Plustek 120 vs Imacon X1

**koh303** · 10-Jul-2014, 15:33

Originally Posted by Scott Davis

This is the reason for posting my query. I'm not going to be able to get both machines in my home to test out and decide which works best for me, so I wanted to talk to folks who had more experience with the devices to see their take on it.

I realize they are in two different leagues.

The Plustek is twice as expensive as my Epson. That's manageable, although far from cheap. It's worth considering the expenditure IF the quality gain is parallel to the expense, because the only other real option to boost quality over what my Epson gives would then be the Imacon, which is several orders of magnitude more expensive, even when used.

The short answer here is when you buy an imacon you get your monies worth, for each and every $ in it, when compared to any other scanner.
Weather or not you need this is another question. Does it offer that much more quality - yes.

**Kirk Gittings** · 10-Jul-2014, 16:41

Originally Posted by koh303

The short answer here is when you buy an imacon you get your monies worth, for each and every $ in it, when compared to any other scanner.
Weather or not you need this is another question. Does it offer that much more quality - yes.

For most purposes I find the Imacon fine for prints from 4x5 up to about 20x30. But this is from a good negative, proper settings on the Imacon and the Imacon in good repair and adjustment. Beyond that I also have access to a IQsmart and then I always have Lenny Eiger when my skills are insufficient or I simply just need the primo scan.

**SURF** · 19-Jul-2014, 05:26

What I personally hate about Imacons is their distortion. Changing belts do not help a lot. Have a look here:

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...scanners/page2

It's a fine scanner if you can live with that.

**koh303** · 19-Jul-2014, 10:26

Originally Posted by SURF

What I personally hate about Imacons is their distortion. Changing belts do not help a lot. Have a look here:

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...scanners/page2

It's a fine scanner if you can live with that.

What are you showing here?

**Jim Andrada** · 19-Jul-2014, 10:54

I think it's a GIF that overlays scans of the same thing from two different scanners to show that one (or the other, or both) introduce distortion based on inaccuracies/tolerances in the scanning motion. Everything mechanical has plus/minus tolerances but some are fundamentally better or worse than others either due to design or manufacturing control or both.

**ashfaque** · 19-Jul-2014, 11:58

Hi Scott,

I don't know if you've looked at RFF or interested in other drum scanners, but here is an RFF thread, where they are discussing some interesting stuffs - for e.g., different drum scanners and potential hardware and software issues and solutions. Perhaps it will be helpful. Some of the outputs and discussion in that thread are really amazing.

Bests,

Ashfaque

**Lenny Eiger** · 20-Jul-2014, 08:52

Originally Posted by ashfaque

Hi Scott,

I don't know if you've looked at RFF or interested in other drum scanners, but here is an RFF thread, where they are discussing some interesting stuffs - for e.g., different drum scanners and potential hardware and software issues and solutions. Perhaps it will be helpful. Some of the outputs and discussion in that thread are really amazing.

Bests,

Ashfaque

I went to look... which thread are you referring to?

Lenny