OT: Microfiche scanner suggestions ?

From: Eric Smith <eric_at_brouhaha.com>
Date: Fri Jan 28 16:58:55 2005

Michel wrote:
> Can anyone offer me any suggestions at all about
> selecting a microfiche scanner? Where I work, we are looking
> at replacing a Minolta 603 microfiche reader/printer, and any
> information/personal experience with mid-priced (i.e. less than $5000)
> scanner would be appreciated.

AFAIK, you can't get anything reaonable for under $10K. Al Kossow
just spent well over that amount for a *used* fiche scanner, which
he plans to use to scan his large collection of DEC fiche. I'll
probably help him with that as time permits.

The fundamental problem is that you need at least 300 DPI effective,
which for 42x fiche is 12600 DPI. None of the "inexpensive" fiche
scanners have anywhere near that resolution. Even some of the expensive
fiche scanners aren't quite that good.

And if you want to scan a lot of fiche, you need a scanner that will
automatically position to each page and autofocus. Again, the
"inexpensive" fiche scanners don't do that.
Received on Fri Jan 28 2005 - 16:58:55 GMT