Minolta Dimage Scan Elite Scanner with Digital ICE Review

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(More customer reviews)I did quite a bit of research before deciding on this scanner, so I'll sum up for you what took me many hours. I also considered a couple of the lower end Minolta Dimage scanners, as well as the Nikon Coolscan and the HP Photosmart S20.
Essentially, they all promise to scan 35mm film, and with an adapter, it can also do APS. However, promises are just that - empty for most of these scanners. This one however does it all:
- Digital ICE (you absolutely need this for cleaning images after they are scanned in - do NOT get a scanner without this, you'll be sorry!). - 2,820 dpi resolution (you always want to scan as high as possible. You can always sample down and lower resolution, but you can't go the other way without quality degradation) - Fast scanning speeds (with the exception of $2,000 models, this is the fastest scanner around. On my Windows PC is takes around 30 secs. On a Mac is takes 10 or so per FINAL scan.)
The problem with the Photosmart 20 is that it doesnt have a proper ICE image cleaner and film scans poorly. The Nikon coolscan doesnt have a good dut guard, and you end up with dust on your negatives/slides, which scans in horribly! UGH!
This one has virtually no weakness. SCSI connection makes it extremely fast! Get it and you'll be happy you did.

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The Minolta Dimage Scan Elite Scanner is designed for professionals who want to produce top-quality images. Using Digital ICE (Image Correction Enhancement) technology, this scanner identifies surface defects like scratches, dust and fingerprints, and automatically removes them from the scan, reducing the need for retouching and producing cleaner images.
With a high input resolution of 2,820 dpi, the Dimage Scan Elite supplies 10 million pixels in a full-frame image scanned from 35mm film. The 12-bit RGB analog-to-digital conversion and 3.6 dynamic range deliver strong color while adjusting for deep shadows and bright highlights. Scanned images possess the fine quality of your original, with tonal gradations of up to 4,096 shades for each color channel (that's a total of 68.7 billion colors for RGB channels). The Dimage Scan Elite's driver software sustains from conventional 8-bit to 16-bit output. Thus you'll maintain accurate color fidelity in the final printing from prescanned images with gamma correction.
Top-quality output and versatility are paramount in the design of the Dimage Scan Elite. It's capable of scanning 35mm sleeved and mounted, positive and negative films in color and black and white. Plus, with an optional adapter, the Elite is also compatible with Advanced Photo System (APS) film. A click of the mouse yields index scans and continuous scanning of the entire APS film cassette. Running at scanning speeds you would expect from a more advanced unit, the Dimage Scan Elite scans 35mm color positives in an average of 30 seconds for Macintosh and 35 seconds for PCs. Combine this scanning rate with a high-speed SCSI-II interface, and your staff will scan more productively, saving time and effort.

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