Scitex was a Israeli company famous for designing and manufacturing high-end professional large format scanners. Scitex used different optical technology in different models, but I do know that the Smart 340 used 3 lenses made by Rodenstock called Scitex S-3 lenses. These lenses pop up on Ebay from time to time, usually from sellers in Israel, pulled from scanners and sold as spares. The S-3 lenses are made to cover a large field at 3000 ppi and are very highly corrected with no chromatic aberrations, zero distortion, and great resolution from corner to corner.
Very little information is available on the S-3 lenses. Thanks to a friend of mine named Ray, that has shared some of tests he has done with these lenses, we at least know the image quality is very high. Late in 2017 I wanted to find out more about these interesting lenses, so I made it a project to find a Scitex 340 scanner and pull the lenses to use for photography.
If you are wondering why the lettering on these lenses is upside down on the 110mm, that is because this is the direction that they are installed in the scanner, the 110 sits backwards, that is, pointed front towards the sensor.
In December 2017 I had a chance to pick up a Smart 340 scanner for a ridiculously low price, I had no clue what lens would be inside the 340, or even the number of lenses that are used in this scanner, but I had a feeling it would make an interesting project so I went for it. The seller, was located in Miami, and it would be a nice excuse to visit some friends I have there, so I booked tickets and a rent-a-can and I was off on the hunt for the mysterious and little-known S-3 lenses in their natural habitat, the 340 scanner. The seller told me he was the second owner, he bought the scanner for $6000 from a lab. The lab owner told him they paid over $30,000 in 2003. I paid less than $300, or a little under $100 per lens.
Scitex Smart 340 Scanner inside my rent-a-van.
The 340 scanner is huge, here it takes up most of the cargo area of a rent-a-van, and just big enough to make it almost impossible to get your arms around it. Moving this thing was a challenge. The seller made it clear he would not be able to help me lift it since its over 150 pounds, put thankfully he was very helpful, allowing me to use a dolly, and helping me getting it up and over the rent-a-vans bumper.
Scitex Smart 340 Scanner with Classic coke can for scale.
The Scitex 340 scanner right before tear down.
Scitex S-3 lenses inside the Scitex smart 340 Scanner
Scitex S-3 67mm, 89mm, and reversed 110mm lenses. The Roganar is the only lens that is mounted on two axis, it can move closer and farther from the sensor. The Roganar makes a great low-powered loupe.
Scitex S-3 lenses and distances.
The 67 and 89mm lenses are mounted surprisingly close to the sensor. The exact distances to the sensor cover is in my notes so if you need them just let me know. I plan to post the distances on the indivdiual lens pages.
Scitex Smart 340 Scanner top view.
Lenses with the cover glass removed. This scanner was put together amazingly well, I know since I had to pull the thing apart. The quality of the materials was very very high, the level that you would expect in a scanner that cost over $30,000 new.
Scitex S-3 lenses in their natural habitat, the Scitex 340 Scanner.
The 3 scanner lenses can only move laterally, left to right. The position from the sensor is fixed. The servo motor is for the Rogonar.
Even though these lenses pulled for a few months now, I still have not made the time to shoot a lot with them. One issue is that they require a lot more extension, a hell of a lot more extension than I expected, and they need to be mounted backwards, so I have only shot with the 67mm. The results have been very good to excellent but it seems to be very sensitive to the magnification ratio and amount of extension needed.
Eventually I will have pages with each lens, the 67, 89, and 110 online but so far I have only set-up a basic splash page up for the 67: https://www.closeuphotography.com/scitex-s3-67mm-lens/
If anyone knows more about the 340 and the S-3 lenses please send me an email, I would appreciate it.
Scitex Smart 340 Scanner badge