Please, I need advice in film scanners. The two options that I have to buy one, are the following:

Second Hand Nikon Coolscan III (2700 dpi) -- 380 $ New Canon FS 2720 U (2720 dpi) -- 299 S

Has anyone got experience with the Canon one? Does anyone know a more appropiate forum to discuss this questions?

Thanks.

Peio Ezkurra - Basque Country

-- Peio Ezkurra (peio_e@hotamil.com), May 21, 2002

Answers

Dear Peio Ezkurra ,Both scanners are nice but if you like to reproduce your work for publishing then only answer is drum scanner or go for Super Coolscan 8000 ED. details are as follows: Nikon Super Coolscan(R) 8000 ED Delivers High Speed, High Volume Digital Image Reproduction with Drum Scanner Quality for Scanning Multiple Film Formats First-Ever Desktop Film Scanner with Digital ICE3(TM) Technology, 4.2 Dynamic Range and 4000 dpi Resolution Maximizes Workflow Productivity

MELVILLE, N.Y., Jan. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Nikon, the industry leader in precision optics, digital imaging and scanner technology, today introduced the Super Coolscan(R) 8000 ED, a revolutionary multi-film format scanner that offers the highest dynamic range and resolution of any desktop film scanner available today. The Super Coolscan 8000 ED is capable of scanning a variety of film formats, including 35mm, 120/220, 16mm, electron microscope and prepared microscope slides, at true 4,000 dpi optical resolution with image quality equal to drum scanners. Designed for professionals looking to increase productivity and profitability in graphics applications, the Super Coolscan 8000 ED produces large volume, high-speed scans in a fraction of the time of other scanners, saving considerable time and manpower. The Nikon Super Coolscan 8000 ED joins the Super Coolscan 4000 ED and the Coolscan IV ED as the first scanners on the market to offer Digital ICE3(TM) technology from Applied Science Fiction(TM), a suite of sophisticated digital enhancement tools for color correcting and enhancing images. Digital ICE3, which works within the Nikon Scan(R) 3.0 software, combines three image correction tools -- Digital ICE(TM), Digital ROC(TM) and Digital GEM (TM) -- that can be turned on or off to correct and enhance images, reconstruct original color and equalize and manage grain details in film. With Digital ICE3, professional photographers, graphics and archival professionals, in particular, will now be able to restore and catalogue positive and negative images that may be unusable because of fading, under or overexposure or scratches on film and negatives. "Nikon has once again revolutionized the desktop scanner market with this ground-breaking introduction -- a truly unique film scanner that offers drum scanner quality, Nikon's unmatched precision ED glass, LED technology, Nikon Scan 3.0 software and Digital ICE3 imaging technology in a multiple format desktop model," said Deborah Sauer, General Manager, Marketing, Consumer Digital Products for Nikon. "With the Super Coolscan 8000 ED, sending images out to be scanned by a drum scanner will become obsolete -- graphic, pre-press and photography professionals will now be able to control their images from start to finish with the speed and flexibility never before realized in a desktop scanner." The Super Coolscan 8000 ED has a sophisticated imaging system that integrates Nikon's renowned ED glass technology into a Scanner Nikkor lens and proprietary LED technology for accurate color reproduction. It features an optical density of 0 to 4.2 and 4000 dpi for a wider dynamic range and higher resolution than any other desktop film scanner on the market today. The usability and features of the Nikon Scan 3.0 software and the scanner's ability to handle file sizes up to 790MB -- enough to fill up an entire 80-minute CD-ROM -- make it extremely attractive to imaging professionals and professional photographers. For increased workflow process, the Super Coolscan 8000 ED offers "out of the box" plug-and-play simplicity. Nikon Scan 3.0 software, which acts as an interface between the scanner and computer, makes it possible to preview the image to be scanned, adjust scanner settings and scan the image. Nikon Scan 3.0 offers unprecedented control with features and qualities that are familiar to Adobe(R) Photoshop(R) users.

Flexibility and Versatility The Super Coolscan 8000 ED offers the flexibility of thumbnail and batch scanning of 35mm/35mm panorama and medium format (120/220) negatives and slides up to 6x9 cm, and 16mm film. For added versatility, the scanner also has the optional capability to scan electron microscope and microscope slides. Users may also select multi-sample scanning at two, four, eight or 16 times. Images can be scanned through several options, offering greater productivity and time savings: -- 35mm strip film: 1 to 12 frames (2 strips) -- 35mm mount film: 1 to 5 frames -- 120/220 strip film (6x4.5 size): 1 to 4 frames -- 120/220 mount film: 1 to 2 frames -- 16mm film: 1 to 60 frames (3 strips)

Automatic Color Management For Increased Productivity Through the Nikon Scan 3.0 software, the Nikon Super Coolscan 8000 ED permits a variety of options for enhancing and restoring scans of positive and negative film. A scene analysis function automatically corrects tone and color in negatives. In addition, Nikon's sophisticated Color Management System ensures colors from the scanner are reproduced accurately on different output devices such as printers and monitors. The Color Management System, which works in tandem with ColorSync (R) on the Mac OS(TM) platform and ICM 2.0 on the Windows(TM) platform, allows users to scan and deliver the image directly into Photoshop in any of ten popular color working spaces. Using Nikon Scan 3.0, images can be saved as JPEG or TIFF files. The software also offers the option of autofocus with manual override. For simple scaling of images to larger file sizes, the Super Coolscan 8000 ED includes a full version of Altamira Genuine Fractals(TM) 2.0 software. Genuine Fractals also allows compression of files for storage or transmission, such as e-mail or web posting, without losing the original image quality.

Unmatched Nikkor Optics and LED Technology The scanner takes advantage of Nikon's Scanner Nikkor ED lens technology, which features extra-low dispersion glass for superior image sharpness and color correction with minimal chromatic aberration. A new custom CCD complements the lens to boost overall image quality. In addition, Nikon's proprietary LED technology accurately controls color and permits the CCD to run at a much lower sensitivity resulting in less noise and truer scans. The LEDs, which precisely control the individual color channels of Red, Green and Blue, enhance the capability of the Digital ICE3 imaging technology to harness the image's true color.

Digital ICE3 Offers Unprecedented Image Restoration and Correction Digital ICE (Image Correction & Enhancement) technology works by reading the surface defects of color film, and recording them in a separate channel. A proprietary algorithm is applied to the image, removing all the surface defects, such as dust and scratches, within the scan and leaving the original film intact to produce a perfect scan. Digital ROC (Reconstruction Of Color) technology, which has been customized specifically for the Super Coolscan 8000 ED, automatically reconstructs lost color values in faded or aged positive or negative film resulting in scans with correct color and exposure. Digital ROC can also correct for many under or overexposed images from negative and positive film. In addition, the software creates a baseline standard or "normalization" of color from scan to scan, which is especially useful with negative film. Digital GEM (Grain Equalization Management), through a complex set of proprietary algorithms, reads the grain details in the film and extracts all vital data related to image quality while effectively minimizing the grain clutter without affecting sharpness. Images taken with high-speed film will appear as though they were taken with much lower speed film. The Super Coolscan 8000 ED will be available in April 2001, with a suggested retail price of $2995. The scanner is packaged with Nikon Scan 3.0 and a full version of Altamira Genuine Fractals 2.0 software; the FH- 835S 35mm Strip Film Holder; FH-835M 35mm Mounted Film Holder; and the FH-869S 120/220 Strip Film Holder. The Super Coolscan 8000 ED also includes an IEEE 1394 PCI card for Macintosh and PC platforms, and all necessary cables for desktop computer operation. Optional film holders include FH-869M 120/220 Mounted Film Holder; FH-869G 120/220 Strip Film Holder with Glass; FH-869GR 120/220 Film Rotated Holder with Glass; FH-816 16mm Film Holder and FH-8G1 Medical Slide Holder.

Altamira Group, Inc. is the world's leading provider of image scaling and resolution-on-demand technology. Altamira's products streamline and enhance the way companies create, edit, store, and electronically deliver digital images of any size or resolution on-demand to their customers, resulting in significant process efficiencies and cost savings. More information can be found on Altamira Group's web site at http://www.altamira-group.com. Applied Science Fiction develops proprietary technologies for the imaging industry that link traditional photography with the digital age. ASF licenses its branded technologies through Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) that provide products for the professional and consumer imaging markets. More information can be found on ASF's web site at http://www.asf.com. Digital ICE, Digital ROC, Digital GEM, ASF and Applied Science Fiction are trademarks of Applied Science Fiction, Inc. Nikon is the world leader in imaging, including film scanning, 35mm SLR photography, digital cameras, compact cameras and sport optics. Nikon Inc. is the U.S. distributor of world-renowned Nikon professional 35mm photography systems, Nikon digital still cameras, electronic imaging film scanners, compact automatic Nikon 35mm and Advanced Photo System cameras, the Nikon speedlight system, interchangeable Nikkor lenses, Nikonos underwater photographic systems, Nikon Eyewear, Nikon sports and recreational optics. For more information contact Nikon at 800-NIKON-UX, or visit Nikon at http://www.nikonusa.com. Best Regards NASIM AKHTAR

-- Nasim Akhtar (printingprofessionals@hotmail.com), May 21, 2002.

Nasim, I think your recommendation is a bit overkill for Peio's needs. He's looking at $300 scanners and you are recommending a $3000 scanner.

Peio, both scanners are good, but I would probably go with the Canon FS2720 because it is newer, has a higher bit/color depth and higher density range. On the other hand, the Nikon has digital ICE. If you are using Photoshop 7, which has a new feature called Healing Brush, I would go with the Canon because the Healing Brush would simplify the process of removing dust and scratches. However, if you aren't using Photoshop 7, having a dust removal process like ICE or Canon FARE can save you alot of time later.

-- Peter Phan (pphan01@hotmail.com), May 21, 2002.

Thanks Peter for your advice, of course Naim was overkill...

I know the ICE technology, but I don't know neither the Canon Fare nor the Photoshop 7 Healing Brush. Are these as good as the ICE technology?

By the way, a new Coolscan III cost 200$ more (now is discontinued by the new Coolscan IV) than the Canon 2720U, but like you say, the Canon one is newer. Do you think Canon is better?

Thanks a lot.

Peio Ezkurra, Basque Country.

-- Peio Ezkurra (peio_e@hotmail.com), May 22, 2002.