Any news on the new Plustek 120 scanner?

Hi Mark from Plustek here.

Ok lot's of stuff to cover...

Availability Date: All I will say is that we are getting closer. There are a few scanners that will be going out to Plustek employees in the regions in the next few weeks. We will then determine if the product is ready to launch or not. We are taking a lot of extra care launching this scanner because we really want to get it right the first time.

Price: A lot of R&D went into this scanner! And as was stated, parts aren't any less expensive now than they were 5 years ago. This scanner is a much more robust design than the current OpticFilm scanners: Metal case, patent pending trays, higher resolution sensor, much higher resolution optics etc.

We typically don't decide on MSRP until the scanner announced. We also need to make sure the MSRP is somewhat consistent between regions. Believe it or not, I am reading your comments and concerns with price. But don't think that any amount of negotiations on the forum members part will get the scanner price down to $100! (just trying to be funny here)

Resolution/Quality Etc: A little birdie just told me the other day that their testing showed a better Dmax than the Nikon 9000 and that they were very impressed with the image quality. This "birdie" has a lot of experience with many film scanners.

The sensor resolution is in fact 10,600 dpi. When the product is announced, it will clearly state internal and external resolution.

Stay tuned!
 
Hi Mark,

looks like I got about all points right (it was not difficult actually :p ).

I have a prayer for you and the staff of testers.

Please test thoroughly the image quality from corner to corner with curled 120 film.
I know you have a lot of faith in your new holders, but please test it long and hard.
Some kind of film (Efke comes to mind) is particulary curly.

Nobody needs a 5300 dpi scan of a film which is partly or totally out-of-focus because of curling. :)

Wish the best of luck to your company for this new product. ;)
 
david.elliott said:
Thanks for the update Mark.

Side note - nice photo of those crazy shoes in your blog.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the comments on the shoes. That was from a street busker competition they had in Rochester a few weeks ago. My recommendation is that if you ever see a street busker competition, GO TO IT!!!! There are incredible photo ops!
 
mdruziak said:
Hi Mark from Plustek here.

Ok lot's of stuff to cover...

Availability Date: All I will say is that we are getting closer. There are a few scanners that will be going out to Plustek employees in the regions in the next few weeks. We will then determine if the product is ready to launch or not. We are taking a lot of extra care launching this scanner because we really want to get it right the first time.

Price: A lot of R&D went into this scanner! And as was stated, parts aren't any less expensive now than they were 5 years ago. This scanner is a much more robust design than the current OpticFilm scanners: Metal case, patent pending trays, higher resolution sensor, much higher resolution optics etc.

We typically don't decide on MSRP until the scanner announced. We also need to make sure the MSRP is somewhat consistent between regions. Believe it or not, I am reading your comments and concerns with price. But don't think that any amount of negotiations on the forum members part will get the scanner price down to $100! (just trying to be funny here)

Resolution/Quality Etc: A little birdie just told me the other day that their testing showed a better Dmax than the Nikon 9000 and that they were very impressed with the image quality. This "birdie" has a lot of experience with many film scanners.

The sensor resolution is in fact 10,600 dpi. When the product is announced, it will clearly state internal and external resolution.

Stay tuned!
Click to expand...

I am very happy to hear this, especially about the dMax.

I think 3200 dpi (of real resolving power) is already enough, even for 35mm.. that'd make me take 35mm more seriously. So how much more resolution are we talking here? External tests pegged the OpticFilm series at 3200 - 3800 dpi resolving power depending on the model.

I like that it will be more, oversampling is always welcome to improve quality of course! :)

I mainly shoot 6x7cm, and it would make me very happy to have something to replace my V500 with that's actually sharp (I rate my V500 at around 1300+ dpi resolving power).



I was just expecting a OpticFilm with 120 capability. Which would have made me very happy. Not something that has the potential to exceed IQ of hard to get Nikons.



I have to ask, after looking at the pics on Facebook on Plustek's page, the holders look like they'll do 617 just fine, does the scanner support 617 in one go? If not I suppose people can scan them in two '612' segments and auto-align and auto-blend the two images in Photoshop etc.
 
Price too high, no sales
Price too low, no profit
Price just right, many sales, much profit

It seems the #1 scanner for 120 film is the $150 Epson V500.
 
I will pay a reasonable price in the teens, going over $2K is a barrier I think. Also I hope you don't do the pre-ordering BS that the digital camera manufacturers do. I'd just sell it direct off your website without dealers, or pick one exclusive dealer for the first year, and then supply and demand will be better matched and you'll get a better, happier customer base. Nobody wants to pre-order and then wait months and months - they will be unhappy from the start.

A shame you don't do a 4x5 version next, there is a lot of 4x5 film left to scan and the Epsons really are borderline lousy.
 
Frank (I share your view on flatbed scanners), just be patient, if the 120 versions sells well maybe Plustek will give 4x5 a thought (just trying some positive thinking here) ;)
 
We aren't going to sell this scanner direct off of our website. I can only speak for the US region, but we have great relationships with the the on-line photo stores that sell our stuff. We are also striving to build better relationships with the mom and pop stores that are interested in selling our products.

The 4x5 request has been noted. It isn't the first time we have heard this.
 
Athiril said:
I have to ask, after looking at the pics on Facebook on Plustek's page, the holders look like they'll do 617 just fine, does the scanner support 617 in one go? If not I suppose people can scan them in two '612' segments and auto-align and auto-blend the two images in Photoshop etc.
Click to expand...

Sorry no 617 support.
 
Hi Mark,

Good news so far but another auestion: I read the comment about Nikon backing out due to ROHS laws in Europe. Don't know what they are but I do hope it will not keep Plustek from setting up a good sales channel in the EU?

And if no reseller in the EU. Is selected yet, may I suggest MacoDirect in Berlin? Good payment structure, committed to film, fast EU-wide delivery.
Just saying ��
 
wblynch said:
Price too high, no sales
Price too low, no profit
Price just right, many sales, much profit

It seems the #1 scanner for 120 film is the $150 Epson V500.
Click to expand...

I have the V500, cost me $400 at the lowest price in the country at the time.

The V500 is a joke of a scanner to be honest with you. Bad SNR, inability to multi-pass scan to compensate because the registration of the scan head doesn't line up. Scanner wasn't put together in a sterile environment - there is dust in the scan compartment that gets stirred up every time you scan due to moving parts and settles on the scan head now and then causing coloured lines in scans - only option is to bang scanner to dislodge it. Backlight unit is not sealed at all, bug got in, layed eggs, multiplied to bizarre levels inside it, marks all over the backlight glass, eggs and bugs riddled through it.

Bugs not Epson's fault, but is their fault for having spaces where stuff can get into it, had to take it apart and clean it very well and carefully, careful as to not pry the backlight glass from the glue.

Inability or unwillingness to make good film holders (they're rubbish), 120 holder only lets you scan 1 x 6x7 at a time, light strip supports 3, laying down 120 with ANR glass, and even using the default Epson scan software lets you scan all 3 in a strip in at once. The plastic is really poor, the 35 holder is now warped and bow curved somehow (it must have been on the desk on a warm sunny day with blinds open or something).

Severe lack of resolving power.


You get what you pay for.
 
Athiril said:
I have the V500, cost me $400 at the lowest price in the country at the time.

The V500 is a joke of a scanner to be honest with you. Bad SNR, inability to multi-pass scan to compensate because the registration of the scan head doesn't line up. Scanner wasn't put together in a sterile environment ....

Inability or unwillingness to make good film holders (they're rubbish), 120 holder only lets you scan 1 x 6x7 at a time, light strip supports 3, laying down 120 with ANR glass, and even using the default Epson scan software lets you scan all 3 in a strip in at once. The plastic is really poor, the 35 holder is now warped and bow curved somehow (it must have been on the desk on a warm sunny day with blinds open or something).

Severe lack of resolving power.


You get what you pay for.
Click to expand...

Well, I would agree with the last line -- you do get
what you pay for. It sounds as if you are demanding
the performance of a top-of-the-line machine from
an economy scanner. I've used Epson's 3200 and
4990 for the past 7-8 years -- the forebears of the
V700 -- and have been reasonably happy with them.
I'm not saying the V700 would address all of your
complaints, but at least it would be the appropriate
machine for this kind of critique.
 
Sanders McNew said:
Well, I would agree with the last line -- you do get
what you pay for. It sounds as if you are demanding
the performance of a top-of-the-line machine from
an economy scanner. I've used Epson's 3200 and
4990 for the past 7-8 years -- the forebears of the
V700 -- and have been reasonably happy with them.
I'm not saying the V700 would address all of your
complaints, but at least it would be the appropriate
machine for this kind of critique.
Click to expand...

The V700 ain't that much better tbh, seen the stunning lack of resolving power others' have gotten. It's fraudulent, misleading and deceptive marketing imho. They even say it's for professional quality results.. right. I thought there would have been an improvement. But looks like all they can do is ramp up sensor density and not provide decent optics.

Got a 3200 sitting here as well.

They're useful for putting small images on the web.

Imho, progress has gone -backwards-

I've used a 13 year old budget scanner that destroys any of these, while not a flatbed, still was a budget scanner.
 
Athiril said:
The V700 ain't that much better tbh, seen the stunning lack of resolving power others' have gotten. It's fraudulent, misleading and deceptive marketing imho. They even say it's for professional quality results.. right. I thought there would have been an improvement. But looks like all they can do is ramp up sensor density and not provide decent optics.

Got a 3200 sitting here as well.

They're useful for putting small images on the web.

Imho, progress has gone -backwards-

I've used a 13 year old budget scanner that destroys any of these, while not a flatbed, still was a budget scanner.
Click to expand...

Scanner development stalled because film sales tanked and process and scan systems like the Noritsu and Fuji's are far simpler for the bulk of the market. Those who wanted higher-end results were more likely to pay for a drum scan on select negatives. So high-end scanner systems were pinched between mass market lab scanning and one-off high-quality print shop scans.

Not a lot of room there.

Now that film is a tiny, niche market of hobbyists, there may be room for a a home hobby scanner like what Plustek is working on for 120/135, but it's a fractional market that still competes with the dynamic above.

And most people are putting volume scans on the web. The whole lab scan system effectively replaced the mass 4x6 print system.

The lab I had scans done at using the Epson V750's primarily used them for sample scans and proofing. "Real" scans were done using the Hasselblad for final prints or high-quality digital archiving.
 
Athiril said:
The V700 ain't that much better tbh, seen the stunning lack of resolving power others' have gotten. It's fraudulent, misleading and deceptive marketing imho. They even say it's for professional quality results.. right. I thought there would have been an improvement. But looks like all they can do is ramp up sensor density and not provide decent optics.

Got a 3200 sitting here as well.

They're useful for putting small images on the web.

Imho, progress has gone -backwards-

I've used a 13 year old budget scanner that destroys any of these, while not a flatbed, still was a budget scanner.
Click to expand...

I hear you, but you're complaining that your Big Mac
doesn't taste remotely like filet mignon. If your needs
are that demanding, then get an Imacon, or a drum
scanner. I won't claim my 4990 is in that league, but
it's good enough for the web and that's all I ask of it.
I agree that the Epsons are not perfect -- I wish they
were less noisy in the shadows -- but who can expect
perfection at their price point?
 
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