New Agfa scanner?

[Riverman]

Anyone else notice this new Agfa scanner? (Agfa Duscan 100) apparently launched at Photokina.

http://www.agfaphoto.com/appc/conte...D=228967&dbc=f478ac9b46046f05b124499beaae4969#

Earlier this year I gave my old Minolta SLR kit to my younger brother and he's really getting into shooting film - which is so cool. But I know he finds it expensive to get his film scanned at the same time as processing and he likes to share his pictures with friends via facebook etc... I was thinking this little Agfa scanner could be an ideal Christmas gift. It's only 130 bucks and looks adequate for scanning for web output. It scans straight to a memory card that he could then bung straight into his Macbook. I know it's not going to match a Coolscan but who cares right? he's not scanning to print.

 

[patois]

I'm pretty sure I've seen scanners like this for sale for a lower price. As I understand it, it is basically a cheap digital camera that photographs the frame.

 

[Proteus617]

I've played with one. The Afga is a rebadged version of...can't remember. I never got it to work as the drivers and installation were HORRIBLE. General comments about these things generate 50% complaints about software issues and 50%. Basically a 5MP digi that dupes slides. Also, I remember it only outputs JPGS? $130 is about the range of Epson flatbeds for 35mm.

 

[capito]

It's a rebadged Reflecta X4-Scan. Which could probable also be a rebadged something or other.
FWIW, I had a Reflecta CrystalScan 7200 and was very unhappy with it. Terrible, terrible quality. The resolution of 7200dpi was fine, the problem was that it had a horrid dmax. The scans were noisier than a fish market. Spent silly money for a Nikon Coolscan V ED and haven't regretted it.

Your brother should consider that in a digital darkroom, you can spend a lot of time scanning, and that the scanner is the weakest link. I second Proteus' suggestion: a flatbed scanner gives you the most bang for the buck.

 

[chris00nj]

I've seen a lot of those cheap film scanners. They all get terrible reviews.

Get an Epson V500. It's just a wee bit more than the V300 but it comes with Photoshop Elements which is a good program. Additionally it can do medium format. While he may not shoot medium format now, he might move into it, like i did.

 

[ath]

It's Agfaphoto and has nothing to do with Agfa.