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What is a Bake-Off? Originally the term was first used to describe cooking competitions, with the winner having baked the best pie/cake/whatever in the eyes (and tastebuds) of a panel of judges. The phrase is now used in technology to compare similar products, such as HTTP caching appliances, medical 3D visualization technologies, and even fax modems. There are SO many variables to compare that product benchmark tests don't tell the whole story. Aren't film scanners obsolete? Hasn't everyone gone digital? So you'd think with all the hype and propaganda, but in fact film is still a preferred medium for many pros. Film scanners will continue to play an important role for many photographers for some time to come, so it's important to stay on top of the latest technology. So Why a Bake-Off for Film Scanners? Ever wonder what the difference in quality is between scanners that have similar DPI ratings, but very different prices? A manufacturer offering 4800 DPI may sound high-end, but there are in fact differences in the image sharpness... I ran into this when comparing a lab scan of a 35mm slide to that of my own film scanner. No comparison. Something's Missing Here I have yet to see a manufacturer's ad or promo material that grades the optics by any standard, which is at the heart of a scanner's quality. It is a known fact amongst professionals that the more one pays, the sharper the output from any given film scanner, but where's the data on lens and focusing features? To get a little insight into my background in this area, read my article on budget scanners. Let's Run a Little Test, You and I... This is the second year for this test - last year's was based solely on resolution quality. The results are posted at the link at the top of this page. This year the subject slide to be scanned will be a still life composition that will challenge not only a scanner's resolution capability, but the operator's talent as well. In other words, digital re-touching of the image is allowed this year, such as sharpening, shadow/highlight enhancement, colour balancing, contrast, etc. Pull all the stops out... Judging ...will be done by a panel of experienced full-time professionals, and their ratings will be averaged for each entry. The panel consists of:
Some Techie Details The slides are shot with:
What do I Get for Participating?!? ..your name on this web site! And the chance to participate in possibly the only scanner comparison of it's kind. There may be others, but I've yet to come across one. So, send us your name & address and scanner make/model and DPI specs, and you'll get a slide in the mail... Happy shooting! Jim Typical Disclaimer Stuff There are no alliances or special considerations when it comes to brands, as this scanner bake-off is not an endorsement of any product or manufacturer. Any and all participation is voluntary. All results are impartial and fair, so if anyone takes offence, or even wants to litigate, they can bite me. |