Can
a drum scanner really scan better than a high-end flatbed scanner?
Our
initial experience with the ICG drum scanner is favorable. It is
easy to use, indeed probably even I can learn to use it. So much
for the myth that you have to be trained for years to use a drum
scanner. That was a decade ago. Today the equipment and the software
is easier to operate.
ICG
drum scanner
One
professional prepress shop had an Optronics. The owner reported
it was so awful that they got better scans from a Umax. This experienced
prepress scanner operator subsequently bought a Creo EverSmart Pro
II flatbed scanner after reading the reviews by Nicholas Hellmuth.
In fairness to Optronics, I presume (I hope) that most of their
scanners produce better scans than a $2000 Umax
PowerLook III, but at least one lemon came off their assembly
line and that is not good for convincing people to buy that brand
when there are other perfectly good brands to buy.
In
the meantime Optronics as a scanner has evidently ceased to exist.
Another
prepress scanner operator reported "I have operated a Howtek
2500 and Cezanne (FT-s5000) in another prepress company for two
years. Cezanne is really a good high-end flatbed scanner that is
4 times faster than Howtek and much easier to use. But it is a bit
incapable of capturing highlights, and produces grainy results.
These two drawbacks are crucial.
This
reveals that many factors are at play, both hardware, optics, and
software. Of course the grainy results are due to film grain. This
is not the fault of the scanner, but is part of the physics and
chemistry of film, especially 35mm transparencies.
The
BEST bag in the photograph is the same color as the ICG drum scanner
but is not part of the system; I just happen to prefer BEST color
management RIP
for large format printers and happened to have a BEST bag while
I was visiting Global Graphics hardware at the recent DRUPA trade
show.
Since
May Global Graphics no longer makes ICG drum scanners. If the ICG
drum scanner surfaces under a new name and new management, we will
report it.
At
Photokina tradeshow in September we will also be curious to see
what other drum scanner companies no longer exist. At Photokina
2000 there was a new Swiss drum scanner and several other European
makes and models. Most went the way of the dinosaur. We hope ICG
survives, since it was far superior to cheaper drum scanners which
we tried out.
You
can ask for the FLAAR report on scanners for prepress, or FLAAR
report on scanners for fine art giclée.
|
|
FLAAR Premium Report - Series on Scanners |
|
|
FLAAR now has a great variety of reports, where you can find practical information,
help and tips about which you need.
|
|
