ROCHESTER, N.Y., April 17 - A new film strip gate for the Kodak Professional HR 500 film scanner makes the high-volume film scanner even more productive. Available now in both 35 mm and 120 format, the strip gate allows the HR 500 film scanner to handle - safely and automatically - film strips ranging from a few frames up to an entire roll. The result is even more versatility from a film scanner capable of producing up to 500 high-resolution scans per hour.

"This new capability makes our HR 500 scanner even more valuable in today's digital work flow, especially since it follows so quickly after we introduced long-roll capability," said John Blake, Worldwide Product Manager, Output Systems, Kodak Professional. "Now, as labs move even further into digital imaging, they can count on the reliable HR 500 for an even greater variety of applications."

Utilizing Kodak's industry-proven KLI-6003 tri-linear CCD array with 12-micron pixels, the HR 500 film scanner captures files up to 128 MB. With the new strip gate, the scanner can handle as few as four frames of 35 mm film or three frames of 120, as well as complete strips. A recently introduced long roll adapter enables the HR 500 scanner to accommodate spliced and edited long rolls. It also accepts carded, cut negatives, and mounted slides.

The strip gate is a simple and reliable drive that minimizes scratched or damaged negatives even in the event of a film jam. Both format versions feature auto feed and in-gate clamping to keep the film flat during scanning.

Combining Kodak CCD sensors and imaging technology, the HR 500 scanner is extremely fast, capable of capturing up to 6 MB per second, depending on film format and scan resolution. Its high first-time scan yield maximizes throughput by minimizing re-scans.

The HR 500 scanner fits into any production environment, whether a lab uses carded, cut negatives, or mounted slides, 35mm or 120/220 film strips, or 35mm, 120/220, 46mm or 70mm edited long roll film. Its film handling systems are modular, allowing labs the flexibility to change easily between formats and to get maximum utilization out of the unit. The scanner handles color negative, color reversal and black & white film. Its tabletop dimensions (18x28x14 inches) fit easily anywhere in the workplace.

The HR 500 film scanner can be driven by Kodak Professional Digital Print Production Software (DP2 V2.2) or through a Windows NT Twain driver.

The strip film adapter for the Kodak Professional HR 500 film scanner is available now from Kodak Professional. In the U.S., the 35mm and the 120 versions each has a suggested list price of $5,000.