Sigma Durst scanner?

[Antonio Corcuera]

Hello everyone,
My pro lab now offers a Sigma Durst scanning service. Has anyone tried it? Meant to replace the old Kodak photo-CD systems and Frontier scanners, it uses CCD chips but is supposed to be a great improvement. At a fraction of the cost of a drum scan, might it enough for medium sized enlargments (up to 20x30")? How would it compare to, say, Imacons?

[fred_4904]

Hi Antonio,
I use a Sigma scanner at my lab in Barcelona which makes exhibition prints from colour 4x5 inch negatives on a Lambda printer tethered to the sigma scanner. They have an Imacon Flextight as well, which I used to use at my college when I did my MA in Newport, Wales. The scans from either machines are great, and I blow mine up to 125cm x 100cm, so you can see all the details. The lab tells me they prefer the Sigma over the Imacon, but this could be more a workflow thing than a quality thing. The scans are cheaper than I am used to paying in London, my lab charges about €30 for a 250MB scan at 200 dpi which they say is all the Lambda needs for a big print. I've seen lightjet prints next to Lambda prints and can't really tell the difference, but I'm not an expert, only a photographer who relies on professionals to give me the optimum output from their high end machines. I like the lightjet prints, but these machines aren't in Barcelona, and if they were, have been changed to Lambdas since I've been here. I started using this system for my fine art work last year, and think the results are excellent, especially for the price. The only thing I have noticed is that the lab is always telling me they are having problems with the scanner, either sharpness problems or colour balance problems, but when it works, it's great.
e-mail me because I have posted this same question on a few forums, without any replies.

[Homestead Aerial]

Hi Antonio: do you still have the Durst scanner?

[Homestead Aerial]

HI Fred: do you still operate the Durst Scanner?