Any news on the new Plustek 120 scanner?

[fventura]

You make an excellent point!
$2000 for a scanner is a lot of money. Wondering how much difference it really makes compared to my Canoscan 8800f with better scanner holder (120 scans only). There are relatively a very few images that I have printed let alone enlarged. I could outsource manny images for this cost of this expensive scanner let alone save time and aggravation...

My main point of interest is the fact that the Plustek 120 can do batch scanning. Something I have trouble with using Vuescan and de Canoscan for the 120. And is impossible with my Plustek 7600i for 135 format...

Yes $2000 is a lot of money, but it is a lot less than $3000 for a 5DIII, and it should be a one time purchase. ( I recently bought a 1DsII for less than $1500, a once $8000.00 camera!!!)

The last Coolscan 9000 I followed on ebay went for $3500, so $2000 (if it delivers good performance) seems like a fair price, it actually, based on its success (or not) leaves room for a much higher end model in the future, say, in the 3500 to 5000 price range.


Fábio

 

[EdSawyer]

Frankly, I'll be surprised if it can match the Nikon CS9000. I want it to, as 9000s are overpriced these days. But don't underestimate the power of the nikon lens and the rest of the 9000. Nikon has lenses made 10-20 years ago that are still unsurpassed by anything since. (Apo El Nikkors come to mind, as does the 90mm f/8 SW) So unless Plustek really has a kick-ass lens and everything else, it will be lucky to match the best from Nikon, I think.

Given the time since the Coolscans were made, there should be some tech advancement and I'd expect this product to at least match them.

-Charlie

 

[1joel1]

🙂

I wonder how to recognize the faulty film holders?

Just use it and you'll know right away.

 

[wkkato]

Thanks Kanzir, this looks good enough for me.

chances are the scanner in the German forum is broken, as the colleague over there noted that it starts making strange noises...hm.

edit: another nice scan where you can CLEARLY see the grain structure in detail:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefan_df/8384219447/sizes/o/in/photostream/

 

[nightfire]

Just found some new stuff with original TIF files:

• Holocaust Memorial | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
• Noto, Sicily - Some very first Plustek Opticfilm 120 scan test | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Even though I'm an eternal skeptic, I have to admit that these scans finally don't look too shabby, even though they're only 2650dpi. Take the B&W raw scan for one, film resolution aside, and look at the definition and crispness of the dust spots and fine hairlines... these appear to be much sharper than on the V750.

 

[bwcolor]

Not to take away from Stefan's skill as a photographer, or his technical skill scanning, but how can everyone get so much from low resolution scans?

I think the real question is how does this scanner compare to the Nikon 9000ED and we will need to wait for someone to do that comparison.

I second the motion to start a new thread once real comparative reviews begin to appear.

I'm hoping that Plustek meets our expectation. There just aren't any other players and this, unfortunately, does not alway make for a better product.

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

while comparison to the 9000 is inevitable,
let's not forget the Coolscan is no longer
manufactured. i can only hope that the
opticfilm 120 continue to get better through
upgrades, and refinement. one thing i thought
is interesting: the 120 negative is large, comparing
it with different scanners would be more academic than
practical, than say comparing the scanners on 35mm
format where the difference would be more
practical in real world ?

i shoot more 35mm than 120mm, my 120 scans on
the epson 700 is okay and i use flat negatives. i am
curious to compare the epson 700 on my 35mm negatives
against the coolscan or the dimage 5400.

raytoei

 

[bwcolor]

Ray:

I agree. My 9000ED is now a bit under the weather, but I scanned most of my 120 on my V-750Pro and 35mm on the Nikon. 35mm scans hold greater interest for me than the MF.

 

[BOD]

Just found some new stuff with original TIF files:

• Holocaust Memorial | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
• Noto, Sicily - Some very first Plustek Opticfilm 120 scan test | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Even though I'm an eternal skeptic, I have to admit that these scans finally don't look too shabby, even though they're only 2650dpi. Take the B&W raw scan for one, film resolution aside, and look at the definition and crispness of the dust spots and fine hairlines... these appear to be much sharper than on the V750.

Look down the comments of the holocaust image, the photog has posted a link to a 10,600dpi scan to show the clarity of the grain... I'm just on my ipad now, so hard to tell, but looks pretty impressive to me!

 

[bwcolor]

Good find. That high resolution scan looks good.

Mark must be staying up 24/7 to keep the communication going with Plustek. See the comment section.

 

[kanzlr]

It's sold out everywhere in Europe it seems. I had a preorder, but was not early enough to receive one from the first batch...oh my 🙂

 

[wintoid]

Listed as in stock at www.wex.co.uk who are pretty good. No experience of international orders from them, if they do such a thing.

 

[J. Borger]

It's sold out everywhere in Europe it seems. I had a preorder, but was not early enough to receive one from the first batch...oh my 🙂

Sounds like a new Leica 😀

 

[kanzlr]

Listed as in stock at www.wex.co.uk who are pretty good. No experience of international orders from them, if they do such a thing.

thanks! But well...almost 500,-- more expensive than the German shops 🙂

 

[nightfire]

It's sold out everywhere in Europe it seems. I had a preorder, but was not early enough to receive one from the first batch...oh my 🙂

Since it seems they had problems with the film holders in the first batch, maybe it's better that way...

 

[wintoid]

thanks! But well...almost 500,-- more expensive than the German shops 🙂

Ah! Which German shops have a good price on it?

 

[fventura]

seems like it is gonna be here soon! (usa)

seems like it is gonna be here soon! (usa)

I just checked my order status at B&H:


Order Type: WEB
Order Status: In stock, order sent to warehouse

 

[kanzlr]

Ah! Which German shops have a good price on it?

www.idealo.de/preisvergleich/OffersOfProduct/3516914_-opticfilm-120-plustek.html

*g*

I ordered mine from Foto Neuber for 1800something Euros.

 

[sny]

Just received mine from Germany (bought through a Swiss online shop); I don't have good negatives right now at my disposal (I scanned some old film, pictures were taken with a cheap rangefinder), but my first tries are satisfying. The scanner is quick, the holders seems sturdy and well designed. It's however too early to judge the image quality.

I will have to scan a bit more and to have good negatives (i.e. taken with a good body and a sharp lens) to post some samples and discuss my initial impressions.

Vuescan isn't supported yet; does someone know if it will support the Plustek 120 and when?

Regards,

S.

 

[kanzlr]

according to this thread, it will be supported in the future.