Lucadomi
Well-known
Is it still worth it to invest in this old scanner considering that there is the new Plustek 120 availabe? What would be a fair price for a used artixscan 120tf ?
Thanks
Thanks
Artixscan 120tf - Still good?
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KansanTim
Established
I'd certainly go for the Plustek 120 if they are anywhere close in price. The Artixscan 120tf doesn't have dust and scratch removal, is discontinued so won't have the same support, and has slightly lower maximum resolution.
That said, I have an Artixscan and think it's wonderful (and I never use it at maximum resolution--huge files!--so some of the spec differences aren't really worth all that much). I paid $400 for it at a pawn shop that couldn't even test if it worked (no power cord) but had a guaranteed return. A few bucks for a power cord and I was able to confirm it was in perfect working order. If it broke today and I could get it again for $400, I'm certain I'd jump on that deal over a new Plustek for $2000. I'm not sure where exactly the point I'd switch to saving up for a Plustek is--maybe $700? It would depend on how much money I have and what other stuff I would spend it on--if I only have $1000 available and have a choice between the Artixscan 120tf or half a Plustek, well, half a Plustek doesn't actually scan anything, so I guess I'd still go for the Artixscan even then.
That said, I have an Artixscan and think it's wonderful (and I never use it at maximum resolution--huge files!--so some of the spec differences aren't really worth all that much). I paid $400 for it at a pawn shop that couldn't even test if it worked (no power cord) but had a guaranteed return. A few bucks for a power cord and I was able to confirm it was in perfect working order. If it broke today and I could get it again for $400, I'm certain I'd jump on that deal over a new Plustek for $2000. I'm not sure where exactly the point I'd switch to saving up for a Plustek is--maybe $700? It would depend on how much money I have and what other stuff I would spend it on--if I only have $1000 available and have a choice between the Artixscan 120tf or half a Plustek, well, half a Plustek doesn't actually scan anything, so I guess I'd still go for the Artixscan even then.
Lucadomi
Well-known
Do you need firewire connection for your artixscan? Do you know if it will work with Windows 8 ?
I have a chance to buy one locally for $900 dollars. I am also a little worried about speed and noise.
Thanks KansasTim that was very useful.
I have a chance to buy one locally for $900 dollars. I am also a little worried about speed and noise.
Thanks KansasTim that was very useful.
KansanTim
Established
When you say noise, do you mean in the scan or actual literal noise while it's scanning? If you mean actual noise, it is pretty noisy--I was surprised at how loud it was scanning. It's way louder than the Minolta Dual IV I use for 35mm. If you mean anything like digital noise on the images, no, not noisy at all.
It's not particularly fast, either (again comparing it to the Minolta). I can't say off the top of my head how long it takes to scan a frame, but I do try to have something else to do, so I do the prescan and get all the settings the way I want, and then click to scan and begin doing whatever other task I've decided to pair with it. So, for both noise and speed, I'd say they are valid concerns, but neither bothers me enough to be major deterrents. Your mileage may vary.
The firewire and Windows 8 are probably your bigger concerns, if you ask me. It has firewire and SCSI ports in the back--mine came only with the firewire cable from the pawn shop, and that's what I use, so I don't know if it was typically bundled with anything for the SCSI, and have no idea how it works with that instead of firewire. I have to use it with my old computer because my new one doesn't have anything for firewire.
For Windows 8, I'd assume the original (and freely downloadable online) software from Polaroid and/or Microtek is too old to work on it. I use the free software on my old computer which is old enough to be compatible, because I need to use that computer anyway for the firewire. However, I believe you can get third party scanning software programs, like SilverFast or VueScan, with a version that works for Windows 8 and is compatible with the scanner. Maybe someone else can answer for certain, but I'm reasonably sure it's possible.
$900 is getting on the high end of what I'd consider paying. At that level, I personally would probably wait to see if I can get a better deal or save up for a Plustek instead. But, of course I can't really judge for your exact situation. If you need to scan now, it's a good scanner and that's not an outrageous price by any means, just higher than I personally would like. You should also factor into the cost in your mental arithmetic if you will have to buy new software like VueScan and any additional equipment to be compatible with the firewire or SCSI, because those can add up.
Good luck with whatever direction you decide to go with it.
Dante_Stella
Rex canum cattorumque
The Artixscan/Sprintscan 120 works great with Vuescan and has a 24cm bed, which is a big deal if you plan to scan anything bigger than 6x9 and don't want to slice negatives into singles (it holds strips of 5 6x4.5, 4 6x6, 3 6x7, 2 6x9 or 2 6x12 - which is the longest bed on pretty much anything). You can scan 18cm of that, but all you do with two 6x12 frames on one strip is rotate the film 180 degrees.
The carriers are very simple, and for $40, you can have an AN glass lid made for the glassless carrier.
Infrared dust/scratch removal is useless with b/w film, so if that is your major media, no big loss by not spending 4x as much on the Plustek.
Take this for what it's worth, but the guys who spun off Polaroid to fix these scanners told me that the Sprintscan 120 architecture is commercial-strength and that they rarely come in for anything but routine cleanings. Don't know about bulbs, but I think that mouser sells them. They also mentioned that the unit was designed by Polaroid, not Microtek. The latter took over production in Taiwan, but it sounded like neither of them owned the factory.
Dante
The carriers are very simple, and for $40, you can have an AN glass lid made for the glassless carrier.
Infrared dust/scratch removal is useless with b/w film, so if that is your major media, no big loss by not spending 4x as much on the Plustek.
Take this for what it's worth, but the guys who spun off Polaroid to fix these scanners told me that the Sprintscan 120 architecture is commercial-strength and that they rarely come in for anything but routine cleanings. Don't know about bulbs, but I think that mouser sells them. They also mentioned that the unit was designed by Polaroid, not Microtek. The latter took over production in Taiwan, but it sounded like neither of them owned the factory.
Dante
Lucadomi
Well-known
Thanks KansaTim and thanks Dante.
By noise I did mean how loud they could be. I have an older sony laptop that that needs some repair. It has a firewire connection and I could try to install Windows XP on it. But it is true that the cost will add up this way and i might just as well buy the Plustek instead. If the Plustek had autofocus I would probably go for it. It looks like the artixscan 120 could still be a valid option but I will have to ask the seller if the price is negotiable at all. I do scan mostly black and white 35mm and120, sometimes velvia. I am trying to find a dedicated scanner that does not make scanning too painful.
By noise I did mean how loud they could be. I have an older sony laptop that that needs some repair. It has a firewire connection and I could try to install Windows XP on it. But it is true that the cost will add up this way and i might just as well buy the Plustek instead. If the Plustek had autofocus I would probably go for it. It looks like the artixscan 120 could still be a valid option but I will have to ask the seller if the price is negotiable at all. I do scan mostly black and white 35mm and120, sometimes velvia. I am trying to find a dedicated scanner that does not make scanning too painful.
eckart
Member
I still do have an Artixscan 120tf.
I use it with Win7 and XP via firewire and SCSI, so I'd think it should work with Win8 too, when you use, as I do the Silverfast or Vuescan.
If you want to scan 120 films, you should look for a film holder with glas to get a sharp scan to the edges.
It is noisy to scan, but from the speedside not so bad.
I have changed now to an Imacon Flextight Precision II, which is much slower, but no noise and really crisp.
I use it with Win7 and XP via firewire and SCSI, so I'd think it should work with Win8 too, when you use, as I do the Silverfast or Vuescan.
If you want to scan 120 films, you should look for a film holder with glas to get a sharp scan to the edges.
It is noisy to scan, but from the speedside not so bad.
I have changed now to an Imacon Flextight Precision II, which is much slower, but no noise and really crisp.
Lucadomi
Well-known
That's very interesting. I have a quite powerful laptop with Windows 8. I am looking into firewire to usb adapters. The scanner comes with one glass holder for 120. I will go to see it tomorrow. It is good to know about the speed; I guess I will get used to the noise. I whish I could afford an Imacon Flextight, I heard they are the best.
Thanks.
Thanks.
eckart
Member
I am not sure there is an adapter firewire item to usb computer, because firewire has quite often more contacts than the 4 that usb has.
Good luck for this and please let me know which one does it.
Good luck for this and please let me know which one does it.
Lucadomi
Well-known
If the adapter does not work I will have to try to resuscitate my old laptop. I will have to reinstall the OS on that one. Did you find the scans from the Artixscan 120tf quite good compared to those from the Flextight?
Was the dust a big problem with the Artixscan?
Thanks
Was the dust a big problem with the Artixscan?
Thanks
eckart
Member
The dust is a problem with all scanners, but of course, by using film holder with glas a bit more because there are more possibilities for the dust to find a surface to settle down😉
I do use a antistatic brush from Kinetronics, that makes live a lot easier.
The results of the ArtixScan are really good and maybe the reason to change has bit of being a kind of snob, using Leica M and Hasselblad, always want to have the best, I don't know.
One thing on the Flextights is the perfect flatten of the negatives, without any glas between picture and lens.
The results are great, but mine, an elder one, is really slow.
I mean you start scanning one 6x6cm neg and you can go for a smoke without any stress😀
I do use a antistatic brush from Kinetronics, that makes live a lot easier.
The results of the ArtixScan are really good and maybe the reason to change has bit of being a kind of snob, using Leica M and Hasselblad, always want to have the best, I don't know.
One thing on the Flextights is the perfect flatten of the negatives, without any glas between picture and lens.
The results are great, but mine, an elder one, is really slow.
I mean you start scanning one 6x6cm neg and you can go for a smoke without any stress😀
Lucadomi
Well-known
That's really helpful. It would be nice to be able feed the scanner with a batch scan ad come back later with all done.
I hope I'll be able to work things out with this "new "scanner, it sounds promising. At least I feel I understand a little better what I am getting myself into.
Thank you
I hope I'll be able to work things out with this "new "scanner, it sounds promising. At least I feel I understand a little better what I am getting myself into.
Thank you
eckart
Member
I talked to another fellow who used the ArtixScan under Win8.1.
He said this works perfect, but...he used a desktop computer with firewire.
I do have an elder win7 laptop with firewire for scanning with the Microtek scanner, you find them quite cheap in the internet. Most of them are refurbished business computer with double or even quad core technic.
I am very sure you can let them run with win8 too.
For my Imacon Flextight I do have a G4 Mac workstation to let him run with SCSI.
After the scan I am doing the"drylab" on my normal computer.
He said this works perfect, but...he used a desktop computer with firewire.
I do have an elder win7 laptop with firewire for scanning with the Microtek scanner, you find them quite cheap in the internet. Most of them are refurbished business computer with double or even quad core technic.
I am very sure you can let them run with win8 too.
For my Imacon Flextight I do have a G4 Mac workstation to let him run with SCSI.
After the scan I am doing the"drylab" on my normal computer.
Lucadomi
Well-known
I finally got the scanner today. It looks very nice and it also has the glass holder for 120 film.
It looks in very good shape so I am quite hopeful I will finally be able to scan my film.
I just have to solve the firewire connection problem. I have to see if I can use an Express 34 Card with my new laptop or I can try to repair my old laptop.
It looks in very good shape so I am quite hopeful I will finally be able to scan my film.
I just have to solve the firewire connection problem. I have to see if I can use an Express 34 Card with my new laptop or I can try to repair my old laptop.
eckart
Member
Lucadomi, did you find a solution for your firewire problem?
Lucadomi
Well-known
Hi eckart,
I found my very old Thinkpad at the bottom of my closet. It is still running and it has a firewire connection. I installed the Silverfast software and it actually seems to work pretty well. I ran one scan of a 120 black and white film at 3200 dpi and it was fairly fast and not too loud after all.
Unfortunately I saw some marks in the scan. I hope it is only because I ran the software as demo, I still have to plug in my info and the serial number. This coming weekend I will have more time and I plan to set it up well and do some more accurate scanning and testing. I hope to be able to post some results.
I found my very old Thinkpad at the bottom of my closet. It is still running and it has a firewire connection. I installed the Silverfast software and it actually seems to work pretty well. I ran one scan of a 120 black and white film at 3200 dpi and it was fairly fast and not too loud after all.
Unfortunately I saw some marks in the scan. I hope it is only because I ran the software as demo, I still have to plug in my info and the serial number. This coming weekend I will have more time and I plan to set it up well and do some more accurate scanning and testing. I hope to be able to post some results.
eckart
Member
Hi lucadomi,
exactly the same old notebook, a Lenovo dual-core thinkpad, I used to run my ArtixScan 120tf,
but I do not understand what marks you have found in your 6x6 scan.
I do know this from using a demo version of Vuescan, but I never tried Silverfast as a demo because I just have got the one I own, so hopefully you are right with your guess.
exactly the same old notebook, a Lenovo dual-core thinkpad, I used to run my ArtixScan 120tf,
but I do not understand what marks you have found in your 6x6 scan.
I do know this from using a demo version of Vuescan, but I never tried Silverfast as a demo because I just have got the one I own, so hopefully you are right with your guess.
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