what size can a 2400dpi scanner print upto?

[Kho King]

what size can a 2400dpi scanner can print upto on an Epson printer?

[ckiang]

Quote: Originally posted by Kho King what size can a 2400dpi scanner can print upto on an Epson printer?

You talking about film scanner or flat bed scanner? As a guide, a 2900dpi scan of 35mm film will let you print close to a 10 x 15" print at 300ppi. 2400dpi will give you close to 8 x 12" @ 300ppi.


Regards
CK

[Kho King]

Thanks, CK. I am refering to film scanner, HP S20. 8 x 12", that's about A4 size, meaning that no need to buy a A3 printer then.

Anyone has review/comments on the HP S20 scanner?

[ckiang]

Quote: Originally posted by Kho King Thanks, CK. I am refering to film scanner, HP S20. 8 x 12", that's about A4 size, meaning that no need to buy a A3 printer then. Anyone has review/comments on the HP S20 scanner?

Supposedly not a bad scanner for its price. Haven't seen its actual output. Ian uses the predecessor of it, the 5100, and while he can pull off great scans out of it, I am still struggling.

Regards
CK

[mpenza]

how's the price of the S20 now? It was $600++ when I was looking for one 2 years back.

[Kho King]

Not very sure about price...same as BengQ? Hmm...is BengQ a better model? S20 can scan photo/print at 300dpi.

[ckiang]

Quote: Originally posted by Kho King Not very sure about price...same as BengQ? Hmm...is BengQ a better model? S20 can scan photo/print at 300dpi.

If it's $600, then I suggest getting the Benq instead. The ability to scan photos/print is not so important at least for me.

Regards
CK

[Kho King]

US pricing is about US485, similar to BengQ.

Maybe it is time for HP to introduce another model...S30?

[ellery]

The S20 is pretty good. With it you could have print A3 size prints from an Epson printer. I have the S20 and an (now) ancient EX, have done prints of close to A3 size which look good enough at correct viewing distance but not at 5 to 6 inches. The current output from Epic blows inkjet output out of water.

Some thumb rules on Epson is that you could get a workable print based on as low as 175 dpi on out put size. A interesting personal observation should you be able to get enough scan in resolution to print at 450 dpi - there is an small but signigificant improvement on the EX in terms of colour tone and appeared sharpness.

Unless cost is a consideration, the new batches of scanners out there probably produce better results than the S20. For a cost to perfromance point it may win out. Not sure since my info on cost and models out there is not current.

[erwinx]

Is Epic Fuji Frontier? Inkjet output for me exceeds Fuji Frontier prints handily.

I think viewing distance is the main issue. My A4 prints from the HP look pretty good from 5 feet away, but even at 5ft away, I can tell that the prints from coolscan look better....

The S20 wasn't a real improvement in image quality over the older 5100, it just added USB. The basic design of the HP is limited by things like the inherent noise level, so moving from 30bit to 36bit to whatever... its all limited by the noise level.

Quote: Originally posted by ellery The S20 is pretty good. With it you could have print A3 size prints from an Epson printer. I have the S20 and an (now) ancient EX, have done prints of close to A3 size which look good enough at correct viewing distance but not at 5 to 6 inches. The current output from Epic blows inkjet output out of water. Some thumb rules on Epson is that you could get a workable print based on as low as 175 dpi on out put size. A interesting personal observation should you be able to get enough scan in resolution to print at 450 dpi - there is an small but signigificant improvement on the EX in terms of colour tone and appeared sharpness. Unless cost is a consideration, the new batches of scanners out there probably produce better results than the S20. For a cost to perfromance point it may win out. Not sure since my info on cost and models out there is not current.

[Kho King]

Hi Ellery,
When I look at the samples scan on the web, I can see a lot of noice. Is your S20 gives you too much noice as well? Do you have any sample to share with me? I have someone offering me a low price for this scanner, thus might not want to pass it up...

Anyone using VueScan for their scanner? Is it worth buying? Any significant improvement in reducing noice and dust (software)?

Thanks.

[erwinx]

Quote: Originally posted by ckiang Supposedly not a bad scanner for its price. Haven't seen its actual output. Ian uses the predecessor of it, the 5100, and while he can pull off great scans out of it, I am still struggling. Regards CK

(1) the HPs like snappy contrasty photos with not too much dark detail (where the dreaded 'green dot grid' appears). The noise is inherent in the design but is not a disaster (at least for late firmware 5100s and S20s)

(2) The HP has no autofocus. so inserted mounted slide - mounts vary in thickness - 0.1mm might be enough to throw the focus off a bit? Whereas when you insert a negative - constant thickness... implication - scan unmounted slides and use vuesmart 'invert image'...?

(3) HP gives really good results with negatives. http://tsc.tripod.com/travel/803.htm

I sold my 5100 for $150 2 years ago..... now I have another scanner sitting in a drypak case

[rueyloon]

I still have the 5100, it is for sale... it is with ckiang

cheap cheap

$150 take all, I'll throw in the scsi cable and the ISA scsi card.

[Kho King]

Quote: Originally posted by rueyloon I still have the 5100, it is for sale... it is with ckiang cheap cheap $150 take all, I'll throw in the scsi cable and the ISA scsi card.

Is the 5100 same spec as the current S20 but SCSI version? 2400dpi scan too? Maybe I can introduce to my friend.

Now...what's a good price to pay for a 1.5 year old S20?

[ellery]

With the S20 getting to work well requires a certain amount of practice. It's tedious. Vuescan has good comments about it. It does it differently from HP's defaults but down side is its slow.. deadly slow. It is cheap beasty, not very glamourous but it can get most of the job done if you care to take the trouble.


erwinx - you are describing what is common to all ccd scanners. It just that some have better ways to mask this from you. Even the Imacon has this problem. Do not know if the major ex scanners from Sictex ect with active cool can reduce the noise problem to drum scan levels.



Haha I though you were going to buy the Leaf scanner ?



S20 is agreeable best with neg's or with slides that are not of the low key type my guess is that slide that has been exposed based on about half to 3/4 stop more than what my meter reads back would scan well on the S20. On any one else's meters your milage will vary since there is a difference in meters and how we go about metering.

Noise on the S20 gets worse if you oversharpen but sharpening is needed. It works sort of but requires that you accomodate for its quirks and keep in practice. For about a budget of 1.8K I recommend you look at what ever Nikon, Cannon, Minolata or Polariod has. Hard to say what price a use S20 would be.

Noise is a relative issue at 100% every ******* extra noise bit things can be seen , it looks ******** unsharp but in prints at close distance it does not look so bad, at appropriate viewing distance it could look pretty good - so you tell me how to guage ?


On the scan to file from Epic that I get from my 35mm film via 35mm Lab - on frames where I pay enough attention, I can count the wrinkles and eye lashes at 100% no noise on a 1200x 1800 file. . So for a while I figger why scan ? No if they could do a roll scan for slides.... there would be no real reason to scan.

[erwinx]

nikons use cooler LED illumination. then theres the power supply regulation, EMI/RF shielding.... its obvious that the nikon coolscans have lower noise levels than the HPs - does the explanation actually matter?

Quote: Originally posted by ellery erwinx - you are describing what is common to all ccd scanners. It just that some have better ways to mask this from you. Even the Imacon has this problem. Do not know if the major ex scanners from Sictex ect with active cool can reduce the noise problem to drum scan levels.

[ellery]

Dear lad erwinx,


Not being critical with you so no need to feel uncomfortable.

No really since if you handle it appropriately the noise level can be minimised. Obviously a $500 scanner is not going to out perfrom one that cost 3 times its costs.


yeah yeah grin I did remember Nikon users LED's and has better control over maybe light intensity or exposure time either of which will allow for better scan in dense slides/dense neg's but even theirs have limits.

I reread your comment that your inkjet out performs Epic - on which area are you refering to. I gave up inkkjet printing because beyond 8x10 the quality is on the side of the Epic. Even on slide to prints but mine conclusion could be due to the limitations in skills and tools. I am currently unwilling to reinvest in tools since the cost to returns is not there. I better invest the cash in film. processing and glass when necessary.