Last week the i2S CopiBook V-Shape arrived in the Digital Imaging Unit where it was installed and demoed by Pascale Thuilliez from i2S. This high-quality bookscanner was bought with the view to being used for the next phase of the Session Papers Project (read my previous blog here for more information on the project itself).
The V-Shape has semi-automatic functions where individual settings can be adjusted to suit the material. The v-shape glass sits at a 120 degree angle which is understood to be the optimum angle for preventing shadows and reflections. The glass and cradle are motorised and the speed at which the glass moves up and down can be altered. After making room to turn the page, it can be set so that the glass stops about 2-3 inches above the book and the final motion to complete the scan can be done manually by pulling the glass down by the handle. This final stage can also be carried out using automatic settings, which we have found to be successful. Here the operator can set the pressure to be applied to the book when the glass closes – we have been working at 15-20% pressure which is more kind to books with fragile bindings. This aspect of flexibility is something that we believe will work well with the varied conditions of the Session Papers collection, allowing the operator to work in a controlled way to best suit each volume. Further, the V-Shape can manage books up to 15cm deep and 20kg in weight which will cover all but a few of the volumes within the collection.
The lights are LED and therefore only emit very small amounts of UV light, reducing the possibility of damage to paper through UV exposure. Once the cameras are set during the installation by i2S, they should not have to be repositioned or refocused (although regular checks should be conducted to ensure they remain correctly positioned). This is due to the fact that the book will stay at the same distance from the camera throughout as it moves up to meet the glass and stops at the same position with each scan. The two camera bodies are designed by i2S and allow the option of capturing at 600 DPI or 400 DPI to produce large and detailed files. In terms of image quality, the scanner is ISO 19264, FADGI and Metamofoze capable. Colour calibration through the use of the supplied professional colour charts will become part of the daily workflow to ensure industry colour management standards are met with every image created.
As far as the software goes, it seems to tick all the boxes and is user-friendly. It can be set to crop as a double page spread and/or as individual pages with the option of saving to several different formats. Details of the scans can be viewed over the two monitors provided which is particularly handy for checking focus and page numbering as you work though the book.
One final thing to mention; the final image quality is fantastic.
John Bryden
Assistant Photographer
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