Re: filmscanners: SS120 & Nikon 8000 ... how do they work?

[Arthur Entlich <artistic@ampsc.com>]

It seems to me for some reason that most of the newer medium format 
scanners manufacturers decided to forego the zoom lens approach 
that Minolta has and continues to use with their Multi models, 
and just basically use the same optics for all the film formats.  

That eliminates the need for fancy (and maybe problematic) 
mechanics that change the film position or zoom lenses. 
Other than the Minolta Multi, the other MF scanners seem to work
similarly to a flatbed, in the sense that regardless of the size of the
original, the resolution of the CCD remains fixed (in this case at 4000
dpi.)

If the Nikon uses a 10,000 pixel element CCD, they could have projected
the 35mm frame width onto it, and claimed an over 10,000 dpi resolution
scan.  Of course, that would have resulted in almost as large a file as
a MF at 4000 dpi.  Further, it is possible they cannot really produce a
10,000 dpi stepper motor system that is reliable.  That's getting
awfully demanding in a consumer product.

Art 

rafeb wrote:

> 
> Good question, Jeff.
> 
> >From Nikon's specs, we know that they're using a
> 10,000 x 3 element CCD.  Across a 2.25" media,
> this comes out to roughly 4000 dpi.
> 
> We also know from the specs there's some fancy
> 14-element zoom lens in the box.
> 
> What's unclear then is why they can't or don't
> provide better than 4000 dpi on 35 mm media,
> or why a "zoom" lens, at all.
> 
> rafe b.