Hi,
It's the only negative/slide scanner I've ever used, so I can't provide any useful comparisons for you. However, I think that if you can afford a more expensive scanner you should go for it. If you do get the Dimage IV, at least do yourself a favor and buy better software to run it. Minolta's software sucks.
IMHO both the scanner and the supplied software are quite capable (all essential tools are there - levels, curves, selective color correction, exposure control etc.) and resolution and dynamic range are comparable with much more expensive scanners (I do have some experience with scans from Linotype-Hell/Heildelberg/Crossfield drum scanners and from AgfaScan XY-15 high-end flatbed). All my recently posted PAWs were scanned on Konica Minolta Dimage Scan Dual IV using the supplied software (under MacOS X).
Bedo.
