Flatbed scanners for prepress: Fujifilm C-550 Lanovia Sprint, FineScan 2750, Lanovia Quattro.

It is so convenient to be able to scan objects on a flatbed scanner, 3-D objects on a flatbed scanner. This means your flatbed scanner can scan much more than just pictures, film, or transparencies. Your imagination is your limit.

3-D object, jaguar effigy, on Fuji C-550 Lanovia flatbed scanner.

Here is the resulting scan. Rather good; you can even see the whiskers. The turtle in the jaguar's mouth has remarkably good depth of field. You can see the entire inside of the mouth.

Of course you cannot scan your pet cat, but you can easily scan a sunning iguana, sleepy snake, or other creature that does not move often. The focus is obviously close to the glass plane, so you cannot focus on something that is tall (which would probably weigh too much and break the flatbed glass anyway).

But if you are clever it is surprising what you can actually scan. We started out scanning simple objects such as gold coins. Then with a slightly better scanner (Linotype-Hell Saphir Ultra2 from Heidelberg/LinoColor) we got better results with more complex objects.

But the whole purpose of the test program is to keep on searching until we find absolutely the best equipment for the assignment. Thus we tested a Fuji C-550 Lanovia flatbed scanner. The results were impressive.

Considering that the FujiFilm C-550 Lanovia is also a high-end professional scanner for prepress quality flatbed scans of film and flat art, the extra benefit that it can handle 3-D objects so well makes the Fuji A3 oversize flatbed scanner a winner.

Several people who have tried to buy a Fuji Lanovia scanner have e-mailed us back saying that they were unable to find any easy means to contact Fuji. So we tried and found the same problem. No e-mail, no user-friendly atmosphere on the FujiFilm web site. That was 3 years ago, possibly they have improved by now.

Showing jaguar effigy on top of Fujifilm C-550 Lanovia flatbed scanner.

This is the actual size and shape of the wooden jaguar. Of course for the actual scan the jaguar was placed on its side. The advantage of the Fuji C-550 over other scanners is that the Fuji is larger than A3.

As a result we went to an international trade show (GraphExpo) to find a scanner from another company which was as good as the Fuji but easier to find. After speaking with a variety of people at all kinds of booths, and especially speaking with scanning technicians, we can found a potential alternative, namely the EverSmart professional flatbed scanner from Creo . Unfortunately got taken over by Creo , turned into Creo . Then Creo discarded the name and is moving to Canada. If you need help deciding which company might survive the best and therefore which professional scanner is best for your needs, contact Nicholas Hellmuth (review editor) directly at e-mail: CustomerService@FLAAR.org and we will send you e-mail of who is still in business at present.

In the last year all kinds of other changes have happened to/Creo /Creo . First, Microtek revealed that they are actually the ones who build the Creo Jazz and I guess the Jazz+. That did not impress us much. However the Pro II, Select, and Supreme are reportedly not made by Microtek.

Fuji (Fujifilm), Heidelberg, Scanvec and 95% of the other scanner manufacturers no longer manufacturer scanners. I have not seen a Cezanne scanner at any Dainippon Screen trade show booth in years. So, if you need a high quality scanner the only manufacturer in the world, that we have first-hand experience with, that is still actually making flatbed scanners is Scitex (CreoScitex, now owned by Kodak).

To find out the differences between Fuji, Heidelberg, Screen, and Kodak (CreoScitex) scanners, you can either contact Nicholas Hellmuth directly (ReaderService@FLAAR.org), or, if you are in North America, contact Hanan Gelbendorf hanan@2creativ.com. He has worked with Scitex, with CreoScitex, and with Kodak. Or you can contact the Master Distributor for US for these flatbed scanners, Don Bobenhouse, Smartstuff Graphics Distribution, 155 Chesterfield Industrial Blvd. Office 636 532-6131, Cell 314 616-1509.

If you are outside North America, contact Scitex (CreoScitex, now Kodak) directly: Ron Beery ron.beerykodak.com. He has experience in all four companies: Scitex, CreoScitex, Creo, and Kodak.

Then Fuji came out with their 2750 Fine Scan, then the Lanovia Quattro. The C-550 is now the Lanovia Sprint. It is indeed a challenge to keep up with the names, models, and specs. But we definitely keep track of the prices. As far as we can determine, dpi for dpi the Fuji scanners are less cost than the nearest Creo.

If you wish to try out the Fuji Lanovia C-550 nonetheless, also consider the Agfa version XY-15 for several reasons. Agfa has better service facilities in several parts of the world, especially Latin America (we like this because Agfa is the most popular prepress scanner in Guatemala, where we have our offices for Latin America). The Agfascan XY-15 is the Agfa OEM version of the Fuji Lanovia.

Fujifilm originally had three classes of scanners: an outstanding drum scanner, a top of the line C-550 flatbed (my absolute favorite since it could do 3-D objects too), and two FineScan models.

At PhotoPlus 2003, and again at an early 2004 trade show in the US, the word on the street was that Fujifilm was backing out of flatbed scanners.
When we heard this from three sources, we naturally assumed this was the situation, especially considering the statements were very specific.

Thus during May, at DRUPA 2004, a huge prepress trade show in Germany, we were pleasantly surprised to meet a team of Fujifilm scanner people that were showcasing their FineScan 2750XL and Lanovia Quattro professional flatbed scanners.

Since FLAAR is a photography institute for over 30 years, and since we are now also dedicated to fine art reproduction, we are directly and personally interested in any scanner that can handle 35mm, medium format, and large format. We also cover scanning for prepress, proofing, creatives in graphic design, and in-house design departments relative to our emphasis on input for wide format inkjet printers such as Epson. Thus we are considering updating our coverage of the Fujifilm FineScan models as soon as we can have one for in-house testing at our university. So return to this page later in the summer in case we have a Fujifilm scanner by that time.