Scanning Speed

Colortrac

Cx40e scanner (seconds)

Resolution dpi	Black & White 36"x48"	Graytone 36"x48"	Color 36"x26"
100	11	10	13
200	16	16	24
300	25	22	34
400	31	24	42
500	53	35	60
600	63	48	76

Gx42e scanner (seconds)

Resolution	Black & White 36"x48"	Graytone 36"x48"	Color 36"x26"
100	14	21	14
200	22	37	23
300	34	62	37
400	42	79	47
500	48	97	56
600	55	115	66

Colortrac is expected to release a firmware upgrade that doubles the Black & White speed sometimes in Q2

 

Contex

Hawk-eye G36 scanner (seconds)

Resolution dpi	Black & White 36"x48"	Graytone 36"x48"	Color 36"x26" Base	Color 36"x26" Plus
100	9	9	13	8
200	9	20	20	22
300	18	25	25	27
400	22	30	36	37
500	40	40	51	52
600	50	50	66	71

Chameleon G600 scanner (seconds)

Resolution	Black & White 36"x48"	Graytone 36"x48"	Color 36"x26" Base	Color 36"x26" Plus
100	9	8	N.A	N.A
200	8	13	N.A	N.A
300	10	16	N.A	N.A
400	12	36	N.A	N.A
500	24	65	N.A	N.A
600	28	97	N.A	N.A

Although the Chameleon G600 do support color scanning with did not test it for this review

Graphtec

IS200PROlc scanner (seconds)

Resolution dpi	Black & White 36"x48" High Quality	Black & White 36"x48" Normal	Black & White 36"x48" High Speed	Graytone 36"x48" High Quality	Graytone 36"x48" Normal	Graytone 36"x48" High Speed
100	11	11	-	9	9	-
200	11	11	-	10	9	-
300	20	15	12	19	14	13
400	30	18	13	30	23	19
500	81	46	-	105	93	-
600	60	26	20	106	47	37

Notice that 500 dpi scanning is very slow and high speed scanning mode does not support all scanning resolutions.
The IS200PROLC do support 8 bit color and their exist an upgrade path to the CS500 supporting 24 bit color scanning.

 

GTCO Calcomp

ScanPlus 6 LF436 scanner (seconds)

Resolution dpi	Black & White 36"x48"	Graytone 36"x48"	Color 36"x26" Base	Color 36"x26" Plus
100	9	9	13	8
200	9	20	20	22
300	18	25	25	27
400	22	30	36	37
500	40	40	51	52
600	50	50	66	71

ScanPlus 6 LF542 scanner (seconds)

Resolution	Black & White 36"x48"	Graytone 36"x48"	Color 36"x26" Base	Color 36"x26 Plus
100	9	8	N.A	N.A
200	8	13	N.A	N.A
300	10	16	N.A	N.A
400	12	36	N.A	N.A
500	24	65	N.A	N.A
600	28	97	N.A	N.A

ScanPlus 6 LF542 does not support color scanning

Oce

CS4136S scanner (seconds)

Resolution	Black & White 36"x48"	Graytone 36"x48"	Color 36"x26" Base	Color 36"x26" Plus
100	9	8	13	8
200	8	13	21	13
300	10	16	30	30
400	12	36	38	38
500	24	65	91	91
600	28	97	117	92

Paradigm

ImagePRO Gx42 scanner (seconds)

Resolution	Black & White 36"x48"	Graytone 36"x48"	Color 36"x26"
100	14	21	14
200	22	37	23
300	34	62	37
400	42	79	47
500	48	97	56
600	55	115	66

Paradigm expect a firmware release in Q2 that will double the Black & White speed

Colortrac

Colortrac Cx40e is priced aggressively at $13,089 and has the second best line pairs per millimeter result of 4.4 which is excellent. It also has the best adaptive threshold cleanup tools,  but is behind the other scanners in scanning speed and horizontal accuracy (0.75% is high and on the borderline of what is acceptable).

Colortrac GX42e scanner is also priced aggressively at $14,789 and has is in the group of the best line pairs per millimeter result of 4.7.. Accuracy was the best measure together with the best adaptive cleanup. Its scanning speed was low, although Colortrac mentioned that a firmware fix will double the performance and bringing the scanning speed into the mainstream results.

Contex

Contex HAWK-EYE G36 stands out with offering color scanning from the entry price of $11,780. It offers only 200dpi optical resolution, however 3 line pairs per millimeter is an excellent result. The accuracy was average and the scanning speed is in the better category.  

Contex Chameleon G600 is also priced right at $13,780 and had the best line pairs per millimeter of 4.7 of the tested scanners. The scanning performance is at the top with an average accuracy. For all Contex models, you'll need to check the price increase for two years onsite service, because it could alter the price per value of the scanner.

Graphtec

Graphtec IS200-Pro_LC.  Priced at $13,995, the biggest benefit to the scanner is the built-in three years onsite service and upgradeability to 24-bit color, although it comes at a big price hike of $4,000 making the other scanners more attractive if you need color. Its accuracy is good but the line pairs per millimeter came in low at 4.4 for a 600dpi optical scanner. The line pairs per millimeter is even lower if you are using the normal or high-speed mode (2lppmm). I would recommend that you use the high-quality mode when scanning. The scanning speed is in the middle of the tested scanners.

GTCO Calcomp

GTCO Calcomp LF436 stands out with offering color scanning from the entry price of $11,790 including two years on-site service. It has only 200dpi optical resolution, however 3 line pairs per millimeter is an excellent result. The accuracy was average and the scanning speed is in the better category.  

GTCO Calcomp LF542 is a monochrome scanner only so before buying it, be sure you don’t need to scan color. The price is not as low as you would expect for a monochrome-only scanner ($11,790), however it does comes with two years on-site service and has excellent scanning quality measuring by line pairs per millimeter of 4.7. The scanning performance is in the top with an average accuracy.

Oce

Océ CS4136S is a great quality scanner with hardly any low results except for entry price of $16,500. Its 4.7 line pairs per millimeter is the best together with the scanner performance and an average accuracy. The Océ comes standard with one year on-site that can be extended to two years for additional $1,560.

Paradigm

Paradigm ImagePro Gx42e scanner priced at $17,795 is an OEM of a scanner from Colortrac although Paradigm sells it with the ImageFLOW software that supports scan-to-print and scan-to-file. Paradigm includes a two year on-site warranty and got into the best group of line pairs per millimeter with a 4.7 result. the Accuracy was also good. In the version I tested, ImageFLOW didn’t support adaptive thresholding, however it's expected to be supported in future releases.