Media: 35 mm film scanner APS option

Optical resolution: 4000 ppi x 4000 ppi

Dynamic Range: 3.5 Dmax

Colour Depth: 36 bit 

Interface: SCSI

Having upgraded from the Nikon LS 20, I thought I might share a few of my experiences with the ArtixScan 4000t; however, this page is not meant to be a comprehensive review or "how to" article. The LS 20 served me well for a number of years, and although it still gives useful results, it cannot compete with the capabilities of more recent film scanners. 

The 4000t comes in quite a large moulded plastic case, looking something like a cross between Darth Vader and a horseshoe crab. The slide and negative film holders are also made of plastic and are adequate, if a little fiddly, to use. It is compatible with Windows 95/98, NT, and Macintosh systems, and comes bundled with Microtek's ScanWizard Pro and Lasersoft's SilverFast Ai 5 software. Microtek also include scanner calibration software and an IT8 target slide (Kodak Q-60). 

Using Microtek's profiling software, calibration of the scanner is quite straightforward, and ScanWizard is simple to use. A list of different film types is also available when scanning negatives, and provided  the appropriate choice is made, reliable scans can be achieved. Unfortunately, the list isn't as comprehensive as it might be, so if the correct one cannot be found a generic film type, or a similar alternative has to be chosen. Hopefully, this list will be expanded in the near future, as the correct choice of film can make all the difference to the amount of colour correction required.

The following three examples show scans of the Kodak Q-60 calibration target slide taken with the 4000t and the LS 20 and resized for the web. Only the black and white points were set, and in the case of the 4000t auto adjustment of the dynamic range was used. The LS20, which does not support colour profiling, has a colour cast and more saturated reds - as viewed on my monitor. The first scan with the 4000t, using ScanWizard Pro, has produced slightly warm greys, whereas the version using SilverFast Ai 5 has yielded the most neutral range of greys.

4000t Scan of Kodak Q-60

LS 20 Scan of Kodak Q-60

4000t using SilverFast Ai 5

Comparing the LS 20 with the 4000t may seem a little unfair, but it does illustrate some of the benefits that come with colour management, greater bit depth, and dynamic range. One of the problems I soon discovered with the LS 20 was its inability to handle shadow details without producing excessive noise when scanning Kodachrome transparencies. The two sets of images which follow show three shadow details from the same slide of an old farm vehicle. Image 2 of each set is a smaller section enlarged from image 1, and image 3 shows some foliage detail from the background. The 4000t is clearly better at rendering detail in these areas. The presence of "noise" is most evident in the Nikon: 2 image, where horizontal lines have been generated. The quality of information in all these examples has, of course, been diminished by the process of web optimisation, so they can only serve to give an indication of differences and artefacts that are more visible in the original. Similarly, viewing with an uncalibrated monitor may have a detrimental effect on how these images display. 

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