CNET Editor's rating: 8.5 out of 10
Reviewed by
Jeff Dorgay
Review date: 10/21/04
The good: High-quality scans; legal-size scanbed; great software.
The bad: Requires a lot of desk space; uses Digital ICE technology only for print scans.
The bottom line: The best flatbed for creative professionals on a budget.
The Microtek ScanMaker i900 isn't the cheapest flatbed scanner we've tested lately, but it's one of the most versatile. Whereas most scanners in its price range scan only letter-size prints, the ScanMaker i900 can handle legal-size originals. It also features a novel dual-scanning bed that produces some of the best film scans we've seen from a flatbed.
With a footprint of about 15 by 25 inches and weighing a bit more than 26 pounds, the ScanMaker i900 commands a lot of desk real estate. Once you've loaded the Microtek Scan Wizard Pro software and the requisite drivers on your machine, you must also install the i900's calibration utilities. For optimal performance, Microtek suggests that you recalibrate every 14 days. (For more info on calibration, see this Pixel Perfect column by CNET senior editor Lori Grunin.) You connect the scanner to your machine via USB or FireWire. Based on our tests with scans that ranged in size from 75MB to 300MB, FireWire shaved scan time by about 10 to 25 percent, depending on the computing platform.
The Microtek ScanWizard Pro software is very easy to use and offers a wide range of tools for adjusting scanned images. You have full control over tonal scale and three different ways to make fine color adjustments. The i900 employs Digital ICE Photo Print technology for flatbeds, which corrects dust and scratches but isn't as sophisticated as the Digital ICE4 technology that the Nikon Coolscan V has onboard. It doesn't work on film and won't let you make any adjustments to the sampling rate. Instead of the most current ICE technology, Microtek relies on ColorRescue, which made moderate color-balance corrections to our film and reflective scans. ICE works reasonably well, but you will pay a substantial speed penalty. In our tests, it took almost 10 minutes to scan an 8x10 at 300dpi with ICE turned on. Without ICE, a 300dpi scan of an 8x10 original takes about a minute.
The most notable feature of the ScanMaker i900 is its dual scanbed. Essentially, in addition to the typical flatbed glass plate, it has a second, glassless film scanner with the glass scan surface underneath. By eliminating the glass, the way a standalone film scanner does, the i900 can capture more tonal information from film--from light shades to deep shadows. While still not the equal of a dedicated film scanner, the i900 produced some of the best film scans we've seen from the flatbed models we've tested, making Microtek's quoted optical density of 4.2D seem less fictional than most. Microtek also includes transparency attachments for 8x10 transparencies and batch slide scans.
The scanner's optical resolution of 3,200dpi by 6,400dpi delivers sharp scans that allow for significant print enlargements of film frames and should please even the pickiest of designers. In our tests, scanned photos came very close to matching the originals. If you make more time to fiddle with the adjustments, you will be rewarded with even more outstanding scans.
Microtek posts product-specific manuals, specs, and drivers on its Web site. There's no phone support, but you can e-mail specific questions and concerns via the online technical-support form. Microtek promises to respond to your query within one to two business days. The site also provides several community features, including forums, searchable tips and tricks, and recommended reading from professionals in the business.
Intro:
The Microtek Scanmaker I900 is a 6400 dpi x 3200 dpi, graphic arts scanner.Compared to other graphic arts scanners on the market, it is relatively inexpensive at around $490.
Noteworthy Features:
Has 4.2D scan density.This is better dynamic range than the average scanner on the market today, but is to be expected for a scanner of this price.(Scan density refers to the dynamic range of light and dark the scanner can capture before details are obscured by digital noise.It is usually expressed as a number between 0 and 4, where 4 is the best.Some manufacturers calculate this differently, using a "theoretically possible" number, rather than a true measured range.)Also, this scanner has 6400dpi horizontal resolution, which is considerably sharper than some similarly priced scanners.
Weaker Features:
This unit has a large footprint and may crowd smaller desks.
Suitability:
For high-quality scans intended for professional and commercial graphic arts use.This scanner can handle legal (8.5 in x 14 in) documents.Flatbed scanners, such as this one are versatile, able to scan single sheets of text or graphics, pages from books, and make images of anything else placed on the glass.
Value:
Given its relatively inexpensive price, this scanner has good features for the money.
50 out of 54 users found this user opinion helpful.
3 out of 10 - Poor For Computer Geeks Only
This scanner must be for serious geeks. I have been scanning an 8.5" x 11" document at work for ...
This scanner must be for serious geeks. I have been scanning an 8.5" x 11" document at work for the last 5 minutes and the scan still has not finished. Maybe I am just an idiot and do not know how to properly use the scanner. I am unable to set the scanner to scan at 8.5" x 11". All the drop down boxes for scan sizes is related to common picture sizes. I have the resolution set at 72 dpi and the output size is some 88KB.
I have used the Epson Perfection 2450, and an all in one HP scanner with little difficulties. This is the scanner that we have at work, and what I am forced to use. I would not take one of these if they gave it to me.
The software that comes with the unit is for pixel nuts and other geeks go with an Epson, the learning curve is much lower.
I have read many a review on CNET and sometimes I see where someone bashes a product because of problems they are having with it and it is just because they are not using the product properly. I seriously do not believe this is the case here.
If you are only going to scan pictures it may be the machine for you, but the user interface is awful. This is for the high end user who wants to manipulate tons of setting that just confuse me.
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by ewicatcher (see profile) -
March 9, 2005
8 out of 10 - Excellent Excellent quality but not recommended for the casual user.
This is a great scanner for limited applications. It is not a document scanner and should only be used for ...
This is a great scanner for limited applications. It is not a document scanner and should only be used for photographs. I purchased it to make digital archives of 20 to 60-year-old family photos and slides and I have not been dissapointed in its resutls. The software, however, is very difficult to use. It should only be purchased if you have a serious project or photographic use and you are prepared to invest a great deal of time in learning to use the software.
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by slee1000 (see profile) -
March 8, 2006
16 out of 16 users found this user opinion helpful.
6 out of 10 - Good Good for reflectives and 4x5 film
I bought this scanner hopping to replace my Canon CanoScan FS 4000US I bought a couple years ago. Unfortunatly, the ...
I bought this scanner hopping to replace my Canon CanoScan FS 4000US I bought a couple years ago. Unfortunatly, the i900 does not give me as sharp an image as the Canon even at higher resolutions than 4000x4000. Though the dmax of the i900 is slightly better, I still can not use it for my 35mm work. It does do a nice job with 4"x5" film. Even if it isnt focusing perfectly, there is so much more image from a 4x5 that it does not seem to matter. The software was difficult for me to figure out right away. The most important thing to realise using this software is that if you have a preview box beyond what you want to scan, the automatic features do not work properly. Reflective scans are like photographs. I am very impressed with the results I have gotten from scanning feathers and flowers. This is my first reflective scanner so I have no idea whats possible with much cheaper flatbeds. I bought it for scanning film up to 4"x5", and am dissapointed with the 35mm images. Oh! Dont forget to close the 4x5 film holders properly or they jam up the film tray feed. That happened to me right away as you have to calibrate it with a 4x5 color transparency that is hidden in an unmarked white package. I will replace my CanoScan with a Nikon Cool Scan some time in the future.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Great Scanner Professional Geared
This is one of the best scanners that I have ever used. It's accuracy and scan quality is tops. ...
This is one of the best scanners that I have ever used. It's accuracy and scan quality is tops. This machine, however, is not one of the many el cheapo scanners out there. The settings and scan time directly correspond to quality (i.e. better quality scans will take much longer). If you are looking for a quick scanner with marginal quality, low price, and click and go, this is not the scanner for you. This machine borders on professional use only.
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by bernie06109 (see profile) -
January 29, 2006
8 out of 9 users found this user opinion helpful.
3 out of 10 - Poor Microtek does not stock/sell replacemnt components for the i900, nor do they repair the i900.
I just got off the phone with two different Microtek Customer Service Reps, as I am in need of a ...
I just got off the phone with two different Microtek Customer Service Reps, as I am in need of a replacement lamp for my i900, which is now fourteen (14) months old. It was a total surprise to find that Microtek does NOT sell/stock a replacement lamp for the i900 (see their Website info on this also), but instead requires the return of the i900 to Microtek for a new replacement i900 at $475.00. Ouchhh!!! I'm now sitting on a $600.00 scanner which no longer functions. I don't care how good a scanner performs, because if you have to pay $475.00 each time the lamp begins to go (average 1 to 2 years), you're better-off buying a cheap "throw-away" scanner.
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by bleuband (see profile) -
September 7, 2006
5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
7 out of 10 - Very good the scanner is NOT the problem
I bought this scanner after checking reviews on CNET. from what i could tell, the relatively low user ratings came ...
I bought this scanner after checking reviews on CNET. from what i could tell, the relatively low user ratings came from software issues, not the scanner itself... though if the software sucks, there isn't much the hardware can do to make up for it... but i was definitely prepared to learn some difficult software. i received my scanner, set it up and it didn't work. this was when i discovered how crappy microtek support is. there was a phone number with my documentation. but when i called, i was told there was no live support available. i was directed to their website where i could ask my question. i was assured someone would reply in 48 hours. basically i was getting no image when i hit "overview" or "prescan" though my computer was definitely communicating with the scanner. the first answer had all the help of "REBOOT". i waited 2 days for THAT? i waited another 48 hours to get a reply to my message saying what they suggested didn't work. i received more instructions that didn't work. when i replied that this 2nd "fix" didn't work, i waited SEVEN FULL DAYS for a reply with a procedure as long as my arm that included deleting twain files and screwing around in my system registry. by this time i was completely fed up and concluded all by myself that this scanner was broken. i returned it and decided to give the i900 one more shot. i just received the new one and it appears to work. i can't tell you how relieved i am not to have to contact microtek *support* again. i wrote a scathing email to them that will do no good at all. my experience with microtek in the past has been that their products are of a higher quality than their competitors. definitely more pricey, but i'd rather pay more for a machine that works than for one that was built cheaply for the mass market. my HP scanner had all kinds of issues, a warp in the scan... no idea why. a fuzzy area, again, no idea... glass appeared to be clean, inside and out... and it also scanned everything crookedly. but what do i expect for a hundred bucks right? i was confident i would not have these issues with my new microtek scanner, and i was right. i still have a few days to decide whether or not to keep this machine. i am impressed with its performance, but yes, the software is a little tough. AND, the manuals that are supposed to be on a cd, aren't. but i'm sure i could get them online... what i want to caution people about is microtek's crappy support. obviously this is a new system because phone numbers are still included with the machine... if you're not real savy and don't have someone handy that is, please don't count on getting much help from microtek. at least not in any timely manner. it's a ridiculous way to run a business, i hope enough people complain that they bring back live support.
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by sherikay615 (see profile) -
July 24, 2007
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Fantastic quality scans
I've owned a Microtek i900 for a few months and couldn't be happier with it. I am an ...
I've owned a Microtek i900 for a few months and couldn't be happier with it. I am an advanced amateur, and one of the reasons I got it was to salvage my dad's old slides. He was a pro photographer and took thousands of great pictures which were being spoiled by time, mould, moisture, etc. The fact that I could batch scan a dozen slides at a time was a fabulous time-saver; adjusting and tweaking output quality with the included software before scanning was another. The Microtek i900 does its job very, very well, handles absurd zoom rates with little loss of quality, offers great fleixibility in adjusting every single parameter, and works well. Yes, it does take up a lot of desk space, but it is easy to handle. I love the lower compartment for transparencies because its use is so straightforward. The included software gives me a lot of control over the end result and I only needed to use an outside image editor on the more damaged images -- thus saving me more time without compromising quality. I do have some trouble doing the color calibrations, but I think this is because I haven't really stopped to sort it out. The Microtek i900 may not be the simplest scanner to use, but it is certainly among the best and this makes it worth taking the time to learn how to use it.
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by ubat (see profile) -
April 5, 2006
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