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

["Arthur Entlich" <artistic-1@shaw.ca>]

I'm not David, but I'll give you my views anyway.

The SS4000 was a well made top of the line unit, ahead of all the rest
at the time.

The SS4000+ has a few advantages over it.

The main one is that it has a higher bit depth meaning a greater ability
to capture noiseless shadows.

Other than that, it uses a different interface (USB and Firewire vs
SCSI), (the Firewire is faster than SCSI).

Since it didn't come with a little brush to attach to the film carrier,
I assume the location sensor was redesigned so it wouldn't potentially
get dusty and not work without an occasional "brush up".

The Firmware in the plus allows for the bulb to shut off on a timed system.

If you can get a SS4000 for a good price, I would grab it.  I was, and
is, a great scanner.  Both units are supported by Silverfast, both units
can use the full features of Insight.

The person who will best benefit from the new features of the SS4000+
versus the SS4000 are:

1) if you can use Firewire, (Mac or Windows beyond 98SE) you get a
faster scan.

2) if you shoot or have a lot of Kodachrome or very dense films were
shadow noise would harm the resultant image.

3) If you have a very dusty environment and are too lazy to run the
brush through once a week.

4) If you have no access to the SS4000 (I suspect they are few and far
between) for a price below $800-900 US.  I've seen a few on ebay used,
and they sell for more than the clearance prices (which were about $550
US), typically.  My experience is not too many people are selling their
SS4000 scanners regardless of when they bought them.

Art


Philip Elkin wrote:

> David
>
> Do you consider the Plus a level above the SS4000?
> I ask only as you seem to previously state that their is little advantage
> with holding out for the Plus when it may eventually arrive.
>
> Philip
>


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe by mail to listserver@halftone.co.uk, with 'unsubscribe 
filmscanners'
or 'unsubscribe filmscanners_digest' (as appropriate) in the message title or 
body