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scanner wanted

N

nei1

Guest
Hi Jack,Im trying to find out how much import duty Id have to pay,Im in Spain.If its A1,boxed etc I guess around the 700 dollar mark is about as far as I can go.
 
N

nei1

Guest
Jack,Ive just had a look on e-bay and it looks as if Im being a little cheap.I think the price of this scanner has gone a bit above what its worth .One just sold for nearly 850 $.Thanks for your interest,Neil.
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
I kind of figured they'd be getting harder to come by and hence more expensive. I have one and the Minolta software is very good and the latest build runs fine on Leopard. Silverfast will upgrade the bundled LE to a Leopard version for $40 I think, but so far I have not needed it as results with teh Minolta software are excellent. FWIW, this is a great scanner, and especially nice with B&W emulsions!
 

dseelig

Member
Hey jack have you ever compared this to a nikon 9000 not the 500 for b&w been very curious . the 9000 is a ton better then the nikon 5000 at B&w . Just wondering how it compares with the minolta thanks David
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
I have not compared to the Nikon 9000, sorry. Maybe someone here has and can chime in.
 
N

nei1

Guest
Im going by Sean Reids review where he explains that the resolution has to be high enough to avoid a sort of grain clumping effect with b&w.The nikons dont have a high enough resolution.The cold cathode light source helps too.Im going to find out the duty Ill have to pay,then maybe Ill come back with a better offer Jack,all the best,Neil.
 

Don Hutton

Member
Im going by Sean Reids review where he explains that the resolution has to be high enough to avoid a sort of grain clumping effect with b&w.
I'e owned and used a Dimage 5400 model I and Model II extensively. I've also used a Minolta Scan Multi Pro for 5 years and tested extensively a Coolscan 5000 and 8000. I have yet to note any "grain clumping" on any of these scanners. What one does need to realize is that these are CCD scanners and each pixel (dot) is a little square and you can get a more grainy looking "pattern" from scanning some areas of certain films with CCD based scanners. Only with a drum scanner can you avoid this issue completely by adjusting the aperture of the PMT.
The cold cathode light source helps too.
The 5400 model II has a different light source - it's a white LED and it's slightly less ideal than the cold cathode light source for B&W - gives a slightly grittier effect - but it is also a little sharper. The model II is way quicker than the model I - in fact, it's so much faster I sold my model I immediately. I'd definitely recommend you throw your money at a model II - it is simply, IMO, the best 35mm scanner ever made. It's tested resolution is over 100LP/MM (on my tests) - very close to it's theoretical maximum of 106. The boxed software does an excellent job of negative scans. For scanning transparencies, I'd recommend getting a target and making a custom profile.

I'm considering buying another 5400II as a back-up and between $800-1000 seems to be the going price over the past 6 months. I still think it's a great deal.
 

Rafael Macia

New member
I have had a Dimage Scan Elite II for about 3 or 4 years. It is a wonderful scanner.
Except for the software.
So I guess I differ with the comments above.

The software crashes regularly, and needs delicate and somewhat complicated workarounds. .... on a constant basis.
When it works .. the Dimage works fine. But it needs to be "kicked" a lot.
I love the scanner, and would have no other for 35mm, ( .... wouldn't touch a Nikon 5000 with a fork ... )
but it sooooo delicate.

Scanner prices have to come down with film use dropping. Patience will get a good price (I think)
 
N

nei1

Guest
On top of all thats been said the mk11 also scans the whole negative which has great importance for me,thanks Don and Rafael for your interest and knowledge,Neil.
 

Stuart Richardson

Active member
it is simply, IMO, the best 35mm scanner ever made.

Well...I don't know about that. My father has the 5400II, and I have used that, and I used to own the Scan Multi Pro. Both of them are truly excellent scanners. I am using an Imacon 646 now, and it is much better. The 848,949 and X5 are all better again. And drum scanners are better than those (in terms of image quality, if not ease of use)...so are certain professional flatbed scanners (I am not talking Epson here). So while you won't see me knocking the 5400, I think it is a bit of a stretch to call it the best 35mm scanner ever made. It's competent...let's just leave it at that.
 

Don Hutton

Member
I own a Scan Multi Pro and a 5400II, as well as a Howtek 4500 drum scanner. All three require months to get the best results possible from them. I'll go even further and say that it took me a year or two before I was getting the best possible output from my Multi Pro.

All those scanners you mention are not 35mm scanners - they are larger multi format options. They can scan 35mm film, but they are not 35mm scanners.

I'll stand by what I said - or maybe re-define it a little just to make you happy - the best DEDICATED 35mm scanner ever made. I'll be far more careful in giving my opinion in the future for fear that it may not find you in agreement... Hope that helps you sleep better now.
 
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N

nei1

Guest
I didnt realise that the mk 11 had changed the light source,as speed while desirable is not essential Im now leaning towards the mk 1.(99% of my work is b&w).Im presuming that the sensor is the same size and am wondering if I could file out the film holder to scan the entire neg as Ive done with various enlargers or am I being overly simplistic?All advice wellcome,thanks,Neil.
 
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