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Digital BW, The Print

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Scanner info

Scanner info

2005-07-21 by Ken Carney

Hope this isn't too far OT.  Though most of my stuff is digital capture now,
I have a large backlog of 120, 4x5 and 8x10 b&w negs to scan.  So far I have
been using a Heidelberg (Linotype-Hell)
Saphir Ultra 2 SCSI I bought in 1997 or 1998 (about 200 years ago in human
years).  I see the Epson 4990 Pro also takes up to 8x10 negs, and purports
to have a range of 4.0 and 4800 ppi optical.  I would appreciate it much if
anyone on the list could comment on whether that would be a meaningful
upgrade from my old Heidelberg, or point me to a resource.  If it is really
true that it has 4800 ppi optical, that would be a pretty large scan from
even 120 film.  (I can't afford an Imacon).  Thx!

Regards,

Ken Carney
www.kencarney.com

Re: [Digital BW] Scanner info

2005-07-21 by BKPhoto@aol.com

Ken-

  I own a Saphir Ultra (that I no longer use) and can make a subjective 
comparison to the newer Epson and Microtek flatbed scanners. As good as 
the Ultra was, in it's day (especially the software), you'll most 
likely be impressed by the difference you'll see in scans made with a 
new machine. Better software, 16-bit, better dynamic range.

  I've used Epson and Microtek flatbeds and, although I think the 
Epson's are good machines for the money, I prefer the Microtek's; we've 
been using various Microtek flatbeds in our student digital lab for 
over five years and they've really performed well in what can be a 
difficult environment. I also like the design on the Microtek; the 
lower drawer eliminates many of the issues related to glass.

  I use an Imacon for everything but my 8x10 negatives; for those I use 
the Microtek's in the student lab.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me off list.

 Bill Kennedy
Austin, Texas
Show quoted textHide quoted text
 -----Original Message-----
 From: Ken Carney <kcarney1@...>
 To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
 Sent: Wed, 20 Jul 2005 20:14:21 -0500
 Subject: [Digital BW] Scanner info

  Hope this isn't too far OT. Though most of my stuff is digital capture 
now,
  I have a large backlog of 120, 4x5 and 8x10 b&w negs to scan. So far I 
have
 been using a Heidelberg (Linotype-Hell)
  Saphir Ultra 2 SCSI I bought in 1997 or 1998 (about 200 years ago in 
human
  years). I see the Epson 4990 Pro also takes up to 8x10 negs, and 
purports
  to have a range of 4.0 and 4800 ppi optical. I would appreciate it 
much if
 anyone on the list could comment on whether that would be a meaningful
  upgrade from my old Heidelberg, or point me to a resource. If it is 
really
  true that it has 4800 ppi optical, that would be a pretty large scan 
from
 even 120 film. (I can't afford an Imacon). Thx!

 Regards,

 Ken Carney
 www.kencarney.com



  Please visit the Group Homepage to check the Files, and other 
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 are often being updated.

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 Please follow these basic guidelines:
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 short.
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 notice.
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B&W
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 membership.
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  and to abide by the actions and decisions of the group Owner and 
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 ?Group Topic, Rules and Guidelines? in the Files section:
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  BY PARTICIPATING IN AND/OR POSTING MESSAGES TO THE DIGITAL BW, THE 
PRINT YAHOO!
  GROUP YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT THE ?OWNER? AND 
?MODERATORS? OF
  DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY 
DIRECT,
  INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, 
INCLUDING BUT
  NOT LIMITED TO, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, USE, DATA OR 
OTHER
  INTANGIBLE LOSSES (EVEN IF THE ?OWNER? AND ?MODERATORS? OF DIGITAL BW, 
THE
  PRINT YAHOO GROUP HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH 
DAMAGES),
  RESULTING FROM: (i) THE USE OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE DIGITAL BW, 
THE PRINT
  YAHOO GROUP; (ii) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR 
TRANSMISSIONS OR
  DATA; (iii) STATEMENTS OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY ON THE DIGITAL 
BW, THE
  PRINT YAHOO GROUP; OR (iv) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE DIGITAL 
BW, THE
 PRINT YAHOO GROUP.

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Re: [Digital BW] Scanner info

2005-07-21 by Brian Ellis

Ken Carney said:

>(snip) I would appreciate it much if
>anyone on the list could comment on >whether that would be a meaningful
>upgrade from my old Heidelberg, or >point me to a resource.

I used the Heidelberg/Linoscan 1400 for several years. I believe it was the 
successor to your Saphir. I recently replaced the 1400 with the Epson 4990.

As I'm sure you know, manufacturers' specs for ppi and dynamic range are 
notoriously misleading and the 4990 is no exception. The scanner clearly 
does scan at 4800 ppi in the sense that the file is the right size at that 
ppi. But according to tests of various scanners including the Epson 4870 
that were published in the current issue of "View Camera" magazine, max ppi 
that the 4870 can actually resolve is 2050 (and the range is 2.55). The 4870 
and 4990 are basically identical machines except for the 4990's ability to 
scan 8x10 film so I assume these numbers would be the same for it.

I believe even Heidelberg's claimed max ppi of your Saphir is 1200 so in 
theory an actual resolvable 2050 ppi would be an upgrade on that spec.  I 
don't recall what the claimed range is so I don't know if 2.55 would be an 
improvement there or not (and who knows whether Heidelberg's published specs 
are any more accurate than Epson's).

From all I've read it appears that the differences between inexpensive 
scanners like the 4990 and more expensive scanners show up primarily with 
very large prints. I've been happy with the 4990 scanning 4x5 and an 
ocasional 8x10 negative and printing at about 11x17 inches.

OTOH, I don't think the results from the 4990 are noticeably better than the 
results I got from the Linoscan (I switched only because I couldn't/didn't 
want to continue using a SCSI connection with my new computer). I've 
suspected that apart from range and ppi, other things important to scanner 
performance might be better with the Linoscan (and Saphir) such as the 
optical alignment and the accuracy of the motor.  The Linoscan 1400 is about 
five times the size and weight of the 4990 and one would hope there's some 
benefit from that.
Show quoted textHide quoted text
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ken Carney" <kcarney1@...>
To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2005 9:14 PM
Subject: [Digital BW] Scanner info


Hope this isn't too far OT.  Though most of my stuff is digital capture now,
I have a large backlog of 120, 4x5 and 8x10 b&w negs to scan.  So far I have
been using a Heidelberg (Linotype-Hell)
Saphir Ultra 2 SCSI I bought in 1997 or 1998 (about 200 years ago in human
years).  I see the Epson 4990 Pro also takes up to 8x10 negs, and purports
to have a range of 4.0 and 4800 ppi optical.  I would appreciate it much if
anyone on the list could comment on whether that would be a meaningful
upgrade from my old Heidelberg, or point me to a resource.  If it is really
true that it has 4800 ppi optical, that would be a pretty large scan from
even 120 film.  (I can't afford an Imacon).  Thx!

Regards,

Ken Carney
www.kencarney.com



Please visit the Group Homepage to check the Files, and other resources as 
they are often being updated.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint

If you wish to receive no emails or just a daily digest, or you wish to 
unsubscribe, please edit your Membership preferences by visiting this same 
page.

Please follow these basic guidelines:
- As threads develop, trim off excess portions of earlier messages to keep 
them short.
- Good manners are required at all time. No personal attacks or flames. 
Hostile, aggressive or argumentative users may be removed from the 
membership without notice.
- Keep your posts and threads related to the group topic of digital B&W 
printing. Users who persistently make off-topic posts may be removed from 
the membership.
- By posting on this forum you agree to abide by the group rules and 
guidelines, and to abide by the actions and decisions of the group Owner and 
Moderators. See "Group Topic, Rules and Guidelines" in the Files section:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint/files/

BY PARTICIPATING IN AND/OR POSTING MESSAGES TO THE DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT 
YAHOO! GROUP YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT THE "OWNER" AND 
"MODERATORS" OF DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU 
FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY 
DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, 
GOODWILL, USE, DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES (EVEN IF THE  "OWNER" AND 
"MODERATORS" OF DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE 
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES), RESULTING FROM: (i) THE USE OR THE INABILITY 
TO USE THE DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP; (ii) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR 
ALTERATION OF YOUR TRANSMISSIONS OR DATA; (iii) STATEMENTS OR CONDUCT OF ANY 
THIRD PARTY ON THE DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP; OR (iv) ANY OTHER 
MATTER RELATING TO THE DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP.

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