Agreed up to a point - With LF and a desktop I can get more resolution than the IQ180 with black and white so there is the main advantage. However with drum scanners available for a couple of thousand dollars and not being beyond the skills of anyone who might want to operate an MFDB ....
If you don't mind waiting around for a bit, scanners come up at ridiculous prices. I recently saw a serviced Fuji Lanovia with all software go for less than £100. They do take up space but boy are they worth it (the Lanovia is a good 5000dpi desktop PMT scanner)
It's fussy for sure but with distilled water and care in handling it shouldn't cause a problem. I'll let you know once I've done some more though
I don't really know the answer to that one - I'll have a dig out of the compartive shots on other cameras and see what they give. But yes, expose for the shadows seems very wise.
No comparison really - it has probably twice the usable clean resolution.
Tim
I have a Lanovia Quattro and its a killer scanner. The LQ is not a PMT scanner, it uses a CCD. I've owned three different Fuji scanners over the last decade, 2750, 5000 and the Quattro. You rarely find the Quattro or 5000 but do find the 2750 from time to time. The 2750 is a stripped down version of the 5000 and scans a max of 2750 dpi where the 5000 is 5000 dpi like the LQ. The 5000 has a slightly better dynamic range than the 2750. The LQ is 5000 dpi and super fast. The 5000 and LQ have 4 apo lenses for optimum scans. It XY axis scanning so every point on the 13x18 inch platter is optimum. The LQ makes amazing scans.
The problem is finding one with software for your os, dongle with unlock codes and setup and calibration negs. Most do not have these items and will not work. There is no 3rd party software and without the negs and dongle with unlock codes you can not use it. Fuji has no parts and they are impossible to find. These were made by Crossfield.
I bought mine from Fuji originally so I have xp and os x and os9 dongles, pc and both Mac OSX and 9 software. Also spare bulbs, engineering manuals, instruction books plus spare camera CCD, 2 lenses, servo, belt and a few boards that came out of a 2750 that I think will work. Also a spare glass for the platter.
I may put it up for sale on the large format forum this week so keep your eyes open but it won't go for 100£.