Is Plustek back in the U.S. Market?

[larrydressler]

<p>Last I knew they had left the U.S. market. Could this be because Nikon is getting out of the Dedicated film scanner business and only the 9000 is left and as a build to order item only?</p>

<p>http://www.adorama.com/ICDP7500ISE.html?sid=1251507890439997</p>

[andylynn]

<p>I wasn't aware they were out. Newegg has been selling their stuff for a while, but I've always seen mixed reviews of their products... are any of their scanners any good? This 7200 PPI talk is obviously rubbish but for a few hundred they might have something that can perform decently in the 3,000 range?</p>

[larrydressler]

<p>I went to their page a few months ago when I read they were no longer in the U.S. Market and noticed they did not ship anything to the U.S. I also have seen that they are more dependent on the software you use than the actual hardware... from this I see that the price goes up.</p>

<p> I may have been totally wrong. But then again I am passing middle age. :)</p>

[Mike Howard]

<p>Tiger Direct has never stopped selling them. I almost went and bought one, but the reviews are so mixed, going from complete trash to gods-gift-to-scanning, I'm afraid to waste the money. If someone here could write a good, detailed, objective review of one of these scanners, it would be great. Any possibility pnet can get one and test it out?</p>

[peterbcarter]

<p>I have one and I use it more than my Epson. Real DPI is about the same 2-3k. Plustek does not make their own software and relies of Silverfast bundles.</p>

<p>Why I use it over my Epson?<br>

1) twice as fast at scanning<br>

2) the folder actually keeps the negs flat and the Epson holder was invented by morons<br>

3) image is always crisp and is in focus, see 2.</p>

<p>I do use the Epson to scan MF, but that cost extra for the film holders to do the job right.</p>

<p>I bought the Plustek and that was all I had to get. The Epson cost me ANR glass and Holders because it just doesn't do the job out of the box. I have yet to see a review ever pick that up.</p>

<p> </p>

[peterbcarter]

<blockquote>

<p>Peter, Are the scanning speeds posted for the Plustec at <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.filmscanner.info/en/PlustekOpticFilm7600i.html" target="_blank"><strong>Scanndig Test report Plustek film scanner OpticFilm 7600i review</strong> </a>accurate?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>They are and they are not. They were done with the bundled SilverFast and that product is the king of bulk. It is not a good bit of software to bench any scanner. I have Silverfast for my Epson (4490) it it is consistently slower. I have Vuescan, and although it is much faster with both, the Plustek still is proportionately faster.</p>

<p>Note that 3600 dpi is a magic hump. Up to there the scanner seems to spit out a data stream fast and consistent. Beyond that it starts to tank and I suspect that becomes some sort of "extrapolated" mode. I see no more image detail beyond 3600.</p>

<p>My Epson has a hard time getting detail beyond 2400. This is probably due to focus issues by the bad film trays and I don't scan beyond that (usually 1200 for MF even with replacement trays).</p>

<p>Note: I am pushed for time right now, but I will post some "time" tests with vueuescan. I expect it to be about half.</p>

 

[Mike Howard]

<p>Thanks Les, if that review is accurate, the Plustek seems a waste. </p>

[larrydressler]

<p>Thanks for all the new info.</p>