For MF? - Re: [Leica] OT - Konica Minolta Scanners and ???

[scott at adrenaline.com (Scott McLoughlin)]

Norm,

Thanks. I've solicited opinioins on the 4990 and got a wide variety
of opinions of its capabilities for scanning MF.

I never knew that glass was such an important factor.  That's a great
data point.

Thanks.

Scott

Norm Aubin wrote:

>Scott,
>
>The problem I've had with flat bed scanners is simply whether or not there
>is glass between the scanner and the negative.  Those scanners that have NO
>glass between the neg and the scanner work great, glass can cause problems.
>I use mine for 2.25 and 4x5 scanning often, since I shoot almost as much 4x5
>as 35mm, and I have a 15 year backlog of 2.25 negs as well.
>
>Since the i900 gives me a 3200 ppi scan, a 2.25 x 2.25 neg gives me a 7200 x
>7200 pixel image, or a 20 x 20 print size, although I haven't a printer of
>that size.  Add judicious use of Photoshop and genuine fractals and you can
>double that size.  Reduce the print DPI to 240 and it grows again!  
>
>The Epson 4990 has similar capabilities, but it does require you to lay the
>negs/slides on top of glass.  Then again, their software may filter the
>noise from the glass effectively enough to warrant further examination of
>this scanner.  But you do have to clean the glass often, and you
>occasionally get Moir? patterns too!  The previous flatbeds by Epson really
>got ugly on that issue.
>
>The flat bed scanners of the last year or so have really jumped
>significantly in capability, and they have so many uses above what a
>dedicated 35mm scanner can do that they are an essential part of a digital
>darkroom.    
>
>I couldn't do what I want to do in a digital darkroom without one, and the
>Microtek was the only real game in town 14 months ago, Epson only recently
>jumped on board.  Their scanner has better resolution, so for the same price
>you trade glassless scanning at 3200 DPI and 4.2 gamma for glass contact
>scanning at 4800 DPI and 4.0 gamma.
>
>Sonny also uses the i900 - perhaps he can chime in here on how it's worked
>for him in MF too.  Also Henning has some opinions on it too.  I like it,
>I'm pleased, especially for the price point.  I'd love a drum scanner, but
>then I'd have to take better pictures!
>
>Best of light,
>Norm
>
>
>****************************************
>
>I'm curious how flatbeds do for MF film vs. the (rather pricey) Nikon
>9000 type scanners.
>
>What's your assessment of the quality of MF scans on this Microtek scanner?
>
>Scott
>
>
>  
>

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