extim@lure.latrobe.edu.au (05/28/91)
Some help required on colour scanners. Note origin is "Down Under" We are in the process of buying a Mac-based system for the analysis of Northern/Southern/Western gels and dot-blots based on a IIci and a flatbed scanner. We also want to make a system whereby the scanner is capable of being connected to IBM PC's and to have colour capabilities. Time and money are both limiting. As a start, we have seen an Epson GT6000 scanner hooked to a IIci, scanned gels and were satisfied with the result when analysed with the NSCA's Gel Reader software. The scanner is 300x300 and output is up to 600 dpi, and does 24 bit colour. We have also been offered a UMax UC-300 scanner for about the same price which is also a 300x300 scanner with 24 bit colour capabilities price which according to the retailer has the following attributes: (copied directly from their letter) 1)UMax uses "True White Light" where Epson uses green, therefore UMax needs no colour software calibration or change 2)Epson file format - Images scanned by Epson have a particular TIFF header unknown to a lot of software packages 3)You cannot use Epson scanners direct with OmniPage 4)Comes with PhotoShop for the Mac, Picture Publisher Plus for the PC Not having the time to become an expert in scanners, I am going to ask the net for answers to a few questions. Does anyone have any information on the UMax brand? Are the statements about the Epson scanners correct? For the task of densitometry, is the only key feature the scanning density? Any other thoughts? Thanks for your time. Ian McCauley Victorian Institute of Animal Science, Attwood Victoria 3049 Australia AARNET: extim@lure.latrobe.edu.au.oz