Microtek i900 suitable for scanning BW 8x10 film?

[JM Woo]

I understand that the Microtek i900 scanner has a built-in 8x10 glassless transparency scanner, but I haven't read or heard much from real-world users who are using the full transparency bed for black and white film scans.

I'm considering purchasing this scanner specifically to scan 8x10 B&W film for my digital/inkjet workflow (prints usually between 100% to 16X20).

I would appreciate any feedback from users here who have experience with this scanner in similar applications. Thanks everyone, happy holidays.

[Ted Harris]

The i900 operates in fully glassless mode up to 4x5. For 8x10 the negative lies on a glass tray but the optics and illumination are from above so the actual scanning is glassless.

I have been using the scanner for two months now and am very pleased with the results. I haave not scanned any 8x10 negatives yet but can send you some 4x5 scans or would be happy to scan one of your 8x10's for you. Contact me off list if you want to go further.

Ted

[Jeremy Holmes]

Hello,

I personally own a i900 and have found the results to be above my expectations. I was looking for Digital ICE and found this one to be the only acceptable scanner that did accomplish Digital ICE while maintaining a glassless scanning environment for positive and negative film. The scans that I have done have worked out just fine.

As you said, quality is subjective so the best thing for you to do would be to see if you can find a dealer in which you could process a scan or send it to someone who will scan the image for you. If you are pretty picky when it comes to your work then you may want to try a Microtek Artixscan 1800f, which would offer a superior negative scan but then you lose the ability of Digital ICE for reflectives.

Hard to have your pie and eat it too

Jeremy

[Kirk Gittings]

Does anyone know what the true optical resolution is of this scanner? Is it 3200 as claimed or is that some kind of interpolation like the Epsons?

[JM Woo]

Though this thread has been dormant for some time, I thought I'd take my chances that someone has just treated themselves to an XMAS / pre-tax purchase of a Microtek i900 for the purpose of scanning 8x10 transparencies. If anyone has, please reply to the list or privately. I'm interested in hearing opinions on the capabilities of this scanner with 8x10 black and white film in particular for use in an inkjet workflow.

[Bill Rydberg]

When using the glass "E.D.I.T" tray, the Microtek i900 illuminates transparencies from below the film. The optics are focusing on the film from the top. Therefore, the film is not being optically scanned through a sheet of glass. This makes for very sharp scans. Unfortunately,the biggest problem with this scanner, using the glass "E.D.I.T' tray, is the tendency of Newton Rings showing up. How do you keep the film flat without sandwiching the film between two sheets of glass? Otherwise the performance of this scanner is outstanding in its price range. It easily outperforms my older $1100.00 Epson 1600.

[Jeremy Holmes]

Bill,

If you use the glass holder you can sandwhich the film between it and a piece of anti newton ring glass from FocalPoint and other companies. I have it and have used it successfully, thus eliminating newton rings and maintaining a flat surface from which I'm scanning. You can also add Kami fluid to the combination if you wish. In my opinion this is a better solution than tape or other fluids being used to keep the film flat. The glass is fairly inexpensive, especially if you do a considerable amount of film scanning.

Jeremy

[Beavis]

I poop too much.