filmscanners: Re: Kodak RFS3600

[RogerMillerPhoto@aol.com]

My apologies to everyone for not including the text of the message that I'm 
replying to, but I can't seem get AOL to include it when I send a reply.  As 
a summary, Tony asked for comments on the Kodak RFS 3600 and I told him that 
Shutterbug magazine said the scanner was good but the software wasn't.  I 
also told him of my problems with Polaroid's service for my SprintScan 4000.  
He wanted to know if he should buy a 2600 dpi scanner if there weren't any 
4000 dpi scanners I'd recommend.

Tony, by all means buy a 4000 dpi scanner.  The others are OK for web work, 
but for magazine work you'll need all the resolution you can get.  And if you 
want the Kodak 3600, buy it.  Several list members who have it say it gives 
great scans even if the software has some faults.  Listen to them, not me.  I 
don't have a Kodak, so buy definition, I don't know what I'm talking.  And if 
you want the Polaroid (for a little more money), then you may have better 
luck than me and wouldn't have to send it back for repair.  And if you did 
have problems, David Hemingway of Polaroid monitors this list and knows where 
to kick the sleeping dog.  He saw my comments about Polaroid's poor service 
(I guess 3 returns for repairs of the same problem over 5 months, with no 
real use of the scanner during that time, qualifies as "poor service.") and 
sent an e-mail to the right person.  That caused Polaroid to promise to send 
me a brand new replacement scanner.  If it works when I receive it, I'll be a 
happy camper.  

You do have at least one other choice in 4000 dpi scanners.  Nikon has 
announced the Super Coolscan 4000 ED for US$1700 (list price) that should be 
available in a month or so.  But I'd wait to hear what other people said 
about it before I bought one.

Finally, a few comments on resolution.  I shoot mostly 6x7 medium format film 
and decided to buy a 35mm scanner (couldn't afford one for medium format) for 
a web site job I was hired to do.  Scanning 35mm at 4000 dpi for use on the 
web was fine.  But when I tried to print an 11x17, it was blurry even after 
sharpening in Photoshop.  Worst of all, sharpening made the skin tones look 
blotchy.  So I finally had to create a mask in Photoshop that allowed me to 
sharpen only the model's eyes, lips and teeth, hair, jewelry, wearing 
apparel, etc., but leave the skin tones unsharpened.  That gave an acceptable 
image provided you didn't get too close to the photo.  After being used to 
medium format, digitized 35mm was a real bummer.  So stay away from 2600 dpi 
if you might want big magazine spreads from a cropped film frame.

Unfortunately, I have to go try to unsubscribe from this list or my mail box 
will overflow while I'm gone for the next two weeks.  But I'll be back.  This 
is a good list with some great people.