Issue 17
UK Dealer for Mekel Scanners Announced
NEW ImageMouse-Plus
Kodak Intelligent Microimage Scanner (IMS)
Security Labels
Recent White Paper Discusses Needs For Archive Storage
Hybrid Supplies
New Agfa Equivalent Developer & Fixer
New Motorised Inspection Station
Resolution Test Charts
Personality - Samantha Piggons, The Microfilm Shop, UK
UK Dealer for Mekel Scanners Announced
The Microfilm Shop has recently announced that they are now the authorised UK dealers for the world renowned range of Mekel microfilm scanners.
This range of high volume production scanners consists of several models for 16/35mm roll microfilm and microfiche/ jacket scanning. They are also available with bi-tonal or greyscale outputs and can be purchased as turn-key systems or as sub-systems. Mekel scanners areclaimed to be one of the highest quality scanners on the market, with some of the best throughputs available.
"We are very pleased to be able to add such an excellent product to our portfolio" commented Paul Negus, Managing Director of The Microfilm Shop. "Over the next 5 years we believe that microfilm scanning, along with digital to COM production, will be one of the fastest growing segments of the microfilm market. The addition of the Mekel scanners, for high-volume production scanning, perfectly complements our highly successful low-volume ImageMouse products and the medium volume Canon MS400A/500A, Screenscan and Kodak IMS models. The Mekel scanner family completes The Microfilm Shop's range of micrographic scanners, which we believe to be one of the most comprehensive currently available. We are also pleased to be working alongside Mekel's UK-based technical/ engineering expert so that we can provide first class support, service, technical advice and demonstrations. Two scanners will be based at our headquarters in Nuneaton and we will also be only too pleased to offer demonstrations at our clients' premises.
"We are pleased to offer the Mekel range at a time when two new scanners have just been added to the range - the M525 16/35mm roll film scanner, which can offer speeds for 16mm film of up to 100 images per minute at 200 dpi, and the M565 fiche jacket scanner, which comes with a 75 fiche capacity, automatic loading/ unloading hopper, and it can offer speeds from 800 - 2400 images per hour. The Mekel range of scanners is ideally suited to the larger end user and the bureau environment (especially as finance packages are available).
"There are many other features such as:-
• Complete processing, concurrent with scanning, with little or no impact on throughput, including deskew, crop, rotation and auto contrast
• Sophisticated, state-of-the-art processing algorhythms, which include line and character thinning or thickening, despeckling etc. • Ease of use, little training required compared to other scanning systems
• One year warranty included in the price
• Single, double or triple level blip detection, as well as leading and trailing edge detection
• Prescan feature on M565 to exactly map each fiche or jacket, thereby ensuring no scanning time is wasted
• Open architecture, the software offered can be reconfigured and upgraded for third party development and user customisation
Paul continued "the tie up with Mekel also strengthens our relationship with Houston Fearless (parent company of Mekel) and provides for a very large product range from two organisations totally committed to the technology of microfilm".
NEW ImageMouse-Plus
The Innovative, New Connection Between Your PC and Roll Film
The original ImageMouse has been a huge success with knowledge workers because they can now view, digitise and enhance microfiche, on-the-fly, from a desktop PC, live and in real time!
Point And Click Viewing, Editing And Archiving From Roll Film
The new ImageMouse-Plus has all the features of the original ImageMouse (Fiche/Jacket), with the added benefit of being able to view 16mm and 35mm roll film media in both comic and cine modes. This makes the ImageMouse-Plus the perfect universal tool for a variety of applications, including checks, genealogy research, insurance records, patient records, and any type of source document applications captured on microfiche or roll film.
The motorised microfilm carrier will accept open reel 16mm and 35mm roll film, or can be ordered to accommodate ANSI and M-Type cartridge formats. The precision motorised system can travel at slow or fast forward speeds to enable you to quickly locate images from film with a simple point and click.
Additionally, an economical manual roll film carrier is also available. This fun and innovative alternative to expensive, stand-alone units can perform all of the same functions that readers, reader-printers and expensive film scanners do, utilising the computers you already have
Even More Vision
The ImageMouse-Plus Digital Retrieval System is available in two magnification ranges to accept a variety of film formats from microfiche to open reel, ANSI and M-Type cartridges. The 42/48X Model accommodates COM microfiche and many check applications, while the 24/28X Model meets the needs of most other source document applications. Furthermore, you can order an additional ImageMouse capture unit to allow you the flexibility to view multiple image sizes ranging from 24x to 48x with one base unit.
Although the ImageMouse-Plus can be used for 35mm roll film and aperture cards, it can only scan part of the image due to the lowest magnification being 24x.
ImageMouse-Plus retails at £3750.00.
Kodak Intelligent Microimage Scanner (IMS)
Microfilm retrieval for the Millennium
The new Kodak Digital Science(tm) Intelligent Microimage Scanner is a high-speed, 16mm film retrieval subsystem. The compact film drive and supporting software enable automatic image-mark searches using a standard PC workstation. The subsystem digitises the film image and displays it on the PC monitor where the user can read it and file, fax or print it with just a few mouse clicks. It's an ideal, versatile retrieval solution, whether you want to upgrade an analogue reader printer or add film imaging to your digital information system.
Innovations That Improve Your Workflow.
The new design of the Intelligent Microimage Scanner delivers speed and excellent image quality in a small footprint. It also allows users to work more productively. The improvements begin with the film transport, which is fast, accurate and accepts all major film cartridges. Once the selected film is scanned, the transport can advance to the next image or perform a refile in the background, minimising the waste of operator wait time. Meanwhile, the operator can be performing all retrieval, annotation and routing procedures with a single integrated interface that's easy to use.
Uncompromising Imaging Performance That Won't Stand Still
You'll see more detail and clarity that result in improved legibility, especially with printed backgrounds on cheques. That's because the high-density CCD of the Intelligent Microimage Scanner captures more information from the film, making it available as gray-scale images. You can also elect to work with bi-tonal images.
Because images are processed in software on the PC, enhancements and new features will be simple to implement as they are developed. You can continually upgrade image processing speed by moving to a more powerful PC as processor speeds rise and prices fall.
Give your microfilm a productivity boost. Switch to the Kodak Digital Science Intelligent Microimage Scanner.
The Microfilm Shop are a fully authorised and approved dealer for this product. We have a demonstration unit available in Nuneaton.
Security Labels
This pre-printed, self-adhesive label fixes to the top and front of a 16mm film box thus sealing the contents inside. In order to open the box, the label must be torn along two specially positioned perforations. Once the label has been torn it indicates that unauthorised access to the films has been gained. Available in sheets of 4.
Recent White Paper Discusses Needs For Archive Storage
A White Paper entitled "Preserving Documents Forever - Matching Technology & Business Considerations", written by independent consultants Macarthur Stroud International, has just been published for the Data Archiving Association (DAA).
The document outlines the requirements needed to preserve documents for an indeterminate time in the future whilst still being able to guarantee the ability to access the documents, as business needs and operational practice dictate.
It looks at the digital and analogue alternatives and focuses into an integrated solution as the preferred solution to offer investment protection, whereby archives are created once and forever. Vendors operating in this market segment are outlined with their offerings. How these components need to be integrated to provide a cohesive solution is identified.
Hybrid Supplies
Writable CD Range
In recent months The Microfilm Shop have received enquiries from a number of our existing customers who operate a hybrid system, requesting that we should compliment our extensive micrographic supplies range by introducing hybrid consumable such as CD's and CD labels.
As a direct result of this interest, The Microfilm Shop approached a company called SKC, a Korean manufacturer of CD's for over 15 years. After conducting extensive tests on their products and receiving exceptional results we initially started to supply selected bureaux throughout the United Kingdom. However, we feel the time has now come to introduce this new product range to all our customers.
The range consists of blue, gold and printable CD's available either in bulk packs of 125 or as singles in jewel cases. What's more, we think you'll like our very competitive pricing levels.
CD Labels
To compliment our range of writable CD's, The Microfilm Shop can also offer white, printable CD labels. Labels are available in A4 sheets (2 per sheet) and are suitable for use on Laser, Copy and Inkjet-Printers.
Customers wishing to use the labels on inkjet printers also have a choice of glossy white or glossy silver, both offering photographic quality results. Available in packs of 10 sheets (20 labels) for Inkjet printers only or 25 sheet packs for Laser/Copy/Inkjet labels.
A free software CD is provided with your first purchase enabling you to set up the print exactly.
New Agfa Equivalent Developer & Fixer
To Compliment Our Existing Range Of Fuji And Kodak Type Developers And Fixers
The Microfilm Shop has been working very closely with a new supplier of photographic chemicals to provide an Agfa equivalent. We have also succeeded in improving our existing Fuji and Kodak formulations.
Please contact our sales team for prices and samples.
The new range now consists of the following:
FBHD Fuji type developer - concentrate 1 x 5 litre bottle
FKMDR/MS Kodak type developer - concentrate 1 x 5 litre bottle
FAPD Agfa type developer - concentrate 1 x 5 litre bottle
FKPD Kodak type developer - ready for use 1 x 5 litre bottle
FBHF Fuji, Kodak & Agfa type fixer - concentrate 1 x 5 litre bottle
FKPF Kodak type fixer - ready for use 1 x 5 litre bottle
New Motorised Inspection Station
Due to the discontinuation of the Profile Manual Hand Winders and Stations, The Microfilm Shop are pleased to introduce a new inspection/ loading station. The motorised version offers excellent slow scanning and variable speed control. A manual model is also available which is geared for minimum effort.
List price - £457.00 (Manual), £614.00 (Motorised).
Optional extras include 3M cartridge attachment (£89.00), Foot Control (£89.00), Quick Thread Take Up Spool (£11.00).
The manual winding arms are also available for mounting on your own board or desktop (£195.00). These simple to operate machines are now available through The Microfilm Shop.
Resolution Test Charts
New Higher Quality Range
For many years The Microfilm Shop have been supplying a full range of Microfilm Resolution Targets to both the high quality bureau and end user market. To compliment this existing range, we can now offer all our Resolution Targets printed on to a new resin coated material called 'HQ'. 'HQ' material has the desired reflectivity, gloss and brightness to produce sharper line definition and higher 'line pair' readings. The manufacturer reports that 2 higher 'line pair' readings can be achieved in excess of normal targets.
Scanner Targets for flatbed scanners are also available.
Samantha Piggons, The Microfilm Shop, UK
Samantha is the Accounts Manager for the Microfilm Shop Group and has been a member of our Accounts Department since she joined the company in March 1998.
Prior to this, Samantha worked for a Chartered Accountancy Practice whilst studying to obtain her qualification as a member of the Association of Accounting Technicians. Once qualified, Samantha decided to attend night school in order to gain the teaching qualifications she required to teach Accountancy as a part-time lecturer at evening classes.
Sam still continues to teach Accountancy from time to time (some people are gluttons for punishment!) but her spare time is now taken up organising her forthcoming wedding to fiancée, Lee which is due to take place later this year in mid September. Congratulations, in advance, to you both.