Best first buy...
Written: Jan 25 '01 (Updated Jan 25 '01)
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Pros: Price, Adobe software, easy install (W98se), sharp color\B-W film scans
Cons: plastic film holders flimsy, no lessons on enlarging (learn here)
The Bottom Line: Less than intuitive instructions and lack of some lessons are offset by price, features, software, quality output. Just expect to have to take time to learn...
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| Kit4100's Full Review: Acer ScanWit 2720S Film Scanner (35 mm) |
I'm color blind...ok; really just red-green deficient like many guys...which always kept me out of the color darkroom. I had no clue on inverting negs to postives. On the pc that's done for you...somewhat. I have to do the tweaking, but it is infinitely more possible here than in a wet darkroom...that said what can I say about the ScanWit...
Cheap: at $300US you get Adobe photoshop lite 5.0 (retails for $100)...that's $200 for the scanner alone! Not bad...
Adobe Photoshop 5.0 le is basically a full version of 4.0 minus multiple 'undos'. So all the filter apps are there, most of which weren't included in version 4.0 le...another bonus: old 4.0 manuals should be avail.\cheap...
Easy install. Given the problems Windows has installing many so-called plug and play add-ons, this was a breeze. Just followed the instructions by NOT installing Window drivers (when initially asked by Windows to do that, you CANCEL that and then, after Win98se--in my case--loaded I installed the drivers from the CD provided by Acer)
The actual scans went smoothly and I've just set the program to max resolution and scanned in auto-mode which provides 12 options from which to choose. Don't expect the perfect color balance here...do that in Adobe.
Enlarging is NOT explained. You simply:
1. change the mode from 16 bits to 8 bits
2. select all
3. click copy
4. click file\new; change the resolution to 300 pixels\in., click ok
5. click edit\paste
6. adjust image: color\bright\contrast\resize
7. save as...
The only problem I had was converting the image from .PSD file and saving it as a .JPG file in Adobe...and I'm still in the dark here...I just do that in another photo program...
You just need time to experiment and learn.
Now...to address the issue of dust and such...I use an old Associated Press photo trick...a bit of nose oil rubbed on the neg fills in scratches and removes dust (remove the oil after scans)...works like a charm...
B\W scans are easily done but if you want to tone them you need to scan them as a color neg...you can always go choose gray scale in Adobe if you want straight B\W...
5 x 7 prints made on Epson Photo EX have impressed everyone, including me...once I matched the color gamma, brightness, and contrast of the scanner to the photo software, and the monitor display (sony FD trinitron) to the printer...that done, the prints are wonderful.
A great intro to the professional-level photo 'darkroom'.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 300+20shpg
Interface: SCSI
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Epinions.com ID:
Kit4100
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Reviews written: 4
Trusted by: 1 member
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