A question of "high-end" scanning.

prepresscolor

Well-known member
Just wondering how many Linotype-Hell or Heidelberg Topaz, Topaz II, Tango, Primescan, Nexscan, or 3400 scanners are still in use. And, if you have one not being used, why not?
 
Re: A question of "high-end" scanning.

Hi Jim,

we still have a nexscan which is used for about 3 months of the year on one particular job, and then maybe a couple of scans each month. Aside from this one particular job, 99% of images are supplied to us in electronic format. If it wasn't for one job, we would probably get rid of the scanner and outsource all our scanning (albeit, that finding companies that offer a_quality_ scanning service is like finding rocking horse doo-doo).
 
Re: A question of "high-end" scanning.

My old working place (prepress trade shop) still has a Hell 3500 drum scanner and still uses it mainly for an art magazine job that comes 4 times a year. But the original photo/transparency versus digital supplied images ratio grows in favor of the digital stuff, year after year. Beside that particular job that requires about 100 scans for each magazine issue, they probably use the scanner for another 100 scans on a yearly base.
 
Re: A question of "high-end" scanning.

Jim, I have Fuji Celsius 6250 (I think it was $200 K) that is used once a month. Why? No jobs. It's cheaper to buy a photo from vast online catalogs than shoot it yourself and scanned. Agencies has no budget for this anymore.
 
Re: A question of "high-end" scanning.

Topaz 1 running Linocolor 6 (I believe one of the first in ohio).
Still scanning, but much less than in the old days.
Hard to believe we used to have a full time scanner operator and couldn't always keep up!
 
Re: A question of "high-end" scanning.

We have Chromagraph S3300 that still does the job. Maybe 20 scans a month, but since its paid for we'll keep using it until it finally breaks beyond the point of repair.
 
Re: A question of "high-end" scanning.

Hell 3900 at my previous job, once we scanned in our library of tranparencies it was only used occasionally since more and more images were coming in right from the customer.

I know what you mean Mark, we had 2 shifts at one point just cranking out color.
 
Re: A question of "high-end" scanning.

Our Hell 3800 still cranks out the occasional scan...used it only on maybe 5 jobs this years though. Images are nearly all supplied now days.
 
Re: A question of "high-end" scanning.

We still have two Hell 3800's. One is under contract the other for parts. Scanning is at a minimum and we are looking into a new flatbed that will take its place. I have two trained scanner operators and they are the only reason we haven't gotten a new one.
 
Re: A question of "high-end" scanning.

We still have an Agfa T-5000 scanner which at one point was running daily but now sits for days on end without use. We have to fire it up when we get some slide scans in but those are few and far between these days. For example, for one job that we do on a yearly basis, there are about 80 pictures, 5.5 x 8.5 that used to come in as slides and prints to be scanned. Last year, out of 80, only about 15 had to be scanned. The rest were from digital photos. I'm just hoping we don't have too much trouble with this beast down the road because it may be hard to find someone to service it. (and it is a beast, weighs in at about 200lbs with the base. Looks really "pro" though).

One of our customers brings in B&W ads that have to be scanned and I'll use the T-5000 because it automates things so well. (like scanning 20 on one bed and letting the previews pop up one by one). Also, with that job with the 80 scans, it's nice because we can dial in our chosed gcr settings. With the digital photos we have to convert them to profiles. Other than that, I use the little Umax Vista scanner for most of the various chores that we need scanners for...f.p.o.'s whatever.
 
Re: A question of "high-end" scanning.

Most of our customers went out to Walmart and bought a $49 Umax flatbed scanner to do their scans on. Oh, these are the same customers that demanded perfection from our drum scans, but now that they can do their own they give us garbage scans and expect us to "Photoshop" them. I asked one customer if she wanted me to convert her 50 RGB scans to CMYK for her and she said CMY what??
 
Re: A question of "high-end" scanning.

Hi,
i think i'm the odd man out here..few years back i use to work in a pre-press trade shop, where we had 2 drum scanners( HELL 3800 and HEIDELBERG's TANGO ) and one flat bed SCREEN Cezanne. even after working for 2 shifts the Work load was tremendous, Scans were done at an average of around 40 scans per-shift per-Scanner,
may be this was because we did most of the jobs for art magazines and art books, who were not ready to compromise on the scanning quality. Ya i know this situation *will suerly change* in next couple of years but as seejay said its really difficult to find quality drum scanning, so if you are giving quality you can still find good business..
 
Re: A question of "high-end" scanning.

>even after working for 2 shifts the Work load was tremendous,

We were in the same position about a year and a half ago...running two 12 hour shifts with our 3800. This was almost all archival scanning though...and the price per scan was such that actual profit was paper thin. Since then, I've scanned one job this year that had new film photography (4x5s) and I was shocked to see it come in.
 
Re: A question of "high-end" scanning.

I have a customer who travels the world working on old Crossfield scanners and other devices. He's been to 52 countries working on them. He often travels to the US to work on them. He's on his was to Oklahoma shortly to work on one. If anyone has a Crossfield they'd like to dump or have repaired let me know and I'll pass along his contact info.
 
Re: A question of "high-end" scanning.

Crosfield.....

ah memories.....

No longer a name in their own right since Fuji took them over completely

but the address of Cherry Trees Lane in Hemel Hempstead, England still makes me smile
 
Re: A question of "high-end" scanning.

here is a lead for your friend. My boss also fixes Crossfields. He has lots of parts and may want to speak with your friend.
contact info: Terry Allen, Spectrecom, Sun Valley, CA 818-764-9500.
 
Re: A question of "high-end" scanning.

The reason I am addressing this question is because my Heidelberg Nexscan F4100 quit working today, and I logged on to the Planet only to find that the question was asked ten days ago.

I'm not sure what your situation is, but I have been running my Nexscan on a G4 with a SCSI connection (of course), running LinoColor v.6 on OS 9.2.2. Over the last few months, the scanner would be slow to respond (I'm guessing), and the software would display a "SCSI connection error: restart Mac and scanner and try again" message. I foolishly purchased the SilverFast scanning/CoCo software to make the move to OS X, along with a SCSI to Firewire converter, but never really got that off the ground before the scanner quit working altogether. I talked to Heidelberg support today, and the proposed fix is a $7,679.00 "MaxiBoard" (plus labor, of course). Ouch!

Although my story may be different, our situation is likely the same; What is the best way to accomodate our (few and far-between) high-quality scanning needs?
 
Re: A question of "high-end" scanning.

Well, I cannot speak spacifically as to whether or not you need the $7,000.00 fix. If I were you I would uninstall and reinstall the LinoColor Software. Remember there is a small file that is on either a disc or small floppy that needs to be installed too. It is the driver for the scanner. When you install the software have the scanner off and unplugged from the computer. Then turn off the computer, hook up everything, start the scanner then stert the computer and Linocolor. See if this fixed the connection problem. Also, in the older OS 9.x applications you could assign memory in the :info: of each app. Give Linocolor some good memory.
Good luck!
 
Re: A question of "high-end" scanning.

Hi, Can you let mw know how your going. I just picked up a Nexscan f4100 at an auction. Its missing the glass plate. Part # PP05355036 and im still waiting for a scsi card to turn up for my pc. Ive downloaded the Demo version Silverfast. If you track down someone with spare parts or software, PC/Mac, Manuals etc could you let me know. Thanks Dave. [email protected]
 
Re: A question of "high-end" scanning.

If you are looking for service for the nexscan try Repronet, they are out of New york and may have access to the parts you need.

516 349 0079

They have been servicing our Hell 3800 and 3700 for the past 15 years, and they are still going strong !

John R
 

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