posted
Hey, Bob... I got a new Epson 1640SU..1600 bpi OPTICAL, not interpolated, for $250. They make variations of this model with auto sheet feed and transparancy adapters, stuff I didn't need. Good machine. hk
------------------ Howard Keiper Sales Mgr., Graphtec Benicia, Ca. keip@pacbell.net
Posts: 409 | From: Benicia, Ca., USA | Registered: Dec 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Contact Jack at poster@gate.net He is in Florida and has done prints for me. He is always selling off some high end equipment he doesn't want or can use anymore. I noticed a couple of weeks back he was selling off some high end scanners on other boards.
------------------ Wright Signs Wyandotte, Michigan Since 1978 www.wrightsigns.bigstep.com All change isn't progress, and all progress isn't forward.
Posts: 2786 | From: Wyandotte, MI USA | Registered: Jan 1999
| IP: Logged |
Will you scan reflective art, such as photos? Or, tranparent art, which can vary depending on whether you'll scan 35 mm slides; 35 mm negatives; or 120 / 4 x 5 positives.
Also, where's it going? ...
If for large format printing, what size? Or are you thinking print publication?
The best scanner really depends on what you're doing. Resolution alone is not necessarily the determining factor.
I / we've used quite a few different products, and I may be able to offer suggestions (that aren't too old ... products seem to change overnight!).
Regards,
Jim
------------------ Jim Doggett Vice President Summa, Inc.
Seattle, WA USA jim@summusa.com
Posts: 500 | From: Sherman, TX USA | Registered: Mar 2000
| IP: Logged |
If you want a scanner that really picks up what you see, you need to be more concerned with color depth and vibrancy. A flat-bed scanner for important color reproduction is going to hit you up for at least $2500 bucks and goes from there. At that point, they actually have a rating. The one's you pick up at CompuMart and Staples don't even rate.
A high quality scanner is going to rate at least a 3.0 (4.0 being the highest). Most of your $40k+ drum scanners rate about a 3.8 to a 3.9.
posted
Vibrancy was a term refered to in a discussion at a seminar I attended at the Big Show in Charlotte a few months back. You could have two scanners side by side with almost identical specs (i.e. - optical resolution, the number of bits and so on), yet the colors in a scanned image would be more muted if it came out of one scanner than the other.
Its probably the wrong technical word to use, but its meaning was pretty clear.
With large format in mind, I'd like a scanner that will scan both photos and slides, with the final printed results to be as good a "photo quality" as possible. I prefer a flatbed scanner that can scan 14". I've been using an HP4c for quite a while and it does an awesome job, but I'm afraid it'll come up short scanning for large format.
Any further thoughts guys!?
------------------ Bob Burns Bob Burns Signs
1619 Oregon Ave. Prescott, Az 86305 1-520-778-5879
Posts: 2121 | From: Prescott, Arizona, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thanx Glenn. That loox like an answer. I've also looked at the UMAX powerlook3000 (ONLY $7295.00!). The AGFA loox like it'll do the job... and for ONLY $2475!!!!!GULP!!
------------------ Bob Burns Bob Burns Signs
1619 Oregon Ave. Prescott, Az 86305 1-520-778-5879
Posts: 2121 | From: Prescott, Arizona, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
bob i got 2 canons...and old model IX-4015 that was top of the line in 96-97...when i bought it and paid $400 for it and thought i got a deal....and i got a new one thats N565U usb plug only no power cord...and they both work great...i like canon..cause all the XEROX copiers use canon..internals...so they make some good stuff..
------------------ joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-944-5060 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND
Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
For slides, I recommend a dedicated slide scanner, such as the Nikon CoolScan (~$800 + a SCSI card). Flatbed scanners that do both photos and slides (claim to), don't do slides for beans.
For photos, most desktop/flatbed scanners above the $400 mark will deliver what you need ... but get a SCSI one that you can daisy-chain to the CoolScan, or other. But if you want something spendier, AGFA is highly regarded, as is Linotype-Hell.
Most medium-class scanners can produce a file size that approaches the upper limits of workability, in any event. For example, a 20 foot tradeshow s-wall that's about 8 feet high, at 100 dpi (output size), is 660 Megs in RGB mode (add layers for filter or other effects and the thing goes into the GB-plus range pretty fast ... making filter effect like Eye Candy take FOREVER). But even a file that big is only 24,000 pixels wide ... so an 8 x 10 (landscape) original would need to scan at 2400 dpi max. Scanning at higher resolution would require you to scale the image down, resulting in a loss of quality. Or, creating a print file that's more than 100 dpi at size will bring your computer and RIP software to its knees ... with no apparent quality shift at intended viewing distances.
Where good scanning comes in is in the color accuracy, much of which requires operator skill that results from much time-on-task (no way around that). Linotype-Hell has a good TWAIN front end that helps, but it's not fool-proof. Nikon's CoolScan also has good color controls in it's TWAIN driver. HP's is marginal, but you'll still be correcting most scans in Photoshop anyway ... so what the heck. Umax, in my experience, has been an under-performer, but that experience is now about 3 years old ... thing may have changed.
In short, I'd encourage you to look at a mid-range HP or Epson scanner, in combination with a good slide scanner (I LOVE the CoolScan ... for slides or 35mm neg strips).
IMHO,
Jim
------------------ Jim Doggett Vice President Summa, Inc.
Seattle, WA USA jim@summusa.com
Posts: 500 | From: Sherman, TX USA | Registered: Mar 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Hey Jim, Along with the COOLSCAN, whadaya think of the HP 7490c......2400X2400 dpi OPTICAL with UNLIMITED enhanced scan resolution!!!!....48-bit color. ALL THIS FOR UNDER $1000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
------------------ Bob Burns Bob Burns Signs
1619 Oregon Ave. Prescott, Az 86305 1-520-778-5879
Posts: 2121 | From: Prescott, Arizona, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
YOU GOT THAT RIGHT! So far, the ROLAND V8 looks like a good prospect! The right scanner....the right printer.....and a computer with a bazillion gig hard drive and 2 tons of RAM.....yeah...dat's it!
------------------ Bob Burns Bob Burns Signs
1619 Oregon Ave. Prescott, Az 86305 1-520-778-5879
Posts: 2121 | From: Prescott, Arizona, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
UPDATE!!!!!!! WELL, IT'S GONNA BE AN HP7450 SCANNER....HP 1220C DESKTOP PRINTER....ROLAND HI-FI JET-PRO.....AND A BALLS-TO-THE-WALL COMPUTER TO MAKE IT ALL WORK!
THANKS FOR THE HELP!!!
------------------ Bob Burns Bob Burns Signs
1619 Oregon Ave. Prescott, Az 86305 1-520-778-5879
Posts: 2121 | From: Prescott, Arizona, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Hey Bob, If you are considering the V8, why don't you get into the new Solvent Jet? You can print onto anything, uncoated. I'm hoping I can convert my CJ 500 to solvent. I hear its at about 63 cents a sq ft.
------------------ Marcano-Welch Signs Luquillo, Puerto Rico 787-889-6608
Posts: 2287 | From: Luquillo, Puerto Rico, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
| IP: Logged |
Sorry for the slow reply ... but 2400 optical has gotta be everything you'll need. Also, if you're looking at kicking up your horsepower with a new computer, spend a few extra bucks on a good monitor (with ICC profiles specific to the model). That will make for easier/better color calibration to your scanner and printer.
Also, I'm not a big fan of low-end solvent ink printers (in the solvent ink world ... even a 70K Arizona DSP is low-end). But, I'll keep my opinions to myself, since we sell a competing technology.
That said, the Solvent Jet, to my understanding, is a Roland HiFi Jet that's been married to third-party inks and media. It's based on a Roland machine, but I'm not sure who's backing it, or who owns the Solvent Jet trademark. I'm sure an e-mail to a Solvent Jet dealer, will yield more info. Try this URL:
posted
Thanks Jim, I go a computer guy who's up on all this computer stuff. 19" monitor (not sure of the make, but it's one of the best. Windows 98/ Pentium 4, 40 GB HD, DVD, the biggest tape back-up, 528 RAM, 32 Video card, etc., etc. Well, I've gone from pistriping, to painting signs, to weeding vinyl.....guess it's time to move on....!Learning something new is fun and can get expensive, but I'm confident that I can make it pay. We'll see.....
------------------ Bob Burns Bob Burns Signs
1619 Oregon Ave. Prescott, Az 86305 1-520-778-5879
Posts: 2121 | From: Prescott, Arizona, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Sounds like you've got your bases covered. Good luck, although I doubt you'll need it. Color printing is more closely related to the brush than vinyl-cutting, by far. So your design/artistic sense will be a big head start.
Regards,
Jim
------------------ Jim Doggett Vice President Summa, Inc.
Seattle, WA USA jim@summusa.com
Posts: 500 | From: Sherman, TX USA | Registered: Mar 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Sorry for being so late but the wife is in the States, so I'm out partyin'! Don't let her know I said that! Anyway, NIDI technologies & I dunno who else came up with it, Its the new version of the HI FI Jet. The machine was supposed to get down here for demo last friday, but dind't show. I mean, printing directly to banners, vinyl, everything. I hope I can convert mine to Solvent, since I could print and cut without laminating, etc. G'luck!
------------------ Marcano-Welch Signs Luquillo, Puerto Rico 787-889-6608
Posts: 2287 | From: Luquillo, Puerto Rico, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic