We spent a few months with an Epson Perfection V700 using it to scan everything from documents to medium format film. It won't surprise anyone that it handled reflective material well, but the real question was how well it scanned film -- which were helped considerably by the latest version of SilverFast Ai. Our report covers both the less expensive V700 model and its more expensive cousin, the V750 -- and even explains those mysterious height adjusters.
4800x9600-dpi resolution with 48-bit color to scan ganged prints, two-up slides and negatives and create text-based PDFs with links automatically. $99.99 list price.
by Mike Pasini, Editor, The Imaging Resource Newsletter (December 2007)
It's hard to believe we first wrote about the M1 in October 2006, publishing a short feature in the newsletter on the state of the art in scanning. Last Friday, FedEx delivered the $699 Microtek ArtiScan M1 and we thought we'd share our experience with it in our diary format (including an installation gallery). You've waited long enough.
by Mike Pasini, Editor, The Imaging Resource Newsletter (April 2004)
We're seriously starting think about looking for the Fountain of Youth and a camcorder that takes great stills after spending some time with the Microtek ScanMaker i900. It scans both flats and film with 3200-dpi resolution and a DMax of 4.2.
by Mike Pasini, Editor, The Imaging Resource Newsletter (February 2006)
Available in a standard or Pro configuration (with upgraded software to read the included IT8 targets), the i800 is a legal-sized scanner with a transparency adapter in the lid. But this adapter's lamp moves with the CCD so the illumination remains constant. In addition the 120 and 4x5 film holders use a spring tension design that flattens the film for a sharper scan.
High end "personal", (very) inexpensive
"professional" film scanner, 4000 dpi resolution (65 meg file
from 35mm negative!), 14 bits per channel, dual USB & SCSI interface.
WOW! - A major upgrade to the original!
(And the original was very good) 2400 DPI, PC only, USB interface
(no card needed), slide, negative, or print. 35mm film only. 36-bit.
Specs similar to original, but much better image quality, improved software.
$499 list price.
Inexpensive "personal" film scanner, 2438
dpi resolution (24.5 meg file from 35mm neg), bits per channel (Dmax not
specified), high-speed SCSI interface, software accommodates beginners AND
experts, optional APS adapter.
Excellent dynamic range, thanks to 16-bit
A/D, scans 35mm and APS formats, (APS with optional adapter), 2820 dpi maximum
resolution, 8- or 16-bit scanning modes, software-based "Dust Brush"
and "Pixel Polish" for removing dust and auto-improving color
& tone, multi-sample scanning up to 8x for noise reduction in deep shadow
areas.
Inexpensive "personal" film scanner, 2438
dpi resolution (24.5 meg file from 35mm neg), bits per channel (Dmax not
specified), high-speed SCSI interface, software accommodates beginners AND
experts, optional APS adapter.
Very good dynamic range, thanks to 16-bit
A/D; Scans 35mm and APS formats (APS with optional adapter); 2820 dpi maximum
resolution; 8- or 16-bit scanning modes; Digital ICE, ROC, and GEM adjustments;
Multi-sample scanning up to 16x.
by Mike Pasini, Editor, The Imaging Resource Newsletter (June 2004)
Just as we were wrapping up our review of the Konica Minolta DiMAGE Scan Elite 5400 what does Konica Minolta do? It releases the $599 DiMAGE Scan Elite 5400 II. It was back to the drawing board for us. Konica Minolta had already gone back to the drawing board themselves, though. And the differences between the two models are noteworthy.
Multi-format, scans 6x9 cm down
to 16mm! 2820 dpi (35mm and smaller), 1128 dpi (medium-format), Mac or PC,
SCSI interface, slide or negative, 35mm or APS film. Optional full-roll
APS attachment and bulk 35mm slide feeder. 36-bit, 3.6 Dmax rating.
$2499 estimated street price. Excellent software covers needs of both beginners
and experts well.
Multi-format, scans 6x9 cm down
to 16mm! (Considerably updated version of the original Dimage Scan Multi)
4800 dpi(!) (35mm and smaller), 3200 dpi (medium-format), Mac or PC, SCSI
interface, slide or negative, 35mm or APS film. Optional full-roll APS attachment
and bulk 35mm slide feeder. 48-bit A/D, Dmax not specified. $2999
estimated street price. Excellent software covers needs of both beginners
and experts well.
2820 dpi, Mac or PC, SCSI interface, slide
or negative, 35mm or APS film (APS via optional adapter.) 36-bit,
3.6 Dmax rating. $1299 estimated street price. Excellent software covers
needs of both beginners and experts well.
Professional-quality scans; 2900 dpi resolution;
36-bit color depth; USB interface; amazing "Digital ICE" dust
& scratch removal; new Digital "ROC" and "GEM" correct
for faded negatives and film grain automatically.
2700 dpi, Mac or PC, SCSI interface, slide
or negative, 35mm or APS film (APS via optional $199 adapter.) 30-bit.
$999 list price. AMAZING "Digital ICE" automatic defect-removal.
2700 dpi, Mac or PC, SCSI interface, slide
or negative, 35mm or APS film (APS via optional $199 adapter.) 36-bit,
with multi-sample enhancement to 42-bit "effective." $1899 list
price. AMAZING "Digital ICE" automatic defect-removal.
True professional-quality scans, 4000 dpi
resolution (67MB file from 35mm neg!), 42-bit color depth (!), plus 16x
for 48-bit equivalent, high-speed FireWire (IEEE 1394) interface (card included
for both Mac and PC), amazing "Digital ICE" dust & scratch
removal, new Digital "ROC" and "GEM" automatically correct
for faded negatives and film grain.
True professional-quality scans; 4000-dpi
resolution across full medium-format film frame; 42-bit color depth, plus
16x for 48-bit equivalent; high-speed FireWire (IEEE 1394) interface (card
included for both Mac and PC); "Digital ICE" dust & scratch
removal; new Digital "ROC" and "GEM" correct for faded
negatives and film grain automatically.
1770 dpi/3.84 Megapixel, Mac or PC, SCSI
or parallel interface, slide or negative, 35mm or APS film. (APS via optional
$199 adapter.) 24-bit with multi-sample enhancement to 30 bits "effective."
$399 list price.
High end "personal", inexpensive
"professional" film scanner, 4000 dpi resolution (65 meg file
from 35mm negative!), 12 bits per channel, high-speed SCSI interface, software
with both "photographic" (RGB) and "prepress" (CMYK)
scanning methodologies.