Help me with choosing a scanner

[daybit]

Hi, I need to scan 15-20 landscape 4x5 negatives for 40x50" prints and I found two digital darkrooms in my area $50/hour.

One has Imacon x5, Imacon 949. Another place has Imacon flextight 848 and creo Creo IQsmart 3.
Which scanner would give me the best quality-wise result?
I've been using a v750 with a betterscanning holder.

Thanks,

[Willem]

Imacons are hyped, the Creo should be better; I do not have the Creo myself though so it's a bit hearsay this. I have the comparable Screen Cezanne, far better than Epsons.
But perhaps software is about as important here, and your familiarity with it, if you rent the scanners by the hour.

[Frank Petronio]

I'd try them and test for myself, only way to know for sure.

[daybit]

Thanks,

How long does it take to scan 15 negatives with the oreo iqsmart 3?
I'm familiar with the vuescan. Is the oreo hard to operate?

[David Solow]

I would agree with Frank and try all four. I have never used the Creo, so I can't comment on that, but I've used the X5, 949, and X1 (which you didn't mention). In my tests, I can't really see any image quality difference among the Imacons. There is a huge difference in speed though. The X5 is almost twice as fast as the 949, five times as fast as the X1 and six times as fast as the 848. So, if you are paying by the hour, I would choose the X5 among the Imacons. It scans a 4x5 at the highest optical resolution of the scanner for that size film (2040ppi). I can scan a 16-bit full size scan of a 4x5 in 75 seconds. Thats a 460+ MB file. All for about $4 per scan. I use the Set Up menu and the 3f menu to set everything up to save to a single folder on the desktop. That way all I have to do is hit the 3f button, change the file name and hit scan. Even with taking the film out of the protective sleeve, dust removal and setting up the film in the holder, etc., I can scan 12 4x5s per hour. I don't worry about how they look. I take those 3f files home with me and work on them on my computer using the Flexcolor software (a free download on the Hasselblad site) to turn them into TIFFs. Some people say that you should spend the time to make an excellent TIFF while scanning. They say that the 3f file is the same as a TIFF. I have not found this to be the case working scores of hours on the Imacon scanners. I have found that spending the time to make a corrected TIFF is a waste of time and money. The 3f file works just like a RAW file in the Flexcolor software. I have made extensive comparisons with creating great TIFFs right out of the scanner versus using uncorrected 3f files of chromes, color negatives and B&W negatives. I have found that there is absolutely no difference between getting the TIFF correct from the scanner and creating a TIFF later. My tests include printing the images at both 1440 and 2880dpi at 16x20 inches on an Epson 3880 on a variety of papers. While these scans may not compare to 460MB scan from a drum scanner operated by a seasoned technician, they cost only $4 (based on the $50/hour rental you mentioned). Unless you are making museum prints at 40x50 inches, I would go with the X5. Again, I have never used the Creo, so I can't comment on the quality and speed of that scanner. Best of luck, David

[David Solow]

I should do a better job of proof reading. I am not sure how clear I was.

So, just to be clear: I can do 12 16-bit 3f scans of 4x5 film per hour on the X5 at the highest optical resolution (this includes all of the setup of taking the film out of the protective sleeve, thorough dust removal, placing the film carefully in the holder, carefully taking it out after scanning and putting it back in the sleeve for all 12 pieces of film). Making 12 scans at the rental rate of $50 per hour for the X5 comes to $4.14 per scan. This is for a 460+ MB 3f file that I work on later in Flexcolor to turn into a TIFF.

Before I turn the 3f file into a TIFF, I take the file in Photoshop CS6 as a 3f file (plugin comes with the Flexcolor software) and do all of my dust removal and save the file as a new 3f file (adding "rt" to the name to signify the retouched version). Remember when working on the 3f file in Photoshop, do not rotate the image, crop the image, change the negative to a positive image(if working with a negative), add layers or anything else, just use the clone stamp tool or the spot healing brush to get rid of dust. This way you can create different TIFF versions and you don't have to retouch the dust out on each one. After dust removal of the 3f file in Photoshop, I then work on the retouched version in Flexcolor. I do all of my color correction, setting white point and black point, and doing global tonal adjustments in Flexcolor. When I feel that I have done the best job I can do, I save that as a TIFF. I always add 7 tonal levels on either side of the black point and white point setting in order to prevent clipping the highlights or shadows once the TIFF is brought into Photoshop. I then fine tune the black point and white point settings in Photoshop, usually just bringing them in 1 or 2 levels. Also, using the Imacon, I make my TIFF slightly on the flat side, so I can fine tune contrast in Photoshop. As I'm sure you know, you can add contrast in Photoshop without creating noise easier than reducing contrast, as brightening the shadows almost always adds a little noise, which might not be visible on the web or in smaller prints but might be visible in prints of 24x30 inches and up.

all the best,

David

p.s. If you want my set up instructions for scanning with Flexcolor, I would be happy to share them with you. From classes (one in particular at the International Center for Photography in New York called "The Perfect Scan" and scores of hours on the Imacon scanners, mostly the X5 and X1, I feel like I have a good system down.

[ChuckT]

I would be most grateful to see your workflow. The Flexcolor software has a LOT of choices in it and I'm not at all convinced I'm using them at their best settings.


I should do a better job of proof reading. I am not sure how clear I was.

If you want my set up instructions for scanning with Flexcolor, I would be happy to share them with you. From classes (one in particular at the International Center for Photography in New York called "The Perfect Scan" and scores of hours on the Imacon scanners, mostly the X5 and X1, I feel like I have a good system down.

cvt