Colex,
tti, Kaiser Fototechnik, Cruse, or ZBE, which is a good digital
copy stand system to select?
FLAAR
has checked these systems out at DRUPA trade show, Photokina 2000
and Photokina 2002 trade shows and at PhotoPlus East in New York
(November 2000, 2001, and 2002). We are adding a new report which
lists all the repro stands that we have found so far (those that
meet our picky requirements). This report is highlighted in the
list below.
The Colex, ZBE and tti
stands include a digital scan back (BetterLight, PhaseOne, Anagram,
or Jobo) or may have a preparatory digital head (Cruse
system). A digital scan back costs from $14,000 upwards to $28,000.
Repro stands cost from $2,000 upwards to over $100,000, depending
on whether they are manual (movement of the camera) or with an electric
motor. The really sturdy ones are not cheap. The really cheap ones
are not sturdy.
At two trade shows Colex clearly did not have their heart into reprographic
stands. They will sell one if you want it, but they don't have a
team of people to handle this. Their interests are definitely elsewhere.
We don't recommend any equipment that is not under constant development
with it's own team of engineers and designers.
Same with ZBE, they have put all their effort into the Chromira
digital photo printer, trying to nibble at the market already occupied
by Durst Lambda and Cymbolic Sciences LightJet. So again, we cannot
recommend the ZBE Satellite because it is not a model that is still
under development. We also got this suggestion from several other
sources.
Of the three repro stand systems, Colex, tti, and ZBE, tti is clearly
the best. This is because Tarsia
Technical Industries has an entire team that works on just this
equipment.
So the main question is whether you wish a component system (tti)
or a dedicated turnkey system (Cruse). Each has its distinct advantages.
FLAAR has chosen the Cruse system to install at Bowling Green State
University in order to generate digital files large enough to print
with our 60" Hewlett-Packard DesignJet 5000ps and the 72"
ColorSpan DisplayMaker XII and Mach 12 printers. What we respect
about a company is when they have a full-time crew of engineers
working on producing improved models. In fact since I first saw
a Cruse scanner three years ago, they have introduced new models
every six months or so. Their top patented synchron models are definitely
the Rolls Royce of reprographic copy stand systems.
The leading libraries in Europe have selected the Cruse scanner
system to handle their rare books, paintings, and priceless documents.
The Vatican Secret Archive is the most recent Library that has selected
the Cruse scanner over all other systems. Contacts for Cruse include
Kurt Ernst, Managing Director (for USA), kurt.ernst@crusedigital.com,
fax (973) 208-0519; sales outlet, Michael A. Lind, e-mail malind@msn.com,
fax (281) 492-0307.
If
you need a list of all the systems which we have found so far, contact
the FLAAR review editor.
If
you wish brochures on the tti Tarsia Technical Industries repro
stand outfitted with the BetterLight scan back, then contact
is Mike Collette directly: e-mail: info@betterlight.com
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FLAAR Premium Report - Series on Scanners |
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FLAAR now has a great variety of reports, where you can find practical information,
help and tips about which you need.
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