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Microtek ScanMaker 6800 ICE Print
Written by Mark Webster   
Monday, 01 September 2003

Review
Installation & Documentation
Ease of use
Value for money
Price
$894.37
Operating System

Mac OS 9.x or Mac OS X
Download OS X drivers here
Available from
Selected resellers.
Distributor -
Imaging Technology
(Mach VI) Ltd,
Auckland
09 573 1196
NZ Macguide Issue 11

The ScanMaker 6800 ICE is a flatbed scanner with a built in transparency scanning lid and transparency viewer, and it has hardwired image-mending capabilities called Digital ICE Technology (but it won't work with OS X). With 4800x2400dpi resolution at 48 bits colour depth, it has a fairly comprehensive specification and uses a FireWire 400 and a USB 2 (backwards compatible with USB 1.1) connector for fast image transfer.

Other good features include Sigma Six CCD technology (six rows of elements) and a full 16-bit analogue to digital convertor, five one-touch scan function buttons on the front and lots of Mac and PC software.

So, how does it stack up?
Transparency scans are quite reasonable, although not in the league of the Epson Perfection flatbed or a dedicated transparency scanner. That said, the test example - a 120mm positive transparency - took a hell of a lot of Unsharp Mask, but it really brought it to life and produced a very acceptable scan.

The ScanMaker 6800 handles prints very well

Prints scan very well - I'd have no qualms using the resulting reflective scans in production.

ICE, the photo-repair hardware built into the 6800, looks good for people with old pictures and no Photoshop skills - or no Photoshop! - but as it doesn't work for Macs anyway, I didn't test it.

Another selling point is Microtek's robust software, which allows for a wide range of possibilities letting those with skills make a good job of almost any challenge, and also for queuing up several jobs with different settings, handy for production environments, or for those with lots of pictures to archive.

Pros

Excellent print scans
Handles transparencies
Good warranty, good support

Cons

No OS X software in the box
ICE not yet supported for OS X

Specifications
Resolution
 4800x2400ppi optical, 48-bit colour, dual 31,800-sensor-stacked CCD
Interface
 FireWire 400, USB 2
(To achieve high speed USB throughputs, a USB 2.0-supported system is required)
Software
 Integrated ASF Digital ICE for Photo Prints (PC/Mac), Adobe Photoshop Elements (PC/Mac), Microtek ScanWizard 5 with integrated OCR-PDF functions (PC/Mac), Microtek Scan, Copy, OCR, Email, Scan-to-Web utilities (PC/Mac), Integrated ABBYY FineReader Sprint OCR (PC/Mac), Kodak Digital Science color management (PC/Mac),, Adobe Acrobat Reader (PC/Mac), ASF Digital ROC plug-in trial version (PC/Mac), ASF Digital SHO plug-in trial version (PC/Mac)
Extras
 Integrated 4"x5" Transparency Adapter with FilmView, comes with six-pin FireWire Cable, Hi-Speed USB 2 Cable, Power Adapter, optional document feeder ($673)

© Parkside Media 2004
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