Drum
scanners from ICG, Heidelberg, Fuji, Howtek, ScreenUSA compared
with high-end flatbed scannerssuch as Creo EverSmart Supreme.
Imacon
(Denmark) is a nice high-end (non-drum) scanner because you do not
have to put goo on your precious chromes. This is perhaps technically
not a traditional drum scanner, but with 4800 to over 5600 dpi,
it sure is high-end enough for desktop publishing. Unfortunately
the last two Seybold Reports reviews have given the Imacon low marks
for several aspects; Seybold does not rate the Imacon as a serious
contender for uses which require precise color such as the fine
art market. We used an Imacon scanner at the Center for Advanced
Imaging (St Louis, MO) but scanned only a grayscale image. Thus
we will have to wait until we can get an actual Imacon unit in-house
before we can find out whether Seybold's conclusions are true in
actual studio use. For practicality, however, and for its outstanding
software, we prefer a Creo EverSmart Supreme as the best flatbed
scanner we have used so far.
Of
drum scanners, the models I like the most are from ICG,
especially since ICG offers an alternative for people who do not
wish to smear oil all over their transparencies. Cleaning the oil
off is rather time consuming and requires an unusually conscientious
lab person (which eliminates many employees nowadays).
ICG
drum scanner pre-press
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ICG
drum scanner pre-press
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Oiling
the transparencies, however, has been repeatedly documented to be
the best way to avoid dust and scratches. It can take up to an hour
to remove dust and scratches from a typical scan resulting from
a flatbed scanner. Here is the image from the ICG drum scanner.
Only three individual flecks had to be removed with the rubber stamp
tool, a total of a few seconds cleanup time. Then we printed the
image at 54 inches wide on a HP DesignJet at the ColorGate booth.
The quality of this drum scan certainly beat most flatbeds, and
I am not sure I would want to trust a cheap entry level drum scanner.
After all, if you are going to opt for drum scanning technology,
might as well get one that does a really good job, such as ICG,
Fuji,
or Heidelberg.
We have selected ICG from Global Graphics hardware for the FLAAR
Photo Archive.
Crosfield,
DuPont Printing and Publishing; their drum scanner division is now
part of Fuji Electronic Imaging.
Dainippon
Screen FT-S700,
Screen USA
They had a booth at IPEX, so the company is still functioning. Screen
still offers their Cezanne Elite flatbed scanner and the very impressive
looking SG-8060P Mark II color drum scanner.
Eurocore
used to make a nice drum scanner. However no movement in web site
last time we checked several months ago. In August 2002 we could not
even find their web site. Thus we presume this company has not survived.
Eurocore
used to make the
Hi-SCAN 141 (3 pass necessary)
Hi-SCAN 143
Hi-SCAN 223
EUROCORE
S.A.
In
the USA, Eurocore used to be sold by SCANTRONIX. We do not know
this company or whether they still sell Eurocore scanners.
We have no information on whether Eurocore has survived. Lots of
scanner companies disappeared between 2001 and 2002. We will see
who shows up at Photokina 2002.
Howtek
Inc.
We
are gradually beginning to learn more about these scanners after
seeing the equipment at Photokina and then at The Big Picture trade
shows.
Unfortunately
the test scans did not print well at all; indeed we had to throw
the scans away. We do not know whether the originals were bad (in
which case the bad scans were not entirely the fault of Howtek or
Aztek). However since they did the scans, and we don't have the
scanners to repeat the test, we are unable to say much more about
these products.
Beware
of flatbed scanners masquerading as drum scanners. A flatbed is still
a flatbed even if sold by a company previously known for drum scanners.
Don't be duped by claims that an upright scanner is thus a
drum scanner! Whether the scanner is designed to sit upright, or flat
(or upside down like an overhead scanner) does not change the insides.
If your scanner has a CCD it is a flatbed, no matter whether it is
cleverly shaped to stand upright and hence masquerade as a drum scanner.
If your scanner has a PMT system, then it is a drum scanner, no matter
what size or shape it is.
Also
be careful of low-priced drum scanners...you may find that a
really good flatbed is better than a cheap drum scanner.
Why?
in part because the scanner software of a Creo, Fuji Lanovia or
Heidelberg Topaz or Nexscan may be superior to the software of a
drum scanner.
In
other words, if you feel that your clients demand a drum scan, then
you need to bite the bullet and get a real drum scanner (in other
words from ICG, Heidelberg, Fuji, etc...but not from low-end drum
scanner companies).
What
about buying a used drum scanner? Don't buy any model from a company
that has gone out of business....how can you get spare parts
or technical help? Drum scanners require technicians to keep them
calibrated. If you inside on a used
scanner
try this place, but we do not have experience, we just saw their
stand at a trade show.
ICG
drum scanner
ICG North America Inc. (formerly Itek Colour Graphics, then part
of Global Graphics hardware)
QuickMount drums, ICG 350I Sentinel (Camino in the USA) or (330i
Deskside, Camino)
Centrifugal
force holds the originals firmly and evenly against the drum surface.
If this means no mounting goo, I am all for recommending this manner
of scanning. I hate the thought of putting chemical goo over my
expensive photographs and wasting the time cleaning it off (hopefully
getting most of it off).
Callisto
308I, Mac software. Nice photos of product in office setting, but
no movement (no 3-D object movies), no inside views.
ICG
Limited; used to be affiliated with Global Graphics hardware. However
this hardware division was sold off during 2002 and has disappeared
during reorganization. If the new company survives, and if they
produce their same nice ICG drum scanner, we will re-list them.
Isomet used to make drum scanners such as the 405HR or smaller format
less costly 405HR digital Drum Scanner. However their web site no
longer lists or otherwise discusses drum scanners, so probably another
causalty.
Juno Enterprises Inc., rather hard to find out about products when
their web site is blocked. They finally went out of business, small
wonder if they couldn't even keep their web site open to the public.
Linotype-Hell,
Heidelberg, German efficiency, specialists in color management and
professional prepress and desktop publishing equipment. We review
their midrange Saphir Ultra2
flatbed scanner. Heidelberg still makes high end drum and flatbed
scanners, but they abandoned the entry-level and mid-range of flatbed
scanners during 2002.
Kodak,
Ektaplus Image Drum, probably another extinct dodo bird of a drum
scanner. Kodak has not fared well in the digital era. The few Kodak
flatbed scanners do not have an impressive track record, and their
software such as Kodak Photo CD is not at a professional level when
compared with prepress scanner software from other companies.
Optronics
We recently received a report that one prepress shop was unable to
achieve good scans with an Optronics drum scanner (they said they
reverted to using a Umax flatbed). This is a mute point since Optronics
was sold recently and I am not sure whether they still sell their
scanners or not. But why bother with a company going out of business;
stick with drum scanners from companies that are healthy, such as
Heidelberg or Fuji..
ScanView
Inc.
So many scanner companies have disappeared it is hard to keep track.
I
visited the ScanView headquarters in Copenhagen five years ago and
liked the quality of their high-end scanners such as Scanmate. Subsequently
ScanView was sold in the USA by Howtek. Don't confuse the entry
level Howtek drum scanners with the ScanView flatbeds. ScanView
makes nice flatbeds (though we happen to know the Creo EverSmart
scanner better since we have one in our office). Our favorite flatbed
scanners are the Fuji Lanovia C-550 Sprint, the new Fuji 2750, and
the Creo Supreme.
I
am not sure of the fate of ScanView or ScanMate products. My impression
is they have not been updated recently. We will check to see at
Photokina 2002.
Warning: Umax claims their model 3000 is as good as a drum
scanner. Not so. It is slow, very very slow. It has a sweet spot down
the middle, the only pace you get full dpi. You do not get full-bed
dpi. Furthermore we received a complaint that the scans were not all
that inspiring.
If
you want drum scan quality, get a real drum scanner. Neither Umax,
not Imacon can approach the output of a real drum scanner.
Creo
offers full optical resolution across the entire flatbed surface.
Keep in mind that most other scanners (such as two of the ScanView
models) offer full resolution only down a narrow band down the center.
Also,
be wary of "interpolated" dpi. Any company that features
an enlargement percentage based on interpolated dpi in their web
site or in their ad brochures is, in my personal opinion, possibly
attempting to dupe a naive buyer into believing that this interpolated
dpi will actually allow a serious enlargement at those grossly inflated
figures.
If
your scanner is good, the true optical dpi will be more than enough
and you won't need any phony interpolated dpi anyway.
Conclusion:
SG-8060P
Mark II color drum scanner from Screen as well as the drum scanners
from Heidelberg and Fuji get our top ratings for truly professional
hardware and software.
If
you can't afford these top three, then consider a good 5000 dpi
flatbed such as from Creo, Fuji, Screen, Heidelberg, or Agfa. Creo,
is a flatbed not drum scanner, but quality
is of professional prepress quality. Creo scanners are so well known
worldwide that you can find plenty
of information.
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