Leafscan 45, Sprintscan 45, Artixscan 2500: hi-res "desktop" scanner recommendations

[Jonathan Taylor]

Ok, I may well just use AgX for the moment, but I started a research process and I wanted to see it through.

I've been slogging my way through the archives for the past two weeks and found a lot of great info, but also began to get overwhelmed by all the bits and pieces, so I'm hoping some kind souls may be able to help me target some scanners to put on a watch list.

Here's my list at the moment:

Leafscan 45 from leafstuff.com
Polaroid Sprintscan 45
Artixscan 2500
perhaps an Eversmart or iQsmart
perhaps a Howtek
others?

Some more background info:

I've been shooting 645 and 69 very seriously for 4+ years, scanning on an Nikon 9000 with glass carrier, and printing Museo Silver Rag on Epson 4800, 3800, and now 3880 printers. I mostly use the Nikon software to get a NEF file in very wide scanner gamut. This gives me lots of room to work first in Camera RAW than in Photoshop CS5. I currently shoot roughly equal parts color neg and color slide (though I've shot a fair amount of black and white in the past and do have one current black and white project).

I want to find a 4x5 scanner that will let me replicate my current workflow as closely as possible. I have a budget of maybe $2000 for the scanner, plus an absolute maximum of $1000 for shipping, setup, parts, accessories, and so on. I had been planning on wet mounting on a v750, but the info here and the Collaborative Scanner Comparison has me pretty well convinced me that the v750 won't meet my expectations.

I have access to old G3, G4, and G5 Macs and am comfortable setting up and working with old equipment, but I also don't want to spend months tracking down obscure parts and testing and calibrating. I want a scanner I can setup, configure and get to work. I'm game for wet mounting if necessary, but would be glad to avoid it. My studio space is limited, so I can't a accommodate a scanner that is much bigger than my Epson 3880.

The Eversmarts, iQSmarts, and Howteks may be perfect, but the options are a bit bewildering and with all these scanners it seems like the key for me will be finding a seller who I can count on to give me a complete working solution. So besides scanner recommendations, does anyone know any particularly good sources or vendors?

[Henry Ambrose]

None of the above.

Having owned and used extensively a LeafScan 45 and an Agfa version of the 2500 I can say that the newer machines are better in nearly every way. The Leaf is great for roll film but loses out on resolution with 4x5. Your Nikon would be better for roll film anyway. The 2500 was a very good desktop flatbed but its old and I don't know what software there is for them unless you use one of your old computers as a scanning station. That's not a bad solution but if you're cramped for space you just lost some more.

The Epson flatbeds will do great scans from 4x5 and they are faster, easier to hook up and work with current software. And you can do contact sheets of your smaller films in one scan.

Further, if you're only outputting to a 3880 size printer you will likely never see any difference between a skillfully done Epson scan and any of the high end scanners you mention as too expensive.

I'd absolutely buy a new Epson flatbed over anything you mention.

[Jonathan Taylor]

Thanks Henry. I should have mentioned that I have access to 24" and 44" Epsons through my grad school and will be doing final output there after making a good proof on my 3880, and I already have a G5 running my Nikon (next to my Mac Pro).

The v750 samples on the Collaborative Scanner Comparison look so soft though and the math I've seen in other posts indicates it won't really get me beyond 17x22 which is the big reason I'm shooting 4x5.

[Jeff Bannow]

I have a 32" x 40" hanging on my wall that looks great to my eye - scanned on v750, printed on a 44" Epson.

[Jonathan Taylor]

I have a 32" x 40" hanging on my wall that looks great to my eye - scanned on v750, printed on a 44" Epson.

I guess I will just have to try the v750 at the college where I teach as I was planning-- then I can compare it to the Agx Flextight scan.

[Jeff Bannow]

I guess I will just have to try the v750 at the college where I teach as I was planning-- then I can compare it to the Agx Flextight scan.

It's worth a try - I wouldn't say I love my v750, but the price is right and it works very well with VueScan. Ultimately only you can judge what's good enough.

[streetlevelfoto]

For your stated need, I'd look at an Imacon, but I don't know that you'd find one in your price range.

[Frank Petronio]

I'd shoot more 6x9 and work that Coolscan 9000 to the bone. That is the probably the best $2000 desktop scanner that will ever be made, I wouldn't trade an Imacon for it. Personally, and without hard evidence or testing, I think a good 6x9 Coolscan 9000 scan equals or betters a decent 4x5 Epson 750 scan, with the added advantages of roll film.

I love shooting large format but it's more for the awkwardness and beauty of using big cameras, not for ultimate image quality. If I was after the ultimate, I'd be one of those sickos drum scanning 8x10 to make 2gb files.

Frankly if I had the resources and room, I'd go for the latest Scitex Creo Kodak EverSmart. But note that any of these, other than the old Polaroid SprintScan/Artixscan gizmo, dwarf an Epson 3880 not only in footprint but in gadgetry/working-handling space. The Leaf especially, is a giant lumbering bear (which I owned back when they cost $14K and took an hour to scan to a Quadra.)

By all means get an Epson 4990-700-750. They are good versatile scanners for all sizes of film. Just be realistic.

[Jeff Bannow]

I'd shoot more 6x9 and work that Coolscan 9000 to the bone. Personally, and without hard evidence or testing, I think a good 6x9 Coolscan 9000 scan equals or betters a decent 4x5 Epson 750 scan, with the added advantages of roll film.

That seems like a reasonable assumption to me as well, Frank. P

[Noah A]

I'm with frank. I think the 6x7cm scans I did on my Nikon LS9000 were better than my 4x5 scans on an Epson 750.

I routinely print my Mamiya 7 negs to 32x40. There is some grain but it's far from objectionable. The only problem with the Nikon scanner is keeping the film flat. Even the expensive glass carrier doesn't do it for prints that size.

I decided the best way to improve on the Nikon was to go to a drum scanner. I am using a Howtek 8000 which was under $5k, all-in. I don't know if one of the chaper Howteks could fit your budget, but if so it would probably give you the quality you want.

I've never used an Imacon/Hasselblad scanner, but I've had flextight scans done at a lab and I found them only slightly better than a good Nikon scan and not as good as a real drum scan.