My HP Scanjet 4470c flatbed is acting up, and I was thinking of buying the
Canoscan 9950f flatbed scanner. I have read good things about it and the
price seems right (approx. US$322). I'd appreciate your feedback.

I intend to scan colour print negatives (35mm) and my Ektachrome and
Kodachrome slides from my travels in the Orient. I currently use a digital
camera, but I plan to do document scanning too. The high resolution is
great for the slide scanning.

It would seem that flatbed scanners aren't rolling of the assembly lines
like they used to be (i.e. not a lot of new models out there). Would love
everyone's feedback.

Regards

Cameron Campbell wrote
(in article <6e70$44b7d360$cfd21664$(E-Mail Removed)>):

> My HP Scanjet 4470c flatbed is acting up, and I was thinking of buying the
> Canoscan 9950f flatbed scanner. I have read good things about it and the
> price seems right (approx. US$322). I'd appreciate your feedback.

It takes decent quality scans, but the software that comes with
it is horrible, particularly if you intend to do any slide or
negative film scanning along with the flatbed work. The
"Canoscan" software is very buggy, there don't seem to be any
substantive updates, and getting support is painful (and mostly
useful) when it comes to software issues.

However, for flatbed work only, it does a nice job.

> I intend to scan colour print negatives (35mm) and my Ektachrome and
> Kodachrome slides from my travels in the Orient. I currently use a digital
> camera, but I plan to do document scanning too. The high resolution is
> great for the slide scanning.

It sucks for slide scanning. I wish it was not the case, but in
retrospect, I wish I had bought a Nikon slide scanner and a
cheaper flatbed for the minimal amount of scanning I do of that
type.


--
Randy Howard (2reply remove FOOBAR)
"The power of accurate observation is called cynicism by those
who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw

Cameron Campbell wrote:
> My HP Scanjet 4470c flatbed is acting up, and I was thinking of buying the
> Canoscan 9950f flatbed scanner. I have read good things about it and the
> price seems right (approx. US$322). I'd appreciate your feedback.
>
> I intend to scan colour print negatives (35mm) and my Ektachrome and
> Kodachrome slides from my travels in the Orient. I currently use a digital
> camera, but I plan to do document scanning too. The high resolution is
> great for the slide scanning.
>
> It would seem that flatbed scanners aren't rolling of the assembly lines
> like they used to be (i.e. not a lot of new models out there). Would love
> everyone's feedback.
>
> Regards
>
>

I just bought a Scanjet 4890 - does a great job on colour prints, but
tend to blue shift shadow areas on 35 mm (positives or negatives). HP
has provided the latest V 7.0 of their scanning software, which has
helped somewhat. I have spent countless hours online with their support
staff, but problem remains - For medium exposure 35 mm film, scanner
does a good job. I scan @ 3600 dpi for slides - 50 MB file, which I
process down to 64,000 colours from 16 M - cuts TIF file size to about
10 - 15 MB @ 3600 dpi - if I later print to 6" photo, this gives a 600
dpi quality - quite decent - I think that this is a good way to store
35mm slides - now if only HP could solve the blue shift on shadow areas
- anyone with experience here?