[filmscanners] RE: umax film scanners

["Bruce" <smthopr@earthlink.net>]

on 7/7/2003 4:00 PM, filmscanners_Digest_owner@halftone.co.uk at
filmscanners_Digest_owner@halftone.co.uk wrote:

> Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2003 17:39:47 -0500
> From: "LAURIE SOLOMON" <laurie@advancenet.net>
> ----------------------------------------
> I went to the web site and looked up the specs for the Sprintscan 120, which
> is polaroids medium format scanner; and it does not give any indication that
> the 4000 dpi optical is for medium format.  It just states that this is the
> maximum optical dpi (which it probably is for 35 mm); I am inclinded to
> believe that it probably is about 1/2 that for a 6x7 film format.
>
> I would also check on Polaroid's support for its scanners now that it has in
> essence gone out of the scanner business and is no longer making or
> developing any new models.  You might want to check this lists archives for
> information and experiences with Polaroid since it went into bancrupcy and
> got out of the scanner and film recorder business.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: filmscanners_owner@halftone.co.uk
> [mailto:filmscanners_owner@halftone.co.uk]On Behalf Of Austin Smith
> Sent: Monday, July 07, 2003 10:27 AM
> To: laurie@advancenet.net
> Subject: [filmscanners] Re: umax film scanners
>
>
> That's what I needed to hear.  I'm now looking at the Polaroid 4,000dpi
> medium format scanner.  I work mostly in 6x7cm, so 4,000dpi should take me
> to the capacity of my printer, which is 11x14.  Thanks for the advice.


My intention on answering the original post was not to get in a tech/math
discussion but to help those thinking of purchasing a scanner.

So from personal eye ball experience...

4000 dpi might be mathematically 50% better than 2700 dpi--but the
improvement visible to a human is small due to the limiting factors of film
resolution, scanner optics, camera shake etc. I upgraded to a Nikon 8000 and
can see a small improvement in resolution in scans but it is not dramatic
and the scans are in focus for sure.

The Nikon absolutely scans medium format at 4000dpi without interpolation. I
believe the Polaroid does as well.  The Minoltas, are unique in that they do
not scan medium format at the same pixels/inch as 35mm.

So, if someone reading this and wants to scan 35mm and has a limited
budget--a 2700 dpi filmscanner may be a wise choice vs a flatbed. Even if
the flatbed can scan at 2700 dpi.  The filmscanner optics will be that much
better and 2700dpi is good enough to create beautiful, sharp photographs
printed on an inkjet to 13x19 inches.

Hope this helps someone out there reading this mailing list.

-Bruce


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