Agfa DuoScan series
Admired for their clarity, speed and efficiency, the DuoScan series is regarded as a line of solid, dependable scanners, ideal for businesses. More dedicated users (and pundits) can harp at the deficiencies in clarity or the price, but the average users or design studios should have no complaints.
DuoScan T1200
DuoScan T1200 is a A4 flatbed scanner, developed for graphic design agencies, service bureaus, educational institutions and for corporate communications. It uses the Agfa TwinPlate™ technology that was designed for Agfa’s high-end scanners. The TwinPlate consists of separate, built-in reflective and film scanning surfaces. Unlike conventional flatbed scanners, the two surfaces can be loaded independently for maximum productivity and versatility. The reduced number of moving components increases accuracy, reliability and longevity.
The Agfa FotoLook 3.0 scanner control software offers both automatic and professional modes of operation. Built-in Agfa ColorTune color management software ensures that printed and displayed results always match original images. To maximize your productivity, optional batch film holders are available for the DuoScan T1200. Load slide or negative film into multiple holders while your scanning continues.
Dedicated TwinPlate optics for reflective and transparency scanning ensure sharp details. The top resolutions of 2400 ppi for color work, and 3600 ppi for line-art, suit both printed and screen-based applications. DuoScan T1200 uses 36-bit super-sampling to capture billions of colors.
ZDNet reviewed the T1200 in 1998, concluding “Alas, less than ideal image quality and a relatively steep price make it hard to give the DuoScan an unqualified recommendation. Although this scanner is worth considering for professionals who use a separate image-editing package, the DuoScan is not the hands-down winner you might expect at this price level.”
DuoScan T2000 XL
The DuoScan T2000 XL is a versatile, oversized A3 scanner. With its 36-bit color depth and 3.5D maximum density, DuoScan T2000 XL captures impressive shadow and highlight details. Its TwinPlate™ technology combined with dual lenses gives you the equivalent of four separate scanners.
You can scan large format films (up to 9.5" x 12") and A3+ reflective images (up to 12" x 18") at medium resolution (667 x 2000 ppi). Then for smaller format films or reflective artwork, the second lens unit boosts the output to a true optical resolution of 2000 x 2000 ppi. This high resolution area is 4" (105 mm) wide by 18" (458 mm) for reflectives or by 12" (305 mm) for films.
Every facet of DuoScan T2000 XL is designed for maximum versatility in professional prepress environments. Expensive conventional scanners used in tradeshops are often overloaded with work. DuoScan T2000 XL shoulders a major part of the routine payload, without burdening you with another heavy investment. Clients constantly demand more from service bureaus. Larger formats, higher quality, shorter delivery times.
When reviewed in 1998 by the Desktop Publishers Journal, the conclusion was mixed: “We were somewhat disappointed with the sharpness of the images produced at the T2000 XL’s maximum optical resolution… as we found it subjectively about 25% softer than higher quality (and higher priced) CCD scanners from other manufacturers in tests we performed. If you’re thinking about purchasing a T2000 XL to scan at 2,000dpi all day, perhaps you’d better wait till later this year when Agfa introduces the T5000, and then you’ll have it all in one comprehensive package. But realistically, most users will rarely scan at such high resolutions anyway, and at lower resolutions the quality of the output from the scanner is just fine. This is still a good value in a highly productive desktop scanner.”
DuoScan T2500
DuoScan T2500 is a revolutionary A4 flatbed scanner, designed for professional, graphic arts applications. At a fraction of the cost of a high-end drum scanner, it produces superb-quality slide, negative and reflective scans at up to 2500 ppi true optical resolution.
For maximum versatility and performance, the successful TwinPlate concept of the original DuoScan has been combined with the dual lens system of the DuoScan T2000 XL A3 scanner. The TwinPlate consists of separate, built-in reflective and film scanning surfaces which can be loaded independently of each other for maximum productivity.
The DuoScan T2500 is like four scanners in one. It has built-in transparency and reflective scanning beds, which can be scanned consecutively. Dual lenses allow either the full bed width to be scanned at medium resolution (1250 ppi optical) or half of the width at high resolution (2500 ppi optical). Switching between these four modes is automatic: you simply choose options in the menus and the T2500 responds immediately.
The April 1999 review in Desktop Publishers Journal concludes: “The T2500’s dual capability makes it a good value — other scanners in this price range don’t handle transparencies nearly as well. This scanner has a solid place to fill as an all-around scanner for the wildly varying needs of both graphic design and production studios.
It can’t substitute for a drum scanner or a high-end flatbed — but at this price point, who would expect it to?”
For a complete summary of the Agfa DuoScan Series, visit our product pages for the Agfa DuoScan T1200, Agfa DuoScan T2000 XL and Agfa DuoScan T2500.
This article was last modified on June 30, 2023
This article was first published on March 17, 2000
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