filmscanners: Nikon Coolscan IV vs. Minolta Dimage Scan Elite II

[patton paul <ppatton@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>]

I'm a serious amateur photographer and have been thinking about purchasing
a Nikon Coolscan IV.  Its advantages include 2900 dpi resolution and ICE.
However, at nearly $800.00, the price makes me hesitant.  I recently learned
that Minolta has marketed a filmscanner called the Dimage Scan Elite II,
which has specifications that seem very similar to the Coolscan IV, but costs
only $400.00.  Could anyone please comment on the relative quality of these
two scanners?  The DSE II has 2,820 dpi resolution and ICE.  Its dynamic
range is 4.8, which is better than the Coolscan's 3.6.  Could someone please
explain whether this difference is significant?  The light source in the
DSE II is a cold cathode fluorescent tube, whereas that for the Coolscan is
an LED.  What are the relative advantages and disadvantages of these two
light sources?  Are the two machines roughly comparable, as their specs
seem to suggest, or is the Nikon Coolscan really worth the extra money?
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Dr. Paul Patton
Beckman Institute  Rm 3027  405 N. Mathews St.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign  Urbana, Illinois 61801
work phone: (217)-265-0795   fax: (217)-244-5180
home phone: (217)-328-4064
homepage: http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~ppatton/index.html

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious.  It is the
source of all true art and science."
-Albert Einstein
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