dMax and Dynamic range

[loosecanon]

I am currently looking at slide scanners. The output is rated in terms of Dmax and 48 bit (ie 16 bit per channel).
But what is the relationship, in simple terms, between Dmax of a scanner and the dynamic range of the image it can record.

Would a good camera and macro lens give as good a result as a scanned transparancy?

[proseak]

"Would a good camera and macro lens give as good a result as a scanned transparancy?" In my experience, no.

What format are the slides? 35mm, 6x6...?

Which scanners are you considering?

[loosecanon]

35mm slides, about 24,000 of them. scanners, just looking at moment, any good suggestions at sensible cost. I don't wish to spend hours scanning sets of 6 every 16 minutes, and would like low distortion and say c. 4000 dpi

[proseak]

Scanning is time consuming -your figure of "6 every 16 minutes" is actually pretty quick. With the number you have, it might be worth culling them down as much as you can, and getting them scanned; is this local to you?

http://www.slide-scanner.co.uk/35mm_slide_scanning.html

[NorthernFocus]

35mm slides, about 24,000 of them...I don't wish to spend hours scanning sets of 6 every 16 minutes, and would like low distortion and say c. 4000 dpi

For quality results I don't think there are any options that aren't time intensive. At least that is what I've found through my own research. I re-visit the topic every couple of years. I only have a few hundred slides/negative strips and still can't justify the effort to myself. No doubt some day it will become a priority that warrants the effort.

[Manfred M]

In the film days, I had access to a film / slide copy camera which included a light source, lens and focusing bellows and that was the only way to make a copy. I do have an old Minolta Dimage slide / film copy unit kicking around, but suspect that the drivers are not going to work on a modern 64-bit operating system. I could rack up 4 transparencies or a negative strip in a carrier and the unit would index through and make good, high quality copies.

I would not get too concerned about dynamic range - transparency film had a dynamic range of around 4 or 5 stops and colour print film was running around 8 or 9 stops, so any modern scanner should be able to much better than the material you are scanning.

[saea501]

I use the Canon 8800F. It does a great job, pictures look fantastic, assuming the slides or negs are good and it sure doesn't take 16 minutes to scan 8 slides. It does 4 at a time which takes maybe 3 or 4 minutes to scan. Save the output and load your next 4. I know I can do 8 in 7 or 8 minutes. I just did 150 for a client and the scanning took no time at all to speak of. It was the editing that ate into the clock.

At any rate I like the 8800F just fine.