From: Sandy King (sanking@CLEMSON.EDU)
Date: 09/04/03-11:24:03 AM Z
I know from reading the rec newsgroups that a lot of people have
tried to make this kind of adaptor but I think it is more complicated
than just illuminating the transparency from above. Scanner software,
for example, is designed based on the known features of a particular
scanner and I think there is a good chance that the software would
not even recognize the adaptor.
You would probably save a lot of time, and perhaps money, looking for
a scanner on ebay with the features you need. A few months ago I
found an Epson 836XL with 12X17" transparency adaptor for less than
$500, in new condition. The 836XL is the father of the current large
bed Epson 1640XL, but with resolution of 1600/800 dpi instead of the
3200/1600 dpi of the current machine. But otherwise pretty much
identical in terms of features and appearance. And I really like the
Epson software because it allows me to manually focus the machine
with a visual comparison of different focus positions.
And this brings me to a question. When I originally bought the 836XL
the software allowed for 36 bit color and 12 bit monochrome. However,
recently I downloaded software from the Epson website that allows 48
bit color and 16 bit monochrome with the 836XL. I was surprised to
find this feature in the new software since I thought that the number
of bits would be determined by the hardware of the machine and not
the software. Can anyone comment on this and/or perhaps direct me to
a source that could explain how this could be?
Sandy King
>I wonder if its possible to make a scanner use a larger transparency
>adapter than the manufacturer intended.
>
>The adapter merely provides a different (transmitted) light source rather
>than the scanners internal source for reflected light.
>
>We have a small epson transparency adapter. Out of curiosity I took it
>apart. All that is inside is a very small lighting filament and a set of
>reflectors and diffusers to provide a diffuse even lighting.
>
>If one could determine the approximate lighting level, and get the scanner
>mechanism to travel a greater length in transparency mode it might be
>possible to get a scanner to do big transparancies.
>
>Who wants to do experiments with their expensive scanner :)
>
>Gord
>
>On Thu, 4 Sep 2003, PhotoGecko Austin wrote:
>
>> Thanks, Jack
>>
>> I'm running the Epson 1600 family, as well. And an Imacon for
>> strategic medium format scans. What I'm needing is to be able to slap
>> down a full page of negatives to scan a reliable "contact sheet" for
>> very basic quick corrections (levels, curves, etc.) to work from. A
>> full frame (8x10 at least) transparency adapter (at a decent
>> resolution) would be very helpful. Most flatbeds that I've encountered
>> have a SMALL transparency adapter (like 4x5, or less), regardless of
>> their visual acuity (resolution).
>>
>> It has never made sense to me that transparency adapters had to be
>> smaller than the scan bed. The Microtek seems to solve the problem--at
>> least in terms of its specs. And I'm curious as to
>> its reliability.
>>
>> I don't know the Epson 3200. What size transparencies can it handle?
>>
>> There must be answers, given all these questions.
>>
>> ;~>
>>
>> Go easy,
>> John
>>
>> ____________________________
>> John Campbell
>> Photogecko Studios & Gallery
>> 1413 South First Street
>> Austin (By God!) Texas 78704
>>
>> (512) 797-9375
>>
>> www.photogecko.com
>>
>>
>> ________________________________________________________________
>>
>>
>>
>> On Wednesday, September 3, 2003, at 11:21 PM, Jack Fulton wrote:
>>
>> > on 9/3/03 2:20 PM, PhotoGecko Austin at gecko@photogecko.com wrote:
>> >
>> >> Microtk ScanMaker 9800XL
>> > John
>> > This sounds really nice. We have two of the Epson 1600 dpi units
>> > and
>> > they are superb. 3200 is like a stop more than 1600 but the new
>> > technical
>> > advances for scanners has made some fabulous units and this looks like
>> > one.
>> > The new 3200 Epson is a honey. I have readily made 16 x 20 prints
> > > from
>> > 35mm.
>> > Jack Fulton
>> > San Francisco Art Institute
>> >
>>
>
>---------------------------------------------------------
>Gordon J. Holtslander Dept. of Biology
>holtsg@duke.usask.ca 112 Science Place
>http://duke.usask.ca/~holtsg University of Saskatchewan
>Tel (306) 966-4433 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
>Fax (306) 966-4461 Canada S7N 5E2
>---------------------------------------------------------
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