I obtain truly accurate renditions with the 4000 ED, as I did with the LS-2000. Having a calibration slide facilitates this. The firewire connection is much easier to use than the former scsi interface, although I had only a few problems with it (I used the LS-2000 on a Powermac 7300 and a G4 with a pci scsi card. I use the 4000 ED on the G4).
I appreciate the high dynamic range (4.2) in the 4000 ED. I can see more detail in the shadow areas of rescanned images (formerly scanned with the LS-2000--dynamic range of 3.6).
Recently I participated in an art show. Among my images were two large matted and framed prints, overall 24x30 inches. The prints (22x16 inches) were from Provia F 100 slide film, scanned with the 4000 ED into Photoshop 6, output onto a large-format professional printer. According to traffic, comments, and sales, the prints had impact. Needless to say, the 4000 ED was only one of the links that produced the desired product, but a strategic one!
In conclusion, if you intend to produce large prints, a scanner of 4000 dpi is extremely important, and the Super Coolscan 4000 ED may be the perfect choice. If you intend to scan slides you've taken over the years to organize into a catalog program, to post them on your website, or to create Power Point programs, you won't necessarily need the 4000 dpi the Super Coolscan 4000 ED provides.
Scanning is accomplished with 14-bit A-D conversion (16-bit output) through an advanced Nikon ED glass lens. The Super Coolscan 4000's 48-bit color and 4,000 dpi optical resolution result in exceptional clarity and color depth. An LED light source helps to provide consistent, crisper color. The scanning area is 25mm x 38mm with your choice of automatic or manual focus. The unit is also fast, with maximum resolution scans clocking in at around 38 seconds.
The software bundle includes Canto Cumulus 5.0 Demo, and Nikon Scan 3.0 Driver to help you fine-tune images before printing. Weighing only 6.6 pounds, the Super Coolscan 4000 has a reasonably small footprint of only 12.4 by 3.7 inches. It connects to most Mac and PC systems via an IEEE 1394 (OHCI compliant) interface card and comes with a variety of adapters for popular film formats.