need to buy a large scanner - Mustek???

[Thomas Robinson]

Hello I need a flatbed scanner at least A3 size or preferably larger.
I am scanning antique oversize paper, so it has to be a flatbed,
artwork is too fragile to send "through the wringer" on a blueprint
scanner. I need RGB scans. I have Mac G4 with FW, USB, SCSI. New or
used is ok. No more than $2000 is budgeted.

Apparently the cheap option is the Mustek A3 USB which sells on ebay
for $150-200. Anybody use one, does it work OK?

Any suggestions for oversize flatbeds? I am tired of scanning in
sections and re-assembling in photoshop.

Thanks for all comments
Tom Robinson

 

[Alan Browne]

Hello I need a flatbed scanner at least A3 size or preferably larger.
I am scanning antique oversize paper, so it has to be a flatbed,
artwork is too fragile to send "through the wringer" on a blueprint
scanner. I need RGB scans. I have Mac G4 with FW, USB, SCSI. New or
used is ok. No more than $2000 is budgeted.

Apparently the cheap option is the Mustek A3 USB which sells on ebay
for $150-200. Anybody use one, does it work OK?

Any suggestions for oversize flatbeds? I am tired of scanning in
sections and re-assembling in photoshop.

I have an older "normal" sized Mustek scanner (1200 III EP,
paralell port). I don't use it often as I usually scan film
directly on a film scanner.

The Mustek (Windohs) TWAIN software for the scanner has some
weaknesses. Possibly the Mac version is better in this respect.

--during scans, the "Cancel" window stays on top and cannot be
minimized or relegated to a corner. So during a scan it is a
pain to do other tasks.
--Descreen is a one-size-fits-all. Consequently it is less than
perfect for scanning magazine photos and it is very slow.
--Occasionally at the end of the scan, on exit from the TWAIN
window there is nothing in Photoshop.... scan is lost. Typically
and in keeping with the darker side of Murphy's Law, this occurs
on the largest, longest, hi-res scans.

Otherwise, scan quality is as good as one can expect (very good)
and colors are accurate once you get the gamma and contrast setup
right. The product has been perfectly reliable ... I've had it
for 5 years. It occasionally makes an "expensive sounding" noise
("keh-twang"), but so far as I can tell nothing is broken ...
works fine.

So, absent other options, I'd say, sure, go for it. At that
price you will get great results. I've used mine to scan some
friends very old familly photos at high res for re-printing and
the results were much better than I expected ... framed the
result looks like an original...

Cheers,
Alan.