Hi Martin, > After much research I have decided that a Minolta Scan Elite I've got one. It's a nice scanner. > I was all set to go to Jessops (who had it listed at £699), however they > now tell me it is obsolete and they no longer sell it. > Firstly, is it really obsolete, or is it just Jessops that have stopped > stocking it. It is still listed on Minolta's web site and they don't > appear to have anything new with similar features, so I am guessing it is > just Jessops. Maybe there is some confusion at Jessops: they have been discounting the previous model, the Scan Speed, for some time and perhaps they got mixed up with that. But it certainly isn't listed on the Jessops web site now. (Having said that, with the new Canon and Nikon scanners on the way, I'd be surprised if a replacement for the Elite wasn't too far away.) > Secondly, can anyone recommend somewhere where I can go to try one before > I buy it. I live in Cambridge, UK. I'd prefer somewhere local, but am > prepared to travel as far as London if necessary. Difficult. Jessops don't seem to carry all their stock in all their branches and, even where they have a reasonable stock range, they don't always seem to have demo scanners. There are some London based shops that hire scanners, which might be an option. At least then you could try the Elite and, if you like it, buy it from one of the cheaper retailers. The mail order company Speedgraphic (www.speedgraphic.co.uk) do the Elite for £629 or £669 inc SCSI card, plus £3.90 P&P. It might be worth checking availability with them before you go further, in case the Elite really is going to be hard to get. Let us know what you find out! Al Bond
