high-end scanning of 8X10 film

If I were to get an 8X10 camera, I would want scans that would be better than

the 4X5 scans I am getting from my Imacon.

 

All the posts I have read about 8X10 scanners under $1000 seem to indicate that

scans on them are like scans of a smaller format on a better scanner. With all

the trouble that an 8X10 camera would mean, I would want great quality, high

resolution scans with no compromise.

 

Typically, I print at 300 dpi. I can easily get to 30X25" prints with the

Imacon's 2040 dpi scans on an uncropped 4X5 image. There doesn't seem to be any

point in getting an 8X10 camera if I can't scan at that resolution with stunning

clarity. Making stunningly detailed 48X60" prints might be worth the loss of

readyload technology, the gain of weight, the cost of new lenses, etc.

 

Any suggestions or ideas?

 

Thanks,

 

Phil

I don't think you will be able to do it for under $1000. More like $5 to $6K will be your best choices either a used Howtek or Aztec to get really big scans

Bill

If you need to scan personally, to be on the happy side, hunt down a old pre-press monster of a drumscanner weighing at least 1/3 of a ton on e-bay, install it, have the pre-historic Mac needed to operate it wired into your current network, and get the 8x10" when you're ready.

 

I myself will (someday) start shooting my 5x7"s, buy a contemporary prosumer flatbed and fear my personal need for pro-scans done of the really wow keepers, I might capture, could be payed with 10c/LF-frame-I-burn. Pixelpeeping might be pleasure, but printing 48x60" sounds a little bit prohibitive to me. - Have you got a 2nd friend able to hang such a pic?

Drum scanner. I bought my howtek 4500 for $1000 and its still running 3 years later.

 

A 2000 dpi 8x10 E100g drum is pretty amazin, very clean and sharp. It would take a 4000 dpi 4x5 drum scan to get to that size.

Bill ,Jochen, Troy

 

Thank you for your prompt answers. I am not expecting to pay less than $1000. I guess a drum scanner is the way to go. I'll look...

 

Phil

I use a Creo IQSmart 2 flatbed for my 8x10 scans. You could probably get the IQSmart 1 with oil mounting station for about $8,000. The results will compare to you Imacon.

Any higher than 2000 dpi becomes tricky anyway - I have a client who has specified 7000 dpi on his 8x10s. It has to be done in 9 sections and stitched together on my drum scanner as it can't go more than 16000 pixels at a time. However having done it, we find that 7000 dpi just manages to get into the grain of the image - but only just. We think that the 8x10s resolution exceeds this (assuming spot on focus). Results? Truly life like. We are making 3 meter lightjet prints at 300 dpi with no interpolation. Down side is it takes about 12 hours to scan it on a 1045ai drum scanner at 48 bit and another few hours to assemble it on a Mac Quad. Needless to say the file size is over 10 gigabytes! Does it look good? YES!

Jake,

Thanks for the remarkable story. Where is that 3 meter print going to be displayed. I'd love to see it.

Phil