Microtek ArtixScan 120tf

Overall, the 120tf is a very capable scanner, and it is a real treat to be able to do serious medium format and 35mm scanning without going to the lab. The compact size of the unit is nice, compared to the much larger Nikon 8000. The quality is very good, although not quite up to par with drum scanners. I think it is equal to the Nikon, but it is difficult to compare directly as I have not done scans with it of the same transparencies I did with the Nikon. One thing that bothers me, though, is the standard film holder for 120 transparencies: it does not provide a way to flatten the film. If the film is curved, you may have trouble focusing. Also, the scanner does not provide a way to manually focus or select the focus point for the autofocus circuit. The scanner comes with a nice set of software, including Silverfast Ai (pro), allowing for 16 bit per channel scans. Also, a 35mm and 645 pro scanning targets are supplied for calibration. Clarity is good, color accuracy seems quite good, and the quality of the scans, as mentioned above, is right on par with other units and much better than the flatbed scanners I've used for MF work (such as the Epson 2450)

Small size, high-quality scans, good software offering.

No manual focusing

Nikon 8000, Epson 2450

Not yet used