I used to work at a place where I ran an Imacon scanner a few years back.
I have been paying to have scans of my work done for the past year. My question is are there still a lot of artists and photographers paying for this service or are the $1,000-$2,000 scanners good enough for most to buy they're own scanners.
I'm considering buying an Imacon but would have to sell scanning services to help defray the cost. I'm trying to figure out if there's still a market for high resolution scanning services. Also can anyone recommend a less expensive film scanner that can scan 120 and 4x5 for fine art out put of 23x30 inch images and have the same or similar quality as an Imacon scan?
Thanks
stella

On the large format photography forum, there are a few photographers who have managed to develop a following in providing scan services. As for (better) alternatives to Imacon scanners, see
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/for...ead.php?t=29120

Thanks for sending me in the right direction.
Stella

In my opinion, Imacons are overrated, especially compared to the popular drum scanners from Howtek or ICG. If you're considering providing high end scans, you really don't want to be in the position of having to make excuses for your scans. Inability to pull out deep shadow detail, scan the entire piece of film to the very edges, blooming on high contrast edges and problems with film flatness and focus are all things to consider. A 5-10K used Howtek will outperfom any of the flatbed scanners discussed over at the Large Format forum. People who pay a lot of money for either an Imacon or a high end flatbed often claim their scans are "the same as a drum" or "just like a drum" or some other such nonsense, but when it comes down to it, they're really not. If ALL you're scanning are large prints, then a good flatbed is fine, but for film, well, there is a difference. It all depends on where you want to position yourself in what services you offer. You don't get to be a master scanner overnight either. It takes time to get the most out of whatever hardware/software combination you end up with.

If you shoot transparency film, consider a drum scanner. Especially if you shoot landscapes. Flatbeds and Imacons cannot achieve the quality or flexibility of scanning that a drum scanner can achieve. And at the moment, there's a Howtek 6500 on eBay, with a current price of US$1100 (item # 220199756650).


If you are to offer a service to photographers, then a drum scanner will pique interest more than an Imacon. Besides the ability to read shadow detail, the biggest difference between a drum scanner and an Imacon is input resolution. With an Imacon, a 4x5 sheet has a max res of 2000 dpi. With a drum scanner the max res is that of the scanner, usually 4000 dpi and higher. In addition, a drum scanner allows the film rebate to be scanned, which provides artistic flexibility for your clients.

That said, LF film is becoming a niche. Labs in major cities are looking at the end of E-6 processing in 3 to 5 years. This leaves sheet film processing to those who have JOBO processors. If you could tap that market, I think you'd find a way to defray the cost of any scanner, but it would require marketing your services.

I pointed out to professional flatbeds because I assumed that the original poster was aware of drum scanners, but was nevertheless looking for a CCD scanner. While in general drum scanners outperform flatbeds (there are exceptions), a professional flatbed gives great results with large format film. See also http://www.largeformatphotography.info/for...ead.php?t=32448

"While in general drum scanners outperform flatbeds (there are exceptions"

Unfortunately they only compared against one drum scanner and one that, even though very expensive, has limited real resolution. The Tango has a minimum aperture of 10 microns making any resolution over 2540 interpolated in at least one direction. Also, if you're using a Tango the way it came from the factory, it'll be set up using a false black point on the IT8 used to create the scanner profile, effectively crippling it's ability to dig deep into the shadows. You would need to make a new profile using a Hutchcolor target instead, but that pretty much goes for any scanner.