Reviewer Highlights Scanner's Impressive Speed, Craftsmanship, Easy-to-Use Software Interface 

Rockville, MD - Contex, the world's leader of wide format scanning and imaging solutions, today announces that Cadalyst, a comprehensive resource for CAD managers and users in the AEC, GIS, and manufacturing markets, awards the Contex IQ 4490 scanner a "Highly Recommended" rating and gives the scanner an "A" grade. The IQ 4490 is the second Contex scanner to receive this prestigious recognition, following the XD2490's "A" grade back in 2010. In his review, Cadalyst contributor Curt Moreno praises the IQ 4490's sleek design and level of detail, noting, "The Contex IQ 4490 is a versatile and agile wide format scanner that could be at home in any engineering or architectural office." The IQ 4490 review is featured in Cadalyst's latest issue, which is available online at  www.cadalyst.com. 

"Contex is honored to receive Cadalyst's 'Highly Recommended' stamp of approval," comments Steve Blanken, General Manager, Contex North and South America. "We developed the IQ 4490 to offer the best in CIS scanning while integrating seamlessly into wide format workflows. It was important to us that the scanner provide users with an easy-to-use, exceptional scanning experience, and this review affirms that we realized that goal."

Cadalyst reviewer Moreno scanned documents in color and monochrome, noting the IQ 4490's ability to capture vivid detail. This is made possible by the scanner's optical resolution of 1,200 dpi, a maximum interpolated resolution of 9,600 dpi, and accuracy of 0.1%  ±1 pixel. "In my tests, all D-sized sheets were scanned with fine detail in black and white as well as color," states Moreno. He compliments the speed of the IQ 4490, reporting that the scanner boasts a maximum speed of an "impressive 10-inches per second" in 400-dpi monochrome and rates a remarkable 744 D-size scans per hour in 200-dpi monochrome 

Moreno highlights the IQ 4490's stand design as another excellent feature of the scanner. "In a world dominated by cheaply made, disposable device supports, Contex ships a milled aluminum stand that exhibits a level of craftsmanship equaling that of its scanners," he notes. "Other scanner and printer manufacturers should note the quality of this accessory and follow suit."

In his review, Moreno also praises the IQ 4490's Nextimage software: "This software has a very straightforward interface offering several scan functions, including saving to multiple file formats such as PDF, JPG, and more." He highlights several Nextimage features that help users manage image quality, including ICC/ICM color management, smoothing filter, and scan preview, which enables real-time image adjustments.

"Out of the box, Nextimage comes ready for use with more than 100 different plotters from Contex and other manufacturers - a welcome feature for anyone who has ever made a scan for copy only to run into driver issues in the midst of a production rush," states Moreno.

Market-leading CIS Scanner

Designed for the technical market, the IQ 4490 utilizes the latest in technology to deliver market-leading CIS quality scans of maps, drawings, and other documents. The IQ 4490's CIS modules use dual diffusion to capture more natural light than any other CIS scanner. Contex Live Matching technology further enhances image quality by automatically correcting image differences between CIS modules during scans. The IQ 4490 also features Contex's patented Color Fringe Removal, which eliminates colored edges from black lines and text as commonly seen in CIS scanning.

To read the review, visit www.cadalyst.com. For more information about the IQ 4490 wide format scanner, visit www.contex.com.