ARTIXSCAN F1 FIRST IMPRESSIONS

[jotloob]

I got my new scanner just two days ago . ARTIXSCAN F1 .

The scanner is very well packed and all accessories are supplied . No parts missing .
Unpacking has to be done very careful , as the scanner is in a slippery plastic bag .

My predecessor scanner was an ARTIXSCAN 1800F . The F1 is of almost the same housing design and also size . The film holders are of a new design . Glasless film holding , but its a bit tricky and you have to get used to that .
The 35mm film holder takes 4 stripes of film and the slide holder can take 12 framed slides .
The 120 film holder just takes one stripe of film , for the sizes 4,5x6 , 6x6 , 6x9 , 6x12 or even 6x17 . This holder is a real advantage in comparison to the 1800F .

Before you switch on the scanner , you have to unlock the transport safety screw and install the scanner software .
Unlocking the screw turned out to be not so easy . You have to turn the screw counterclockwise and then the screw should push out for about 12mm , which did not happen . Even not after many times turning the screw forward and backwards .
This issue solved itself next day , after the scanner was up to decent room temperature .

Installing software .
You can either install MICROTEK SCAN WIZARD PRO or SILVERFAST Ai STUDIO .
These two packages came with my scanner .
I prefer the SILVERFAST Ai STUDIO .

I am using MAC OSX 10.5.1 LEOPARD . That operating system did not make any attempts to install SILVERFAST .
So what you have to do , visit the SILVERFAST WEB-PAGES and register with the serialnumber of your software . Then you can download the version which is then recognized by LEOPARD . NO plug and play .

After power on , the scanner does do something , but you dont know what . At least you can hear some funny "noise" of different frequences . A bit later , your software tells you , that the scanner is initializing . O.K. Have a beer in the meantime .

Finally , the scanner came to a rest and , I found a hint in the very poor documentation , that this was the warmup and initializing phase .

Next step is : color calibration . The SILVERFAST IT8 calibration .
You have to insert the little color target film piece into the 120 holder . IMO , this little piece of film is too small , but I managed .
You then need to click on the color calibration icon in SILVERFAST and the calibration works fully automatic from now on . A good thing . When the calibration is finished the icon turns into a colored icon to reflect , the calibration is performed .

For my first scans I took two 4x5 color slides , KODAK EPN .
It is adviseable to download some of the handbook information from the SF homepage .
SF is quite easy to understand and all parameters are easy to set .
I choose an outputsize of 40x50 cm at a resolution of 360dpi . Hitting the control button at your keyboard now shows you the scanresolution . This resolution is automatically calculated depending on your choosen output size , which in my case was 4800 ppi and that gave me a file of 208 MB .
You need patience , because that scan took about 5 minutes to come to the end .
As I said , nothing for people in a hurry .
I have done some more scans in the meantime .
As far as I can see up to now , the quality of the scans is superb .

Now , this was no fairy tale , but my first experience with the F1 .

Images to show the resolution , as good as it can be here on the net , will follow .

Jürgen

 

[floridarich]

Jurgen;

I can see Kris Kringle hiding in bushes (upper right). Nice Scan, I like it.

Richard

 

[toona]

Kris Kringle? A brand of potato chips, perhaps?

 

[uaiomex]

Thanks Jurgen, that was fast.

However, the math doesn't do it for me. Did you mean a 35mm color slide or a 4X5inch sheet film?
A 4800 dpi scan of a 4X5" would generate a 360 dpi print of 53X66 inches, and you're talking about a 40X50cm. print.

The pick looks good. Could you please post 100% crops?

Thank you much
Eduardo

 

[jotloob]

Eduardo

Obviously there seems to be a lousy bug .

Let me check and I will come back , with what I found .
Jürgen

 

[jotloob]

Eduardo

The bug is the crops .

The original transparency is a 4x5 inch sheetfilm . The exposed image has a size
of 9,1x11,6 cm . This is the WYSIWYG size of the SCHNEIDER 4x5 inch HIGH END VACUUM BACK .

Now , if I choose an output size of 40x50.1 cm (proportions are the same) that image is scanned using a 1600ppi resolution which results in a file of 232,8MB .
If you choose an output size of 41x52,4 cm (just trying to see where the resolution goes up to the next higher value) , that image is scanned with 2400ppi and gives a file of 247MB .
Using an output size of 61x77,9cm , it is scanned with 4800ppi and gives a file of 556MB .
Scanned with 48bit RGB (3x16bit) . Used colorspace is LSTAR-RGB-V2.icc
Following is a "cropped scan" of 5,1x10,2cm to the output size of 30x60cm .
It is scanned with 2400ppi and results in file of 206MB .USM is 120% at 1,5bits .
The image turns out to be crisp sharp , when printed , or as Colin would say , as sharp as a
fisherman's wife .

You won't see the sharpness in this jpeg image . I might do something wrong here .
If so , just let me know , what .

For Bavarian train fans , this engine is called the "sugar baby" , because it was often used as a shunting machine in a sugar factory .
Jürgen

 

[uaiomex]

Thanks Jurgen.
Could you please scan 120 neg film and show us 100% crops? Are you familiar with the Epson flatbed line? If so, what would you say about comparing them to the Microtek?

Beautifuly sharp pic of the train. This pic has the film quality that digital lacks: Sharp but gentle at the same time. Digital usually gets a little harsh even when carefully sharpenned. Sorry I'm lost, is that a museum train or a model?

Eduardo

 

[agripix]

@ Jurgen:

That's sharp! Ask the fisherMAN.



Colin

 

[jotloob]

Eduardo

It is a 0-gauge model train made by FULGUREX and there were only 150 pieces handmade .

I do not have any experience with EPSON scanners at all .
But I will do test scans of HASSELBLAD slides later this week . 100% crops .

Jürgen

 

[uaiomex]

Damn, that is one fine piece of work!

Paul: Stop laughing

Jurgen:I will be expecting for your Hassies tranies

Thanks

Eduardo

 

[polypal]

Eduardo,

I am not laughing!
Guys who know me know I am as serious as a hackman who is about to carry out a deathsentence.

Eduardo is referring to the story of a proud owner of a large collection of classic and vintage Ford cars.
He put three of his rarest cars together had a photographer take a nice picture from these cars; a top shot.

This picture was delivered to Ford in Dearborn.
He got back a nice letter complimenting him with his model cars on the kitchentable.
He took revenge by sending Ford a picture of himself behind the wheel of these cars.
Two of the cars are not in the Ford collection.

Paul

 

[uaiomex]

Ha, ha,ha.

We should call this "The flight of the Phoenix", the movie, version 2007.

If you don't know the story, A plane falls down in the Kalahari dessert. With no signs of being rescued, one of the suvivors asure the others that he knows how to make the plane flight again. He claims to be a plane designer. But after days of hardwork with no tools, tired, starved, thirsty and after being attacked by dessert bandits, they find out that this guy, is a designer of "model planes". Imagine that!

Anyway, I hope this scanner to be much better than the Epsons (wishful thinking)

The chant from the Sirens its getting louder!

Ed

 

[agripix]

Sirens ...


sirens .....


sirens .....

 

[jotloob]

Colin

Yes , the sirens are singing so wonderful . Again . Shut up sirens ! ! !
But that has got nothing to do with the learning curve . I can hear Mark , saying that .

Now here a comparison . This slide was scanned by a professional studio , also giving scan service . The sacnner is a 848 IMACON.

Please note , none of the 3 images is sharpened .

IMACON 848

Now , the same slide , scanned with ARTIXSCAN F1 , "RAW" (I am still in the learning curve)

Then I "modified" the scan using PSCS3

As you can see , colors and "density" have still to get under control .

The scanner resolution of the "IMACON SCAN" and the "F1" are the same .
It is just 1600ppi . I was surprised . But there seems to be a formula in FLEXCOLR and SILVERFAST Ai that calculates these values .

The scans from the F1 have to be sharpened more than the IMACON scans .
Seems to be normal , as the IMACON scanners use a Rodenstock lens . The Artixscan has no lens at all , but glassless holders . Autofocus was on .

Have fun . Jürgen

 

[uaiomex]

I can see that the Imacon's has a little more crispness than the sharpenned Artix. But freaking close to the 10X more expensive scanner!

Jurgen:
I understand this scanner is AF, right?
Do you know how does it do it? Does it autofocuses at certain point on the film and then proceeds to scan while keeping the pre-focusing?
If that is correct, a flat film is paramount. How difficult do you think it is to keep the film flat?

Never had a scanner of this configuration before.

Can you post 100% crops?

Thanks Jurgen and congrats for the scanner, it seems to be a winner.

Eduardo

 

[hassiman]

I have been talking with Parker Plaisted of Microtek USA for months about this scanner. They have just released it here in the USA as the M1. I think it was probably delayed until stocks of Microtek's high end scanners were depleted as this scanner comes very close in terms of specs.

I have been waiting for 9 months to buy a scanner to see what this baby can do. main concern is d-max... this machine is supposed to have a great one. I have a lot od dense kodachome & Velveetas

 

[polypal]

Eduardo,

Comparing results with limited resolution of the forum is probaly not the best way to judge differences.
Why not send Jürgen a few trannies to play with and scan them for you as soon as he gets the feel for the Artixscan F1.
I have a truckload of trannies here that he offered to scan free of charge.

A few extra from you will not do any harm I think.

Paul

 

[jotloob]

Eduardo

Before you send that truckload of trannies , I will send you the desired 100% crops .
As Paul said , the limited resolution might not be the best way . It definately is not the best way , but it might give you an imagination .

The two attached images are true 100% crops and none of them is sharpened .

Here the 848 100% crop

Here the F1 100% crop .

I do not want to compare the two scanners , I just report my first results .
Now , it is your turn , Eduardo .

Paul , if you send that truckload of trannies , you will be in the waiting queue , as there have already arrived five other truckloads .
So you must accept delay of about 1045 days .

Jürgen

 

[polypal]

Hi Jürgen,

Delays are not a problem.
I think I forgot to mention my trannies were taken at an industrial site that had an increased level of nuclear radiation.
Nothing to worry about but it is not recommended to keep those around for more than a fortnight.
They are easily found in the dark because they emmit a blueish light
similar to that in a solarium only much weaker of course.
In the first box you will find protective gloves, an eye protector and those nice white workingsuits that I am sure you are familiar with.
This safety gear does not need to be ruturned you may keep it.
Thank you so much for your kind offer.
I look forward to seeing the results.

Paul

 

[semmelblad]

Paul,
it is very thoughtful of you to warn Jürgen. But apart from the protective suit you should have also sent him some of these lead bricks to built a wall behind which he can hide his CFV back. In another post (that also should have been deleted by the moderator) I already warned you that radiation might trigger the tilt sensor again.

Ulrik