Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/02/10
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I have been using the HP scanner for about 3 weeks now, and offer the following observations. Some images scanned using the unit are at:
http://amishalom.org/images/heather.jpg
http://amishalom.org/images/locket.jpg
http://amishalom.org/images/amy.jpg
http://amishalom.org/images/amyshirt.jpg
1. The unit attaches easily, but requires its own SCSI card, unless you have one already installed. Windows 95 installation was uneventful, although long and requires a reboot.
2. The unit will scan up to 4 images on one negative strip. You have to turn the strip around to get the others.
3. You have to be careful loading the negative strip. I have had it slide sideways "into" the unit.
4. It doesn't handle "thin" negatives well, thinking they are empty. For example, if you have shot TMax 3200 and have lots of clear space on the negative image you will have to do some repositioning of the subject after the scan.
5. It is smart enough to recognize b&w from color negative, but not color negative from positive. In other words, although it will scan both slides and negatives, it expects slides to be positives, and strips to be negative, and can't handle the difference. I tried inserting a strip of positives that had not been cut and places in mounts, and it wouldn't recognize that they were positives.
6. It only scans one image per strip. You can scan in 4 thumbnails, but the strip is ejected after the scan and must be reinserted. Insertion takes a little dexterity, and you should have clean hands!
7. You can reposition the scan area, flip the image, and crop before the scan to your heart's content.
8. You can specify a scan of either 1200 dpi or 2400 dpi. You can preselect an image area for final size, optimized for printer, web, or screen.
9. A full frame color image yields around 21mb file.
10. A b&w image is scanned in "color" and then you must discard the color information after the scan in your image program (Photoshop, et al.) A final b&w full frame file will then be around 7mb.
11. You must exit the scanner program to edit the resulting file in Photoshop. This means you can't examine a histogram without time delay in reopening the scanner program.
12. You can adjust midrange, high and low tones before the scan. This insures that you will have enough information, especially in the highlights to play with in Photoshop.
13. You can adjust the color balance before the scan, but I don't.
That's all. I would buy it again, all things considered.
Bob Rose
======================================
LUGers,
I got the mail below, and after checking Kenneth's images, I think they are of high quality, as well as the fact that Kenneth is a very good photographer. The price for the HP Photosmart scanner in Sweden is 3.905 Skr (~$480), and I am very tempted to order one. My question is: -I know that lots of LUGers are using film scanners, what do you think of this one, compared to more expensive ones? (This one has 2.400 dpi and 30 bits color)
/Hans