[filmscanners] Re: Nikon LS-40 vs Polaroid SS4000

["Jeremy Nicholl" <mail@jeremynicholl.com>]

>I'm contemplating jumping ship and going for
>either for a Nikon LS-40 or a Polaroid Sprintscan 4000 (some dealers
>here in the UK are still advertising it).
>
>I'm attracted by the extra resolution, low shadow noise, good depth of
>field and SCSI interface of the SS4000 (and Polaroids general customer
>service) but I have found ICE invaluable at times.  Also, the SS4000 is
>now quite elderly in scanner terms.  Has anyone had direct experience
>of both these scanners, preferably on dense slides like Kodachrome?
>
>
>
>Thanks,
>
>
>
>Al Bond


I've had the original Polaroid 4000 since it appeared and a Nikon
4000ED [higher spec than the LS-40] for about a week.

Unless you need Nikon's additional bulk slide feeder or dICE run out
and buy the Polaroid. Digital ICE is impressive, far more so than I
expected, and is wonderful if you've got a lot of old material which
has been carelessly handled over the years. The bulk feeder is
wonderful for production. However both advantages are off-set by
Nikon's extremely shallow depth of focus. I've found it well-nigh
impossible to get anything like the same edge to edge sharpness on
the Nikon that I can get on the Polaroid. Unless your originals are
absolutely flat - flatter than Nikon's own film holders can manage -
you will have problems.

Jeremy Nicholl
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