Microtek 9800xl with Transparent Media Adapter?

jonathanbennett120 · Nov 17, 2006

Maybe I'll find my answer in another thread, but just incase being specific helps:

http://www.microtekusa.com/sm9800xltma.html

I'm looking at this Microtek 9800XL with the Transparent Media Attachment. Has anyone used a Microtek Transparent media scanner for film, negative or positive?

If so, how well do they work? I want this scanner mainly for the tabloid reflective scanner bed for my flat line artwork, but I would love to be able to scan in whole strips of negatives to archive.

Any info or suggestions are appreciated.

J

jd callow · Nov 17, 2006

I have not used one with the TMA, but have used the ones which have the dual lamp and the film drawer which are, in my opinion, the best of the (consumer level) dual purpose flatbed scanners. Generally speaking Microtek makes excellent flatbed scanners.

Michael Mutmansky · Nov 17, 2006

How small is the film you are planning to scan?

I have tested that scanner, and it is a wonderful scanner for it's purposes. However, many of the (much less expensive) smaller scanners perform better for simple film scanning of negatives smaller than about 5x7. Above that, you probably aren't going to scan at a resolution that would show much of a difference in either case.

---Michael

tom_micklin · Nov 17, 2006

I use the Microtek i800 with the built-in 8x12 inch transparency adapter.
For film (medium and large format), it works beautifully. Especially with the full version of Silver Fast.

sanking · Nov 17, 2006

I use the 9800 with TMA for scanning LF and ULF negatives. It does a very good job, though it just misses the long dimension of 7X17 and scans of 12X20 have to be made in two passes and stitched. However, at 1600 dpi the resolution is high enough to allow enlargement of up to about 3X-4X from these negatives, which is surely as large as I would ever want to go with these formats.

That said, if I had it to do over again I would have purchased an Epson 1640XL for this purpose because the top configuration gives more flexibility in placement of the negatives.

You could also use the scanner for 5X7 and 8X10 film, though there are better scanners for less money available for these formats.

Sandy

jonathanbennett120 · Nov 18, 2006

Thanks everyone. I actually want the tabloid size part of the scanner for my non photo related artwork. I'm a cartoonist and I hate scanning large pages of artwork in pieces and then stitching them together in photoshop. SO, the TMA just happens to be the most convienient configuration for having a film scanner AND a tabloid size flatbed. That's why I'm so interested in this model. I don't want two scanners. I also am not too worried about the film scanning. I know it sounds like blasphemy, but for now I just want to be able to archive my slides digitally and email scans and share pics on the web. If I needed large prints then I could always take a slide to a fancy digital lab. If the Microtek did a good enough job I'd be very happy, but I just wanted to see if anyone had used it and see if it did a decent job of holding detail and color from 120 film. That's the format I've been shooting and would scan. 120 and maybe some 35mm.

So, that's my long explanation of what I'll be using it for and why I'm leaning toward this model. My priority is large format line art.

I appreciate all these comments. It sounds like the Microtek would do the job. I've already used a friends flatbed for my art and it works like a dream, but he doesn't have the TMA.

jonathanbennett120 · Nov 18, 2006

Sanking, I also just had to say, the Epson is simply out of my price range. Thanks for all the tips.

Greg_E · Nov 19, 2006

I have a 9800xl with TMA at work, but have never used the TMA part. It's a slow beast, and it has some quirks that I really don't like. The scans of reflected media are fine, and the driver has some very nice tools. The Mac driver is a little quirky with the install, but the Windows driver works great. I've only used this machine on firewire, so I have no idea how it does with USB. Since your biggest concern is your reflective art, you should be fine with this scanner. And for what you need with the films, how bad can it be?

One thing about it's speed, it does offer a batch scanning mode, so you could fill the entire bed with film, and then walk away (for a long time).

Michael Mutmansky · Nov 19, 2006

Jon,

At best, the scanner will deliver about 1200-1400 lpmm from a chrome, so for basic scanning, it'll do fine.

It comes with Silverfast, which I find to deliver better results than the Microtek software under some circumstances. It may also do very well for reflected scans, but I didn't pay too much attention to that during my tests.

I think it'll do what you want, but not without some expense compared to an inexpensive consumer-oriented scanner. Saving room on the desktop is probably worth it, though.

---Michael

sanking · Nov 21, 2006

michael mutmansky said:
Jon,

At best, the scanner will deliver about 1200-1400 lpmm from a chrome, so for basic scanning, it'll do fine.

It comes with Silverfast, which I find to deliver better results than the Microtek software under some circumstances. It may also do very well for reflected scans, but I didn't pay too much attention to that during my tests.

---Michael

To get 1200-1400 lppm from the 9800XL would be to die for. I have trouble getting 1200 dpi/spi from my 9800XL, which at best gives resolution of 25 lppm.

I also like the Silverfast software and feel that I can get more out of it than with the Microtek software. But, I have used it in the past with several other scanners so familiarity counts.

Sandy King

jonathanbennett120 · Jan 29, 2007

Thanks again for all your answers/opinions.

I won a Microtek 9800XL with the TMA for 700 dollars on ebay. I'll let you know how it works out. Maybe I'll post a link to a few chrome/negative scans once it's all set up.

Best,

J

jonathanbennett120 · Jan 31, 2007

Okay. So it arrived last night and after plugging it in it works great. The positive scanning seems to require some practice, but I managed to get some good scans by the end of the night. Now, why does it seem to do such a superior job with B/W negatives? They are no more sharp than my focused color transparencies? The B/W scans are much sharper.

Also. If anyone owns a TMA would you share with me how you get inside the glass to clean it out. Mines a bit dusty. Not too bad, but I'd love to blow some of that dust out. There aren't even any vent openings for a dust-off straw. Maybe I'll try to just blast some air into a screw hole and see if that at least loosens some dust off the glass.

jonathanbennett120 · Jan 31, 2007

As promised. Scans of Velvia 100F (and one KodakTMX) film. Posted on Flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonathanbennett120/?saved=1

Only the first 6 images there are my Microtek scans. I'm pleased enough for now. I think with practice I'll be able to get more detail in dark areas of the film to show up. I also intend to get the film templates for the TMA. The ebay seller had them listed in the auction description, but didn't send them? Hopfully an oversight. That should improve color and contrast accuracy in the scans. Now most of these scans were done right off glass slides. The B/W image was scanned from a loose film strip (maybe that's why it's so crisp?).

Anyway. There you go.

Microtek 9800xl with Transparent Media Adapter?

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