Hi Chris,
No industrial machinery around here. The scanner has it's own power supply. It's a 3 month old machine, which i didn't even use for 1 1/2 months. I think I'm going to return it. For $10k I expect it to actually work and not be so finicky.
Originally Posted by Chris_Brown
Good call, IMO, but if you want to post your issue to another group, try these guys.
I'm on my fourth scanner - a Howtek drum scanner. If you have any inquiries about scanning negs or chromes, let me know (although from the look of your work, it appears you really know what you're doing and don't need advice).
Last edited by Chris_Brown; 20-Nov-2006 at 21:11. Reason: Brian's work is worthy
Chris thanks for your help and your kind words. I'm really aggravated with the Imacon and over the next 2 weeks I'll determine if I am returning it and buying something else, maybe a Howtek, although I do not relish wet mounting my negs. But this problem is inexcusable and I have never seen it with ANY scanner.
Brian, your problem looks and sounds like a classic case of AC coupling or RF pickup. It may be internal to the scanner - and the fact that you are getting perfect vertical lines suggests that it is linked to the pixel timing - but it may also be a something like a ground loop via your Firewire cables, or a poor shield connection at one end or the other.
Can you estimate how fast you were taking pixels: i.e. how many seconds the scanner was taking for each scan line, and how many pixels per line. That will give you the noise frequency and help to track it down. Nine times out of ten it turns out to be mains hum (60 Hz, 120 Hz and some higher overtones in the US) coupling via a ground loop, or 10-30 kHz from video monitors. If your house has more than one live phase it is just possible (but unlikely and dangerous) that your scanner and computer are on different phases, which can also give bad mains hum. If the problem is external, you can usually solve the problem by upgrading and re-routing cables, and moving or turning off emitters.
Brian, I strongly recommend getting test scans of your negs from a drum scanner before you buy. A drum scanner has a much higher acuity than a linear CCD array and thus film grain become much more apparent in the final scan.
The Imacon design (with its linear CCD arrray, lens, diffused light source) acts as a natural diffuser so film grain is not as harsh.
If you have any questions about the technology between the two types of scanners, let me know. As a test, I ran an Imacon and Howtek on the same SCSI chain, scanning the same images from chromes and negs. The results were surprising.
BTW, wet mounting is no big deal. Inert stuff, air dries.
I'll echo Chris' comments on the Imacon, OTOH tests between drum scanners and Kodak/Creo, Screen, Fuji and other high end flatbeds are also interesting in this instance the output from these flatbeds is usually on a par with that from the drums. Of course these are a different sort of beast than an Imacon in terms of construction and cost but I did want to make that comparison for you. Thus, there is another option if you are shopping used hiugh end scanners. I shopped for a year and a half and looked at number of drums but finally made the decision to get a Screen Cezanne. My final decision was made after testing the machine side-by-side with a Tango. As has been said alos in this and other threads about high end scanners remember that a lot of the difference from one of them to another is the software and the skill of the operator.
I agree iwth Chris that wet mounting is no problem but be prepared for a learning curve on the software.
Just to add in a bit on other scanners, wet mounting kits are available options, or included, on Creo flatbed scanners. I also believe this is the situation with some of the Fuji scanners and the Screen Cezanne, though someone else might be better to confirm that. The weight of the machine is another consideration, with only the iQSmart line being not super heavy . . . compared to your Imacon, all the high end flatbeds are heavier, though not nearly as heavy as most drum scanners.
Ciao!
Gordon Moat
A G Studio
To add to Gordon's thoughts. First my Screen Cezanne weighs in at a bit under 150 pounds. You can wet mount on any of these scanners with ease. The Cezanne, for example, has a removable glass tray that I just take ut and load up then put back. Msot of the time I don't even need to do that, I use Prazio's Nati Newton Ring spray which is their lightest liquid; spray it on and down on the scanner goes the neg or trannie. When the scan is finished the fluid is evaporated.
Last edited by Ted Harris; 22-Nov-2006 at 08:27.
Ted...
Could you use that Anti NR spray on an Epson V700 flatbed and plop the neg down on the glass, as you described?
PV, Sure. You spray the film not the glass so no possibility of gunk getting into the works of the machine.
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