Re: Looking for advice for a good Digital Ice 35mm slide scanner

Today Bob Salomon commented courteously on the subject at
hand

I remember
than when I switched from Kodak Carousel 80 trays to 100s,
so reduce the proliferation of boxes in my basement, I
noticed that minor jams became much more numerous because
the witdth of each slide slot was now 20% narrower.

Kodak published a few data sheets on the care and feeding
of Carousel projectors. These include S-80-6, and S-80-1
which were "Kodak AV Equipment Memo" "Technical information
about Audiovisual equipment".

Both include this statement:

"In most cases, the 80-capacity slide trays are easier to
maintain than the 140-capacity trays, present less power
load for the projector mechanism (except when glass-mounted
slides are used), and function well under adverse operating
conditions, such as partially damaged or worn slide mounts
and extremes of humidity."

Hmmm. guess my brain slipped several cogs on me! Of course, I
meant 140, not 100. Only my newest trays are 140s, but it
doesn't matter anymore anyway, as I will only be using them to
preview which slides I want to pull out and put into
somebody's auto-feeder.

So your comment is nothing new. Kodak was publishing these
statements at least as early as 1982.

The Bruan 4000, though uses a verticaly circular tray,
meaning that it's loader must operate when putting slides
in and taking them out. Plus, we're not talking slide
projector tolerances here, a scanner must position the
slide at precisely the right distance from the optics or
scans will be hopelessly out-of-focus."

The Braun has an autofocus mechanism built-in which
automatically focuses the scanner for film in cardboard,
plastic or glass slide mounts. It will even compensate for
slides that are inserted backwards (emulsion facing lamp)
or for dupe slides on reversed emulsions.

There are two round trays for the Braun. One has a 3.2mm
wide slot for glass mounts and the other has a 2mm wide
slot for other mounts.

For paper/cardboard mounts the best tray is the 80 capacity
LKM straight tray. The LKM mount is 1.9mm thick so it
easily hold the 1.35mm thick cardboard mounts. Cardboard
mounts lose their stiffness with age, use, handling and
humidity. So they are not always straight. When using a
tray with wide slots (3.2mm) a badly worn paper mount may
try to go into the wrong tray slot when a projector/4000
scanner cycles. This could cause a jam. In the case of the
Braun, the slide change cycle would automatically stop as
soon as the changer arm encountered any incorrect
resistance. So it would not damage the slide or the mount.
Just interrupt the scan cycle.

The 2mm round tray works best with standard plastic mounts.

The standard Braun straight tray that comes with the
scanner also works well with cardboard mounts. The optional
Gepe European straight trays hold 50 slides each and are
best for glass mounted slides.

Just about when I think I've got enought facts to support a
buying decision, along comes more! Now, if I could only find a
local store for Braun, I might be more inclined.

--
ATM, aka Jerry
.