Digital BW, The Print

Peter,

I don't think that the scanner has actually hit the stores yet. I 
would imagine that it is probably a very fine scanner and once it is 
in users' hands I hope we get some first hand user reviews.

The current discussion, in spite of the huge number of posts, has 
nothing to do with the actual performance of the Minolta DiMage Scan 
Multi PRO. The subject should have been changed way back there 
somewhere. It got started in reaction to the Minolta's marketing 
department's claims that are very misleading but do not mean there is 
anything wrong with the scanner.

Having a 16-bit A/D converter may not give the benefits they claim 
but it isn't going to hurt its performance either. The high level of 
detail mentioned in the review is probably a result of the 4800 dpi 
resolution on 35mm scans which beats any other scanner in this price 
range and/or better optics.

It took me a while to find the review on the site you mention and the 
exact page is:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/SCAN/DSMP/DSMA.HTM

The 6x7 scan time seemed to be very long! Over an hour. I believe 
that both the Nikon and the Polaroid are in the 5 to 10 minute range 
for the same film size at higher resolution (4000 over 3200).

I will really be glad to see this scanner arrive on the shelves and 
continue to stimulate higher quality at lower prices.

Martin


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Peter" <peter139@h...> 
wrote:
> Wow, there is a whole lot of "techno babble" laced, pompous 
opinions about a
> device that apparently no one has used! To read the opinions that 
are
> expressed in this thread one could draw the conclusion that this 
unit is a
> piece of junk. Further, that the Minolta people are just a 
mendacious bunch
> and have just entered the commercial world of photography.
> 
> It is surprising that on this list of over 500 members who are 
involved in
> digital photography that no member has used this scanner and/or has 
seen a
> product of the machine. I have read the very recent and 
comprehensive review
> of this scanner at www.imaging-resource.com An excerpt from that 
review
> states:"...First and foremost, the Dimage Scan Multi Pro delivers an
> extraordinary level of detail, in this respect eclipsing all desktop
> scanners we've recently tested (September, 2001)...This is a 
scanner that
> takes a back seat to no one in image quality although it (sic) we 
found its
> scan times to be a little slow, at least on a Mac platform".
> 
> I wonder which marvelous scanner is being used by those on this 
list that is
> better than this Minolta model.
> 
> I do not now own or have a every owned or used a film scanner, have 
no bias
> about a Minolta or any other film scanner. I would like to read 
users'
> opinions about film scanners that would be useful in helping one 
make a
> prudent buying decision for a scanner in this category. I am not 
really
> interested in best quality for the price--only quality.
> 
> Peter Palmer