to deal with 3200 dpi scans of
my 6x7 transparencies...

CS,
Andy

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