Re: filmscanners: Minolta Elite, Nikon LS-40, Acer 2740S

["Douglas Landrum" <dflandrum@earthlink.net>]

Egil wrote:

> Has anyone got any good advice on which one I should choose, Minolta
Elite,
> Nikon LS-40 (CoolScan IV) or Acer 2740S? I know of the differences "on
> paper", and I like the Acer for SCSI batch scanning of slides, the Minolta
> for SCSI and singlepass multiscanning, and the Nikon for the LED's and
> auto/manual focus.
>
> How do they compare on image quality (sharpness, color, noise...)?
>
> I will be scanning slides, mostly Kodachrome.
>
>
> Egil Rognvik
>

Faced with the same choice, I chose the Nikon.  My choice was based
primarily on the Nikon having greater dynamic range and my belief that it
would handle darker slides better.  To my delight, the Nikon seems to scan
color negatives very well.  Having no experience with the other scanners, I
can't comment.
I am pleased with the Nikon to date.  You can see some of my earliest
scans - I am a beginner at this - on this link:

http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=3861

The color photos are scans from the Coolscan IV.  The B&W's are flatbed
scans of prints.
I like the Nikon Scan 3 software.  It works on my Win 98SE platform
perfectly as a TWAIN import to Photoshop 6.
I also like the USB interface.  I avoided the extra $150 to $200 for a good
SCSI card.  I have also used the Coolscan IV with Vuescan.  Vuescan works a
little better on some slides, but not as well as NS 3 on color negatives.
You may want to wait for the release of the new Canon that specs out at 4000
ppi.  I did know about the Canon until after I bought the Nikon.