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[OM] Re: [OT] 6 x 6 scanning

Subject: [OM] Re: [OT] 6 x 6 scanning
From: Jan Steinman <Jan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2003 02:13:21 -0800
>From: "Donald MacDonald" <donald.macdonald@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>what are those of you who shoot medium format using for
>scanning your negs / trannies?

Serious folk are using an Imacon Flextight or a drum scanner. I have an 
Optronics ColorGetter Falcon that does a wonderful job at up to 5,400 spi over 
a 10"x12" surface. You can find these used for under $10,000.

>I may be in the market for a new flatbed (we lament the passing of the
>cheapo original, sob sob), and would be willing to pay a little more for one
>which would also do a decent job of scanning my 6 x 6 trannies / negs.

Ugh. Define "a little more."

>PS - I'm broke...

Oh. That's what "a little more" means.

You aren't going to get wonderful results out of a flatbed with a list price of 
under five figures with names like Cezanne, Tango, Eversmart...

If you do go the flatbed route, you can use it for "proofing" your scans, then 
send the good ones off for a good drum scanning.

The dynamic range just isn't there in "prosumer" flatbeds. There's actually two 
components to this: global and local.

Global dynamic range is often called "Drange" and will be under 3 for most 
flatbeds, but over 4 for a drum. However, this spec is subject to abuse, and 
there is no industry standard for measuring it. Many manufacturers simply 
compute it based on the number of bits they quantize, even though there may be 
3-5 bits of noise in the output!

What separates a good drum from even a superlative CCD (like Imacon or Cezanne) 
is local dynamic range. The PMT used in drum scanners can resolve very nearly 
the full global dynamic range on adjacent pixels, whereas even the best CCD 
scanner suffers from "pixel bleed" which results in adjacent pixel Drange of 
only 2.3 or so: a 200:1 contrast ratio.

There is a good Yahoo list called "ScanHi-End". But be prepared to be laughed 
off the list if you try to discuss something as pedestrian as a Nikon LS2000... 
by "high end", they mean scanners that retail for five figures.

-- 
: Jan Steinman -- nature Transography(TM): <http://www.Bytesmiths.com>
: Bytesmiths -- artists' services: <http://www.Bytesmiths.com/Services>
: Buy My Step Van! <http://www.Bytesmiths.com/van>

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