Scitex Smart

[bagdad child]

Hi

I have an option to buy a Scitex Smart 342 flatbed scanner. The asking price is $100. Software, computer and monitor included. Seller knows nothing about operating the scanner but assuming it is working is this a good scanner, especially for 6x7 and 4x5 color negative and slide film? Apparently the scanner is from 1994. I found a notion about the Scitex Smart 342L (same scanner?) with 2800 optical resolution, 3.6DMax and 8-bit. The scanner is located about 200 miles away from where I live so I would only go there to buy the scanner. Any thoughts? Thank you.

[edwinb]

it was a very good scanner made by scitex, taken over by creo and now kodak
I think you may get support from kodak if you call the service department
alternativly ex scitex people have there own website
ExScite.net (http://www.exscite.net/n-index.asp)

Edwin

[sanking]

it was a very good scanner made by scitex, taken over by creo and now kodak
I think you may get support from kodak if you call the service department
alternativly ex scitex people have there own website
ExScite.net (http://www.exscite.net/n-index.asp)

Edwin


You will not get any support from Creo/Kodak at all for this scanner. Kodak does not even support some of the much later Scitex EverSmart scanners.

I would advise going to the Scan HiEnd forum on Yahoo for your questions. Or perhaps the scitex website that was mentioned. I was not aware that existed so thanks for the link Edwin.

Sandy

[JW Dewdney]

wow... what an incredible deal..!!

[bagdad child]

Thank you for your replies. What about 8-bit versus 16-bit? Will print quality suffer in any way? Has anyone used the scanner or similar Scitex scanner?

[sanking]

Thank you for your replies. What about 8-bit versus 16-bit? Will print quality suffer in any way? Has anyone used the scanner or similar Scitex scanner?


I have a newer Scitex scanner, an EverSmart Pro, which does the analog to digital conversion in 14 bit, but only saves to file in 8 bit. If I am careful to make most of my corrections in the pre-scan, and then immediately convert the file to 16 bit before doing any tonal corrections in Photoshop, print quality does not suffer at all IMO. Converting a file from 8 bit to 16 bit does not add tones, but it prevents the loss of tones when doing tonal corrections, and you will probably have to convert to 8 bit to print in any event.

Sandy King

[Evanjoe610]

Just be sure to get the calibration slide that comes with this scanner. This scanner uses a very unique circular transparent mask to "frame" your transparencies. I beieve that it might had been roughly 8-12 masks in total? We ran this scanner on a a Mac G3 and up to a G4.

It was the best scanner due to portable. Time Life had several of these and packed them up for any special worldwide event went the need for a scanner was required. They used (2) and always had a (3rd) as a backup when they brought the scanners to the Olympics. The scanner in question that we used was the 342L for Long bed.
Many good scans were scanned for this scanner which was used for their magazine Covers.

Evan

[domaz]

8-bit scans only is a bummer. Good luck getting the ancient software to install on anything modern- so you will be stuck using the computer that came with it probably. Probably much more practical to save your money and get an Epson flatbed.

[bagdad child]

Thank you all for your replies! I have found another pro flatbed scanner for a good price which I am buying.