Scanners, please tell us about your scanner

[bminor]

I am curious what the final cost is going to be....



b.

[Yoc]

GL, it better have GPS and play movies while it's at it for that cost!

[JVJ (RIP)]

I have a chance to purchase a used one at a fraction of that cost..  Thanks for the info Geo..

Just note that it requires a SCSI card (that is supplied, I see) and isn't likely to function with Windows Vista or 7 and you might have difficulties using any TWAIN scanner with a 64 bit OS.

Be certain that it will function on your system.

Peace, Jim (|:{>

[Ami_GFX]

I just took a look it on the Minolta website and it has a USB connector and there are Vista drivers for it. It's perfect for scanning comics and just being able to scan a high grade book without worrying about damaging it would make it worth it. If you can get it at a great price, buy it, Rangerhouse. In all of the books that have been uploaded over the last few months, one that really struck me in it's scan quality was the Amazing Mystery Funnies with the Basil Wolverton story you uploaded and this scanner would be in good hands with you.

[rangerhouse]

Well looks like this deal I'm working will take some effort ..  I will let all know if I able to purchase one.  Thanks RH

[Geo (RIP)]

RH, see if they can maybe throw in some of the useful accessories too at the same time, link below for available accessories:

http://kmbs.konicaminolta.us/content/products/models/ps5000c.html?info=Accessories

Geo

[Geo (RIP)]

What do you mean by Scanners ?

Flatbed scanners for one:

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/846/31g9kchwj4laa300.jpg

We're talking about the machine that does it.

Geo

[rangerhouse]

Well,  nothing new on scanner but 1st deal from Ebay has fallen flat,     haven't given up hope,  I have a online store I'm working with now..

[tilliban]

Just discovered this topic, so here's my input:

I surely win the prize for cheapest machine - a 90-dollar-flatbed CANON Lide 110.
Hooked to a Sony VAIO notebook running with Windows 7.
State-of-the-art-setup though...
I "post produce" the pages with an automatized Photoshop run correcting tonal values (is that the term?) and scaling down page size.
I am quite happy with the results: readable, sharp and clear panels.
They are lighter than the original book, just a bit yellowed, which is perfect in my eyes.
I don't care for scanning speed, cause I process only one book per day.
It's a labor of love. Most of the time I spend trying to get a STRAIGHT scan out of those crooked, slantwise printed books.
 

[Yoc]

Thanks for sharing T, I only learned about automated actions in PhotoShop after JVJ-Jim told me about them.  They sure do save time don't they? 

[robbbyg]

anyone know how to scan the comic printing plates??

without breaking or scratching the glass??

i want to upload a bunch of Golden Age Comics but need to scan them to file then invert image so they can be read ,,,

i can do them so theyre eligible but have broken 2 scanners after 4 plates, i have 184 plates to scan so at this rate ill need about 30 or 40 scanners which isnt too economical..

Any ideas??

[Yoc]

Wish I could hep Rob.  I can only suggest a tripod and good digital camera and lighting.
Maybe Jim will have a suggestion?

[JVJ (RIP)]

anyone know how to scan the comic printing plates??

without breaking or scratching the glass??

i want to upload a bunch of Golden Age Comics but need to scan them to file then invert image so they can be read ,,,

i can do them so theyre eligible but have broken 2 scanners after 4 plates, i have 184 plates to scan so at this rate ill need about 30 or 40 scanners which isnt too economical..

Any ideas??

What do the printing plates look like? Are the curved? If so, what sort of radius are we talking about? Can we see a picture anywhere?

A good digital SLR camera would work. If you can stand the plates on end, you wouldn't even need a tripod - though that would certainly help. With a curved subject, you're unlikely to ever totally eliminate the depth of field variations, but it could work if you made one shot for each row of panels with the camera turned sideways to match the aspect ratio. You'd capture a lot of the images above and below the panel row you were capturing, but that would just give you more alignment material in Photoshop. Then merge all of the individual shots, maintaining only the center, focused portion of each.

I'm totally winging all this, but if it makes sense, robby, give it a try. A good SLR can be had for $500. Not cheap, but you wouldn't be likely to break it and when you were done with the printing plates, you'd still have a great camera. I would say that 10 Megapixels would easily do the job.

FWIW.

Peace, Jim (|:{>

[narfstar]

What about inking the plates and pressing them on a piece of paper like they were made for ?

[bminor]

Has anybody tried to scan in some books using a really good digital slr camera and a tripod?
It seems with the high resolution of cameras these days it would be very quick to do a 64 page book, once you get it all set up with the lights, tripod and camera all in the right place.
You could capture two pages at a time.
I would think it would work just fine.

B