Matt Boland wrote:
>I am currently trying to decide on a scanner. The two models at the top
>of my list are the Nikon LS-50 and the Minolta Sacan Elite 5400. I am
>not excluding cheaper models yet, it is just these two that I have read
>the most about.
>
>What is everyone out there using? Are there any cheaper models that I
>should look at?
>
>OM content: I will be scanning some of my Olly made pictures when I get
>the scanner, and posting them on my site. I have been looking at the
>excellent TOPE 20 pictures and they have made me want a scanner.
>
If all you want is good images for the web, you don't need all that
horsepower. All those lovely images Richard Lovinson has been posting
are scanned on an Epson 3170 flatbed, currently under $175. And with a
flatbed, you can scan several slides at once.
For printing, the 4800 dpi flatbeds are still good up to 8x12 from a
full 35mm frame, although they will require more sharpening than a film
scanner image (which will usually also benefit from sharpening, just not
as much.) Beyond that, or if you are a tech head like me, a dedicated
film scanner is the way to go. From my reading of the many posts and
examples on this list, forums and reviews, there is no clear standout
winner. The 5400 doesn't seem to really deliver more useful detail over
the 4000 dpi scanners and suffers, at least for many users, from focus
problems on less than flat film due to less than ideal DOF. I don't know
about the LS-50, but the LS-4000 also has a bit less DOF than sometimes
causes focus woes and can suffer from flare (per C.H.'s recent posts).
They are all, however capable of creating excellent digital images from
most film images. They just aren't perfect and have different strengths
and weaknesses.
For the vast majority of uses, including at least 11x14 prints, anything
over about 24-2700 dpi probably doesn't buy you much of anything. So why
did I just buy a used Can*n FS4000? Don't answer. :-)
Be aware that dpi ratings have very different meanings for film vs.
flatbeds. Various testers making comparisons have come to the conclusion
that the 4800 dpi flatbeds are roughly equivalent in resolution
delivered to the last round of film scanners at about 2400-2800 dpi.
C.H. confirms this with his 4870 and LS-4000.
No matter what you buy, you will eventually run into a particular film
or image that just doesn't work well on it. And it will probably look
great scanned on a friend's cheap no-name scanner with half the
resolution and that cost a quarter as much as yours. ;-)
Moose
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