Digital BW, The Print

I use the Polaroid SprintScan 120, which while discontinued, might be had for a song 
on eBay these days. Further, I'm pretty sure Microtek (the orginal maker of the 
Polaroid SS 120) now sells "their" version of the same device. 6x7cm @ 4000spi = 
280mb files.

This scanner is simply fabulous for color negs. I have used Polaroid Polacolor Insight, 
Silverfast AI, and Vuescan with this device. The Polaroid software is clearly better for 
negs than either of the others. Vuescan and Silverfast are quite good with chromes. 
All three interfaces could be better IMHO.

I also own the Epson 2450 flatbed. I have done quite a few tests with the same 
chrome on both machines (using Vuescan for both scans) and I can tell you the SS 
120 is literally three times as sharp -- I kid you not. I attribute most of this to 
astigmatism in the cheap plastic lenses used in the flatbed scanners -- the look of 
the resultant scan is reminscent of a "soft focus" lens. OTOH, I have scanned quite a 
few 4x5's with the Epson and can report that up to 30x40 things seems sharp enough 
(could always be sharper, but who's going to notice?). The Epson 3200 I'm sure 
shares the same cheap lenses, in spite of the "higher" resolution. Still, not a bad 
device at all given the money.

MJS

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Stephen Kobrin" 
<skobrin@h...> wrote:
> Can anyone recommend a dual (135-120) scanner that is less expensive 
> than the Nikon 8000 which retails for over $2000 at B&H.  I currently 
> use a Nikon LS 2000 and would not want to sacrifice quality, but 
> would really like to get back to medium format.  I sold my Rollei TLR 
> because I could not scan the film and have regretted it ever since.
> 
> Steve