drum scanner

A type of scanner used to capture the highest resolution from an image. Photographs and transparencies are taped, clamped or fitted into a clear cylinder (drum) that is spun at speeds exceeding 1,000 RPM during the scanning operation. A light source that focuses on one pixel is beamed onto the drum and moves down the drum a line at a time.

For transparencies, light is directed from the center of the cylinder. For opaque items, a reflective light source is used. Mirrors filter out the RGB values and send them to the drum scanner's photomultiplier tube (PMT), which is more sensitive than the CCDs used in flatbed and sheet-fed scanners and can produce resolutions exceeding 10,000 dpi. If one PMT is used, three passes across the image are required. When three PMTs are used, a faster single-pass scan is performed. Contrast with flatbed scanner, sheet-fed scanner and handheld scanner.

Drum Scanner

ICG's model 370 provides 12,000 dpi of optical resolution for service bureau quality scanning. Drum scanners provide the ultimate in scanning quality and resolution and are widely used for commercial graphics production as well as applications that turn photos into posters and wall-sized images. (Image courtesy of ICG North America.)

Mounting Slides and Transparencies

Transparencies can be taped or clipped onto the drum. This QuickMount system from ICG uses cassettes built especially for easy insertion of 35mm slides, 2 1/4" and 4x5" transparencies. (Image courtesy of ICG North America.)

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References in periodicals archive

Visual Difference between Pneumoconiosis Radiographs Obtained with CCD Scanner and Drum Scanner

Extraction of features for diagnosing pneumoconiosis from chest radiographs obtained with a CCD scanner

An Optronics ColorGetter was incorporated into the new Linopress system from Linotype-Hell, itself a longtime manufacturer of high-end drum scanners. (Back at its own booth;Optronics showed the new Colorsetter 3000 drumless drum recorder, in which the film is held in cylindrical form at the edges, creating a drum where none existed.

Tabletop drum scanners: a new crop pops up

The migration of the drum scanner to the desktop, once solely the reserve of film and flatbed scanners, is a relatively recent development.

Sinclair broadens its market, product offerings: imaging systems supplier considering tabletop drum scanning

The OpticFilm 120 scanner reaches image quality levels that were previously only achievable by drum scanners costing thousands more.

Plustek OpticFilm 120 Slide and Film Scanner Receives the Prestigious Taiwan Excellence Award

The lab's high-end scanners include two Aztek 8,000-line drum scanners, a Cruse 4-by-6-foot flatbed scanner for artwork, a Durst Sigma scanner for quality high-volume orders, and a Scitex Eversmart Pro.

Colorchrome Atlanta Inc

In the past this was done with expensive drum scanners made for the graphic-arts and publishing industries.

Digitally enhance your astrophotos

Printing shops primarily use drum scanners that cost $10,000-- $20,000.

Invasion of the affordable scanners

While flatbed scanners suffice for most educational applications, some demand the ultra-high resolutions of drum scanners. With price tags to match ($20,000 to start), these target professional publishing.

Color scanners allow images to leap off the printed page

"I saved about $75 per image by scanning transparencies myself on a high-end consumer flatbed scanner, but they were still of a noticeably poorer quality compared to those scanned by the printer on their drum scanners. Do yourself a favor and have your work professionally photographed and scanned."

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