Suggestions from Nicholas Hellmuth for 11 x 17 inch (A3) tabloid sized flatbed scanners

After a positive experience with the Heidelberg LinoColor Saphir Ultra2 flatbed scanner I wanted to review a larger size flatbed, the A3 (11x17 inch) Circon, also with LinoColor scanning software.

By the time Heidelberg sent a tabloid sized scanner the Circon had been replaced by the Linoscan 2400 XL.

Quite a variety of tabloid sized flatbed scanners are available, costing from $ 12,000 up to over $41,000. Entry level or other scanners with low dpi were excluded from consideration as not being of professional quality. The advantage of selecting a scanner from Heidelberg is that its scanning software, LinoColor, is an industry standard covering the whole spectrum from desktop publishing, SOHO, into graphics design and prepress scanner equipment.

Besides, neither the Circon nor the Linocolor 2400XL does not cost $41,000. So instead, you can buy the new car you always wanted, upgrade your entire computer system, and also get the Linocolor 2400 XL. Indeed the Circon and 2400 XL is more economical than many professional graphics computer systems.

FLAAR does evaluations at two universities. This particular test unit was sent to Francisco Marroquin University. After experiencing the ease of use of this scanner, the lab tech manager, Marlon Castillo would probably not want to have any other scanner in the office.

Unfortunately Heidelberg Linoscan dropped out of the mid-range and entry level of the flatbed scanner market in early 2002. So if you seek a new scanner today, none of these Linoscan units are still being manufactured. For a while Heidelberg was only offering their top of the line professional models (so nothing under $25,000). Within a few months Heidelberg dropped out of the scanner market all together. I am guessing the 2400 was around $14,000 in its heyday. Then Agfa, and next Fuji, seemed to stop manufacturing pre-press flatbed scanners all together. The only premium brand left today that is seriously in the prepress scanner business is Creo .

Note we say seriously. Screen and other companies also have excellent scanners but they do not exhibit at the pertinent trade shows. There was not a single Screen scanner at GraphExpo 2003 nor a single one of their scanners in the nice Screen both at Graphics of the Americas 2004 in Miami.

We find the Umax and Microtek exaggerate a bit much in their ad claims. Besides, if the scanner does not have anti-Newton Ring glass, it is not in the acceptable range for prepress professionals.

• Redesign May. 2004 / Last edited February 6, 2004.
  Redesign May. 2003/ Last updated January 21, 2004; July 16, 2002