The resolution numbers of Epson flatbed scanners are suspect. Nevertheless they a good value for medium format scans. I had an Epson 1600, then an Epson 3200. I have scanned many 645, 6X6, 6X7 , and 6X9 negs and transparencies. I usually get 16X20 lightjet prints made.
Last summer I had a chance to use top end scanners at The Santa Fe Workshops. I scanned 645 Provia 100 images on an expensive Imacon scanner and made some great pronts. The Nikon 8000 scanner was unusable because the film holder was a very bad design. When I got home I scanned the same film on my 3200. I was surprised that the sharpness of both scanners was the same. The difference was that the Imacon outperformed the Epson in shadow detail (D-max). But not, IMO, enough for me to spend an additional $14,000! Another surprise was that when I examined some old prints from the 1600 I couldn't te;; the difference between the i600 and 3200 in 16X20 prints. I decided not to upgrade to the Epson 4800. Bill Lawlor
