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Archiver > ESSEX-UK > 2009-02 > 1233559282


From: "Taylor, Keith" <>
Subject: Re: [Ess] Scanning Microfiche
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2009 07:21:22 -0000


Is this the voice of experience? I have had readable results from
microfilmed (not microfiche) documents, each page of the document being a
B&W positive image on the film (This is essentially the same as scanning a
35mm slide). I found that shining light through the film didn't work at all
well but having a white paper 'background' did reflect enough light back
through the film to 'see' the document. I scanned each frame at varying ppis
from 1200 to 4800 and they are just about readable.

The microfiche images I have are somewhat smaller than the microfilmed ones,
that's why I suspect more optical dots per inch might just do the trick.

Keith Taylor
Somerset UK


-----Original Message-----
From: Charles Fuller [mailto:]
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2009 4:45 AM
To: Taylor, Keith
Cc:
Subject: Re: [Ess] Scanning Microfiche


Hello,

As far as I can tell (the manuals for the product have been removed from
the UK site, so my reply is based on the product sold in the USA) - NO,
it won't do the job.

To scan a piece of paper or a photographic print, the scanner shines a
light at the piece of paper and records the reflection. To scan a film
negative/slide or a microfiche, the light must be shone THROUGH the
film. This means that the scanner must be able to accept an object about
14cm x 10cm (5.5" x 4") in size and be able to shine light through a
good area of it (otherwise you'll be forever trying to get the right
part of the fiche).

Page 7 of the "Quick Start" guide for the Canon 600F scanner shows that
there is a special attachment made explicitly to hold 35mm film which
provides the light. So the only way you could use this scanner would be
to cut the fiche up into 35mm squares. You would not be able to scan all
parts of the fiche since the edges would fall outside the scan-able area.

The Epson V700 (and V750 which simply has more software in the box) has
a light in the lid of the scanner which can scan an area about the size
of an A4 piece of paper. The Windows version of the scanning software
auto-focuses on the film/fiche so you don't have to use the film holders
supplied.

Regards,
Charles Fuller.












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