In praise of Plustek

[Nick De Marco]

I don’t usually praise tech (or any) companies. And when I first bought my Plustek Opticfilm 120 Scanner I seemed to have so many problems I nearly thought it was junk. But praise where praise is due.

Basically, the study looking big box gave me headaches because of what was a software glitch between the new Silverfast software and the new (I think) Mac operating system, The result was that the scanner could not locate the correct frame, and soon bceame pretty unusable. I spent ages on the phone to Germany with Suilverfast, but the problem noever resolved. I then spent ages with Plustek. Finally, this week, the UK represnetative of Plustek came to my house. With a new Silverfast upgarde and trying various things we got everything to work. It now works like a dream. And relatively sim0ly. It’s also fast. And the quality is superb. I ahve to say far better (and faster) than either my old Nikon Coolscan or my Epson 750 flatbed (which shall now become quitre redundant).

Plustek have really made a high quality device, and although I began with itrritating glitches (siftawre not hardward problems)_ the service I received was exceptional. I am now a very happy scanner.

 

[Pete B]

I had a similar offer from the Plustek guys to come to my home in Cumbria. I didn't need to take him up on it in the end.
I've been very pleased with my second unit which is still the first generation 120.
I don't know what was changed in the second generation Plustek 120, perhaps nothing??
Pete

 

[lawrence]

I don't know what was changed in the second generation Plustek 120, perhaps nothing??Pete

How can you tell a first generation Plustek 120 from a second generation Plustek 120?

 

[Pete B]

I'd like to know too. I don't know what, if anything, has changed. Maybe it's all an internet myth.
Pete

 

[fad gadget]

Great to hear you got it sorted out!

 

[V-12]

How can you tell a first generation Plustek 120 from a second generation Plustek 120?

I don't think anything has changed except the negative carriers which addressed the early adopters 'out of focus' experiences. My machine has never had a problem, either banding or being out of focus, but I have never used the awful Silverfast software. It is fundamentally a very robust and high quality machine.

V

 

[lawrence]

I don't think anything has changed except the negative carriers which addressed the early adopters 'out of focus' experiences. My machine has never had a problem, either banding or being out of focus, but I have never used the awful Silverfast software. It is fundamentally a very robust and high quality machine.
V

Thanks for the recommendation, I shall seriously consider getting one.

 

[Bisakok]

Another recommendation; I'm a big fan of the Plustek. I got mine probably two years ago after my Hasselblad 323 died. I'm running it with Silverfast 8. I've spent much of the past week scanning slides from a Namibia trip my family did in 2008. It's fantastic... simple, very decent quality, dust and scratch removal works really well, the film holders are great... and lets face it... except for flatbeds, there aren't many alternatives.