Lab Owner needs Drum Scanner Boot Camp

[Ari]

While you may get a 5-10% better scan with a drum scanner than with a Creo, you'll be doing 25% more work to get there. Another Creo recommendation.
The Creos are quite fast in set-up and use, IMO, and calibration/basic settings are a snap.
My older Eversmart Pro still works great, and Michael Streeter is there for any parts, questions or problems.
Sure I'd like to have the latest/greatest IQSmart 3, but it's a little too rich for me. I think Michael once quoted me $7500, which included a Mac Mini.

[sperdynamite]

I emailed Michael, hopefully we can chat soon. I have to admit it does sound attractive. Just the fact that I don't need a 2nd workstation from my current iMac would be great. From the quick checking I did, 5500ppi would mean more resolution than most people would ever use from large format. I would love to open a 1200+ MP scan from a sheet of 8x10 Provia to see what's there.

Is the IQSmart 3 reliable enough for large batches? For example, I did this job: https://www.northeastphotographic.co...micheal-gilroy

It involved scanning 75 Ektachrome, Kodachrome, and C41 frames. In theory I could set up an IQS3 to do the entire job in one batch and let it go for a day or so. I did another job recently of 50 B&W frames, individually wet mounting each one. I'm assuming the IQS3 would make my life a lot easier?

[Jim Andrada]

I routinely load mine with a couple of rolls of 120 negatives and select all the negs I want scanned - sometime all of them, and start it up and go to bed. Get up in the AM and everything is done. The way many of these machines were originally used was for large volume digitization of film for print. In that application I think they used mounting stations to load up the glass carriers and just loaded the glass into the scanners and kept a bunch of them running day in and day out - Michael can probably tell the story better than I can, but they were real workhorses. If there's any weak spot, it would be the software. As long as you don't get too creative with the SW you'll be fine. I guess if you had 2 x 2 inch slides to scan no reason (except clumsiness!) you couldn't just lay 54 of them on the bed and let 'er rip.

Not sure the iMac would work though - the software only works on a pretty old MAC OS level. Michael also once told me that you can get in trouble if the computer is too fast. I use an old Macbook, and the Mac Mini works just fine so even if you had to get an older machine it wouldn't cost very much. And my experience is that you don't want to run anything else on the system while it's scanning. Basically you want the computer to be 100% dedicated to the scanning job.

By the way, you can set up templates that predefine the areas you want to scan. You can also set up more than one "crop" on each negative (or positive) and do things like making a B&W scan and a color scan of the same image, or a hi-res and low res, or whatever. Also no problem intermixing different sized film. The only thing you can't intermix (at least I haven't figured out how to do it) is reflective and transparent.

I've never really timed it, but if you loaded up six 4 x 5's at a time and scanned at 2k dpi I'd be surprised if you couldn't get 30 - 40 or more images scanned in 24 hours if there's someone to keep stuffing them into the scanner.

[bob carnie]

Jim you are much braver than I ... I only do about 3-5 in batch scans, I always fear a hangup about the second image in and all is for nothing. I use a slower approach.

This scanner is really awesome for flat art , or small photos I love the gang situation for this.

[Jim Andrada]

I know what you mean and have had the occasional hang up but if I can just keep my fingers off the keyboard and mouse I have fewer problems. I don't think the scanner is the problem, but the software is somewhat marginal IMHO. I don't usually have any problem with six 4 x 5's or four 5 x 7's.

[bob carnie]

One fact about the Creo.. it is noisy and when its working you think its breaking apart, I have never heard such a cranky spoiled machine. I have found that scanning in 16 bit the controls of density and contrast are awkward, I would say if Micheal could get someone to come in and work out a different software for getting the image into decent shape before hitting the scan button it would be good.

I have learned a few tricks but do agree the Software is Marginal. I work with an Imocan and its not much better. Results do count but there is a learning curve for sure.

[Jim Andrada]

Maybe the IQSMART is less noisy. Mine certainly let's me know it'it's running but it never sounds like it's falling apart. Except sometimes after cancelling a job it makes a racket while it recalibrates itself.

[sperdynamite]

My Phototherm and Fuji SP3000 tend to make some scary noises too haha. I've had to get used to it.

[Peter De Smidt]

Yeah, a Cezanne also makes some surprising noises.

[Ari]

I like the noises my Creo makes. First it chugs, then it huffs and puffs, then it kinda settles down for a minute to catch its breath. These are all pretty funny-sounding, 100% mechanical, noises.
But then, there's a few seconds of 1970s-futuristic, hi-speed computer sounds, which I really enjoy, and, I imagine, people running this machine back in the 80s or 90s, must have greatly enjoyed as well.