Microtek ScanMaker i900 - 4x5, 5x7 holders?

[roresteen]

I just got a Microtek ScanMaker i900. The previous owner used to scan 4x5's with it but doesn't have the holder anymore. So, the first place I went was betterscanning.com. They didn't appear to have a holder for the i900 specifically, though I might not have been in the right place.

In addition to 4x5's I am *really hoping* to be able to scan 5x7's given I have a Grover and a bunch of HP5 and Arista I need to shoot up soon.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks, everyone. :)

BTW - he gave me a copy of Silverfast Ai 6 as well, so it looks like I will start with that.

[jcoldslabs]

The i900 also comes with a glass scanning bed that will hold negatives or transparencies up to 8x10. You have to contend with Newton rings and the fact that there is another glass surface introduced into the scanning process, but it has worked well with mine.

Did yours not come with the glass scanning bed? It inserts into the same slot as the glassless carriers.

Jonathan

[roresteen]

I'm not sure, Jonathan...could you post a pic of the glass scanning bed?

Thank you,

Rob

[jcoldslabs]

Rob,

It's called a "GLASS HOLDER" and it slides in where the glassless holders go at the bottom of the unit. See attached photo. Hope this helps.

Don't mind all the tape bits. I use those to hold down the corners of my 8x10 negs during scanning.

Jonathan

[roresteen]

Thanks Jonathan. I did pull this out before but didn't see a glass bed that I remember...it's down at the studio, so I'll have to take another look. I think it was just plastic. But this is a great help - thank you.

[jcoldslabs]

Rob,

There should be two nearly identical pull out holders. One has glass inset in it and one is just empty. The empty one accepts the various glassless holder frames that come with the unit while the glass holder allows for the taping of large or odd size negatives to it.

Jonathan

[roresteen]

Jonathan,

Thanks!

[roresteen]

This may sound stupid, but do you scan it by slippin it in the same slot, or is that for storage. I ask only because i can't find an owners manual. I found the glassless holder...time to figure this out. Would you recommend holders by Better Scanning?

[jcoldslabs]

The drawer where the holder slides in is where the transparency scanning takes place. You would make this selection (transparency or negative vs. reflective material) in the software. It's not storage per se, although that's where the holder sits when not in use, so I suppose it is stored there. The reflective flatbed scanning takes places where you would expect.

I've never used anything but the holders the i900 came with, so I'm afraid I can't offer an opinion on that subject.

Jonathan

[wilderness]

This forum was very useful to me for some reference and I'd like to thank the members here for their insights.

Rather than hijack the reference thread, I thought best to add on to this somewhat-related thread.

In early July 2013 I began a project of scanning an approximate 15k in negatives. As of this date and a week shy of two months I've scanned 1800 negatives. ALL these negatives are black and white, some as old as 80 years, however most are from the late-1940s and 1950s.

The negatives are two different sizes, both of which required creative solutions.
1) The 4 x 5 negatives are actually larger than 4 X5's and would NOT fit into the film holders. Initially, I did not wish to consider trimming so many negatives, however that is one solution I've taken.

2) The second size is an odd size 3 X 4 where the actual photo size is 2-15/16 X 3-7/8.

Before I make some comments about using the i900 I'll pose my inquiry.

I'm scanning the 4 x5's at 600DPI (Microtek calls it PPI) and 3 x 4's at 1200DPI and I'm wondering if that is sufficient size for scans of black and white negatives?

Comments:
I've purchased three used Microtek Scanmaker i900 (s) and one used Microtek 8700. The later was primarily purchased for the IT8 Calibration Data sheets (which had never been opened), and a complete secondary set of the film holders and glass.

I had some communication with Microtek and they are not very cooperative for this old machines (they rather be selling the new ArtixScan M1 & M2's). I found some absolute horrors stories while searching the web as far as support in getting these machines repaired (even in warranty).

The first approximate 600 scans of my current 1800 were using the scanner glass.
(the Mircotek scanner glass has its own Newton Rings).
Using the glass provided distorted scans (lesser quality) as well as taking longer for the scans as compared to using the file holders. In addition, keeping the negatives taped to the glass is a real test of patience and/or method.
These i900's came new with something called "ten Vinyl Tabs", which Microtek refused to provide a description of the material or even a picture, since they no longer offer that item (at least they say).
(Microtek responded to an email that these were not the same material as Static Cling Vinyl (aka Screen Protectors)).

Neither does Microtek sell parts for any of its scanners.

My initial i900 included most of the bells and whistles that came in the original box.
Two additional machines were purchased bare-bones (no bells and whistles) as backup.
The 8700 was bought for the same backup and despite the difference in DPI capabilities, the machine looks identical inside and out with the exception of the color.

The ArtixScan M1 & M2 look nearly identical outside and I'm inclined to believe the insides are similar as well.

This company specializes in Newton Glass solutions (http://fpointinc.com/) (no affiliation) and also says they create custom film holders.
However and more urgently the following excerpt implies immeasurable possibilities:
Microtek scanners use a universal film holder drawer
end of quote

To me, that implies that the film holders and drawers are NOT made by Microtek, rather freely available from other manufacturers, however I didn't have any luck finding another company.

Initially I thought my 15k project was going to take an approximate two years, however if I'm able to continue my current pace of 900 negatives monthly than my time be considerably less.

[wilderness]

Additionally (and in an attempt to gather all the i900 references in one location) I read a Microtek reference (somewhere on the WWW) that the current ArtixScan M1 drivers are backward compatible to the i900 and ALL OS's.

[wilderness]

BTW, the lamps for both the transparency drawer and the top-reflective of the i900 could burn out (even break due to a buckled non-secured negative).

Microtek does not offer any explanation and/or replacement parts for these bulbs.

They are actually called cold-cathode fluorescent lamps, however you'll have more success in locating them by simply searching on CCFL.
The measurements are 2.6 x 265mm.
Since there are no specs offered by Microtek comparing CRI and lumin is not possible. Nor did the vendor that I purchased a CCFL from offering any exlanation of CRI and lumin ratings, rather just explained that the bulbs/tubes were an industry standard,

[drbruce]

This forum was very useful to me for some reference and I'd like to thank the members here for their insights.

Rather than hijack the reference thread, I thought best to add on to this somewhat-related thread.

In early July 2013 I began a project of scanning an approximate 15k in negatives. As of this date and a week shy of two months I've scanned 1800 negatives. ALL these negatives are black and white, some as old as 80 years, however most are from the late-1940s and 1950s.

The negatives are two different sizes, both of which required creative solutions.
1) The 4 x 5 negatives are actually larger than 4 X5's and would NOT fit into the film holders. Initially, I did not wish to consider trimming so many negatives, however that is one solution I've taken.

2) The second size is an odd size 3 X 4 where the actual photo size is 2-15/16 X 3-7/8.

Before I make some comments about using the i900 I'll pose my inquiry.

I'm scanning the 4 x5's at 600DPI (Microtek calls it PPI) and 3 x 4's at 1200DPI and I'm wondering if that is sufficient size for scans of black and white negatives?

Comments:
I've purchased three used Microtek Scanmaker i900 (s) and one used Microtek 8700. The later was primarily purchased for the IT8 Calibration Data sheets (which had never been opened), and a complete secondary set of the film holders and glass.

I had some communication with Microtek and they are not very cooperative for this old machines (they rather be selling the new ArtixScan M1 & M2's). I found some absolute horrors stories while searching the web as far as support in getting these machines repaired (even in warranty).

The first approximate 600 scans of my current 1800 were using the scanner glass.
(the Mircotek scanner glass has its own Newton Rings).
Using the glass provided distorted scans (lesser quality) as well as taking longer for the scans as compared to using the file holders. In addition, keeping the negatives taped to the glass is a real test of patience and/or method.
These i900's came new with something called "ten Vinyl Tabs", which Microtek refused to provide a description of the material or even a picture, since they no longer offer that item (at least they say).
(Microtek responded to an email that these were not the same material as Static Cling Vinyl (aka Screen Protectors)).

Neither does Microtek sell parts for any of its scanners.

My initial i900 included most of the bells and whistles that came in the original box.
Two additional machines were purchased bare-bones (no bells and whistles) as backup.
The 8700 was bought for the same backup and despite the difference in DPI capabilities, the machine looks identical inside and out with the exception of the color.

The ArtixScan M1 & M2 look nearly identical outside and I'm inclined to believe the insides are similar as well.

This company specializes in Newton Glass solutions (http://fpointinc.com/) (no affiliation) and also says they create custom film holders.
However and more urgently the following excerpt implies immeasurable possibilities:
Microtek scanners use a universal film holder drawer
end of quote

To me, that implies that the film holders and drawers are NOT made by Microtek, rather freely available from other manufacturers, however I didn't have any luck finding another company.

Initially I thought my 15k project was going to take an approximate two years, however if I'm able to continue my current pace of 900 negatives monthly than my time be considerably less.

I had an issue with a tube burning out as well as a tube that is used for scanning. DigiKEY is a company that has the OEM board, I remember that microtek in Europe wanted a lot of money if they had it but I got the info from a company that repairs scanners, I am sorry i forget the transformer number and the tube size but it was available about a year ago from my supplier Digikey, which i am a authorized reseller for them. Hope that helps with tubes going bad on the microtek, I had the large xl unit but now i am looking for the slide holder that fits in the box. the large xl formats have a light source behind the removable plastic lid for transparencies. I am not sure if plastic or some glass will work for doing slides but it would be nice to have the original i900 35mm insert so i can scan about 200 slides then return to the loaner of the adapter to me, drbrucec99@gmail.com thanks