Creo IQsmart1 resolution?

[Ed Richards]

The IQSmart1 claims 3200 DPI over the entire bed, but in their brochure they say the maximum resolution for 4x5 is 2100DPI. Can someone shed some light on this?

[Ted Harris]

Ed, I have no information on the 1 but will be posting some results on the IQSmart3 shortly. I have one here for testing and evaluation but have not yet begun to put it through its paces.

Remember too that resolutionis not the only number that is important in scanning, perhaps not even the most important. The way that resolution i srendered in real life nd the DMax and color fringing are as important.

BTW, I have not head of many photographers using the 1, the 2 and 3 yes.

[Ed Richards]

I scan fairly well controlled black and white negatives, so Dmax and color fringing are not so important to me. When you look at the specs for the three scanners, about the only difference is the resolution, and I certainly do not need to pay $2500-$10000 more for resolution that I do not need. That is what makes the model 1 interesting.

[George Stewart]

I have the IQSmart2. This appears to be more of a software/file size limitation then a harware issue. My machine does the same. I would have purchased the 1 if I had not gotten a good deal on a used 2. If the max size I shot was 4x5, I would have purchased one of the large Imacons (now Hasselblad) in lieu of the Creo, just for simplicity sake.

[George Stewart]

I have the IQSmart2. This appears to be more of a software/file size limitation then a harware issue. My machine does the same. I would have purchased the 1 if I had not gotten a good deal on a used 2. If the max size I shot was 4x5, I would have purchased one of the large Imacons (now Hasselblad) in lieu of the Creo (now Kodak), just for simplicity sake.

[sanking]

Ed, I have no information on the 1 but will be posting some results on the IQSmart3 shortly. I have one here for testing and evaluation but have not yet begun to put it through its paces.

Remember too that resolutionis not the only number that is important in scanning, perhaps not even the most important. The way that resolution i srendered in real life nd the DMax and color fringing are as important.

BTW, I have not head of many photographers using the 1, the 2 and 3 yes.

I understand that the IQSmart scanners use the same XYZ stitching technology introduced in the Scitex EverSmart scanners hat gives full optical resolution over the entire bed.

If the effective optical resolution is as good as that of the EverSmart scanners they should give outstanding results. I recently tested the real optical resolution of my EverSmart Pro scanner this past week-end, using a high resolution chrome on glass target. I was astonished to find that the effective resolution was about 96% of stated, and it delivers this resolution all over the 12X17" bed.

By contrast, the efficiency of my Epson 4990 is less than 50% comparing stated resolution to effective optical resolution. In terms of file space alone this means that I can scan a LF film at a lower ppi value and still get more real resolution than with the 4990.

Resolution if of course not everything, but it is a very important thing.

Sandy King

[Ed Richards]

George,

If it is a software issue, can you get around it with different software? I find the claim of full resolution across the entire scanning area a little strange, when you can only get that full resolution scanning very small areas at a time.

[Gordon Moat]

My understanding, from one place I know running an iQSmart1, is that it is a memory and file size issue internal in the scanner. I don't believe upgrading the software would solve anything, though if Creo/Kodak did some firmware change there might be a way around it.

It might seem strange to consider an iQSmart1 as entry level, especially at the new price, though that is basically the deal with that scanner. You get more going towards an iQSmart2, or buying into other companies scanners. However, be aware that file size limitations have affected some older scanners too.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
A G Studio

[Ted Harris]

Sandy, for the 2 and 3 you are correct and the results definitely surpass those from the Pro.

Ed, are you dealing with OxYgen Lite or the full version?

[Ed Richards]

Ted,

I am not using an iQsmart, I was exploring them as a step from my Canon 9950. I do not have the space or time to deal with a drum scanner, but a flatbed that would improve my resolution just a bit would be very useful. Like many of us, I only need a 4x5 scanning area, but since there are no 4x5 film scanners, the iQsmarts are the only close to affordable next step after a consumer flatbed. The Microtek 2500 would be about right, but there are none of those around, and I doubt that the M1 is going to be much of an improvement over the other consumer flatbeds.