Digital BW, The Print

I just got an Imacon Photo Scanner, and I think it is a great 
scanner; the perfect blend of drum and desktop technology.  The 
price is right between the two as well.

As far as I understand it, there is a pretty sharp learning curve to 
a drum scanner, but the Imacon is so easy to use that you will 
be getting excellent scans within hours of setting it up; I know I 
did.  At any rate, it is difficult to get a bad scan from my Imacon, 
and I am getting better quality than I was getting when I was 
paying my local service bureau for drum scans.  However I 
suspect that they weren't very good at operating their scanner 

The 3200 optical ppi is more than enough for 120, but might 
appear to be a little low for 35mm.  However, I have found that 
file from a slide scanned at 3200 ppi on my Imacon is better 
than the 4000 ppi scans I was getting from the original Polaroid 
4000 Sprintscan.  Even after I step up (interpolate) the file size to 
be equal to what I was getting out of the old Polaroid, the Imacon 
files are nicer, (less noise, more shadow detail, better prints). 

Imacon does have dust removal software, but it is horrible; 
completely softens the image.  I once read someone who said 
that the best dust removal equipment is a good chair and a CD 
changer. (was that Mark Tucker?)  I agree with that, but then 
again I haven't tested the newest ICE which is shipping with 
scanners today.  I have no experience with grain reduction 
software.

One more thing I will say in favor of the Imacon: it is FAST.  It 
takes about 12 miuntes to get a 3200 ppi 16 bit scan from a 6x7 
trransparency.  That is about a 380mb file.  The film holders are 
wonderful as well.  You can line up your negs or transparencies 
right on the supplied light table and never have to worry about 
rotating in photoshop.

I would seriously consider an Imacon if it is in your price range.

Justin



> 
> >... looking at a scanner. Is it worth it to get a drum scanner or 
will
> >a Nikon or other scanner work.  I need medium format 
capability.
>