Want to Buy WTB: Durst Sigma Plus

Have you contacted Durst USA?

Yes, I do get some of my issues handled there, runs me about $200/hr for answers, so do try and find some answers in other forums, thanks.

MattKing said:

I wonder about the usability of the $6,000.00 Epson Expression 12000XL: https://epson.ca/For-Work/Scanners/...Expression-12000XL-Photo-Scanner/p/12000XL-PH

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We had one of these at the lab where I worked before retirement. We used it to scan historical 9 by 9" aerial photographs and the occasional rare 9×18" photo. It is an excellent machine. The software was Silverfast Ai.

Kim Bessette said:

Yes, I do get some of my issues handled there, runs me about $200/hr for answers, so do try and find some answers in other forums, thanks.

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Unfortunately I was never able to acquire one. Info is scarce. Cres Imaging had some listed recently and maybe he can put you in touch with owners.

NortheastPhotographic said:

Unfortunately I was never able to acquire one. Info is scarce. Cres Imaging had some listed recently and maybe he can put you in touch with owners.

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Does all your medium format film go through the Panasonic S1R set-up?

Tom Kershaw said:

Does all your medium format film go through the Panasonic S1R set-up?

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Lord no. Way too slow from a workflow perspective. I think we're getting over 1000 rolls a month now. We scan sheet film with the S1R set up, and use it for very high res scans of roll film on a single-frame basis. For us the camera scanner replaces the need for an Imacon, but it does not replace a Fuji Frontier or Noritsu HS1800 scanner. The Durst Sigma Plus, when working properly, can do full rolls at high res like the HS1800, but also uses Fuji Image intelligence (when you have the dongle for it), which some clients prefer. In addition to that it auto feeds, has digital ICE, and can do 4x5. So in theory it could be a highly advantageous machine for a lab who knew how to market it, and had an interest in sheet film. However the downside is that most owners I speak to are experiencing some kind of problem. The rollers they use break down and there are no replacements. The rollers on HS1800s also break down, but replacements are readily available. I spoke to one owner who was able to remedy his rollers, but is now having some other issue that he did not detail.

They're a bit of a scary proposition. Could be killer, no question, but for how long? There is probably a reason why I don't know of a single lab that has made one the staple or even a big part of their workflow. In fact I know of one that converted their sigma plus to a sort of franken-sigma-dslr camera scanning rig.

NortheastPhotographic said:

Lord no. Way too slow from a workflow perspective. I think we're getting over 1000 rolls a month now.

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Ah okay. I hadn't realised you were doing those volumes. That is a lot of film to put through your ATL machine each month. I guess the Noritsu has decent resolution for a lot of applications.

Tom Kershaw said:

Ah okay. I hadn't realised you were doing those volumes. That is a lot of film to put through your ATL machine each month. I guess the Noritsu has decent resolution for a lot of applications.

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Hah it sure would be. You're somewhat mistaken however, as we use a Noritsu V30 for 135 & 120 C41. The vast majority of the film goes through that. The ATL3 handles all sheet film, B&W, and E6. We also have a freestanding ATL2500 on the way to increase production capacity. This model has the auto refilling feature, and separate tempering system for B&W, to vastly speed up workflow when you need to go from C41 to B&W. I am STOKED about that. In the future, I hope to buy a Colenta roller transport processor new from the factory, which will have 3 lanes for rolls and can take sheets, for c41. Dry to dry sheet film with no clip marks would be a thing of beauty.

The HS1800 is very high res for practical applications. Scans of 35 and 67 are around 30mp, 66 and 645 are in the mid 20s. The fuji Frontier maxes out of 19.7mp for 35mm, and much less for 120. For 6x6 it can only manage about 13mp. They are great files however, and will take a 2x upres without much of an issue. For most of our clients however, the resolution we deliver is beyond sufficient. It's partly why we only have a 24" printer. Nobody every asks us for larger than that...though our next printer will likely be a Canon 44" just to show off.

All this scanning stuff is fun and all but wait until we launch or rental darkroom powered by a Heiland LED splitgrade unit and a RT machine that can do RA4 or B&W. THAT's what I'm excited about.

NortheastPhotographic said:

Hah it sure would be. You're somewhat mistaken however, as we use a Noritsu V30 for 135 & 120 C41. The vast majority of the film goes through that. The ATL3 handles all sheet film, B&W, and E6. We also have a freestanding ATL2500 on the way to increase production capacity.

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Thanks for that clarification, I think I now understand your process better. Do you ever get scratched film with the Noritsu roller transport?

Tom Kershaw said:

Thanks for that clarification, I think I now understand your process better. Do you ever get scratched film with the Noritsu roller transport?

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Never. A poorly maintained machine could damage film, but what you would likely see first are little polka dot patterns from the crossover reels. Then you could get little wave patterns if you don't clean the squeegee regularly as it soaks up stabilizer. But it's so easy to do both. The big racks only require cleaning on a basically yearly basis. My V30 was completely drained and cleaned by me this year.

When I can, I'm going to upgrade to a Colenta RT machine. It'll have 3 lanes instead of 2, and can do sheets up to 8x10. My experience with the Nori is that it creates perfectly processed film with extremely tight automated features. Love it.