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Old February 11th 06, 09:43 PM posted to rec.photo.equipment.medium-format
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Default MF Scanners - Microtek 120tf?

Recently, chasfs posted:

I have a Mircrotek 120tf. I think it does a slightly better job in
the shadows on slide film than the 8000, based on scanning a slide on
my 120tf and the same slide on Rafe's 8000.

based on the very different results between two 120tf scans on the scanner
bake-off page that Rafe referenced, I'd say that it would be hard to draw
conclusions about the hardware. I'm sufficiently happy with my 120tf that
I wouldn't run out and buy the Nikon, even though such a move would be
essentially free for me.

That said, rafe is
correct about ICE being worthwhile - but its not a significant
problem if you keep your negs/slides clean.

That's an important consideration. I clean my film prior to scanning, so
that I don't have to fix things after the fact.

The other thing that I
should mention about the 120tf - the Microtek software sucks - it
can't actually scan a 6x7 at 4000dpi without crapping out. And
Microtek customer support is useless. Fortunately, the 120tf also
includes Lasersoft's Silverfast software which works pretty well.

I have a love/hate relationship with ScanWizard Pro TX. If it worked, as
does ScanWizard Pro for the flatbed ArtixScan models, I'd never use
Silverfast AI, as Scanwizard Pro (not TX) has a far more productive UI.
But, unfortunately, you are right. ScanWizard Pro TX is broken and not
likely to be fixed since Silverfast AI 6 is included in the package. While
I wouldn't go so far as to say that Microtek customer support is
'useless', they have been helpful in areas under their control, but they
aren't in a position to make Pro TX work.

Neil