Nidek 9000 v Essilor Gamma

[apaul]

Hi!
I'm thinking of buying one of theses machines
(The Gamma is available new in the UK)
Which one should I go for?

Thanks!

Alan:cheers:

[gemstone]

Stay away from the Gamma. It will not inerface with other systems.

[Thumbs]

Not to say that Gemstone is incorrect, but the Gamma system that was available in the US, pre Kappa, is not the same Gamma available today by Essilor. The Gamma available today is a Kappa without grooving, chamfering or memory option. In the US it was sold under the name Kappa LTD (limited!). There is rumor that GerberCoburn is considering offering this machine in the US in the near future.

[gemstone]

My understanding is the Gamma is totally stand alone where the Kappa is OMA,VCA compliant and enterfacable with other equipment. If you have no need or never will for this compatibility, or plan never to sell it to anyone that may, go with the Gamma. Just make sure I am wrong about this before ignoring my advice. Check with Shanbaum.

[MarcE]

It's true that the Gamma is totally stand alone. I wish someone could tell me different, since I own one.

I've also been told that the Kappa will need an upgrade to communicate w/ other equipment, but it is possible.

[snowmonster]

I've had a 9000SX Express for about 4 months now and we're very happy with everything about it. Lays down a mean polish, and also does a fantastic job of scanning the frame without distorting it. Make sure you get it with a "soft" mode for doing thick lenses and slippery AR lenses without torquing the lens. We do Teflon every day now without any twist/axis problems.

[Audiyoda]

Regardless of the Kappa-Gamma-Kappa LTD issue - the Nidek (Santinelli in the States) will blow away anything offered by Gerber. It isn't the fastest machine, but in terms of one cut efficiency, quality of cut, quality of polish and any other ancillary issue you can think of, the Nidek will blow the Gerber out of the water.

And for anyone that thinks I've not run a Gerber - I've run Gerber Spartans, Kappas and Triumphs in various labs. None of them hold a candle to a Nidek (Santinelli).

[shanbaum]

I don't know of a new Gamma, and the old one was essentially non-interfaceable (it communicates, but only using Essilor's proprietary PC-COMM protocol, which, so far as I know, no software system other than Essilor's "Opsys" has adopted).

All Kappas but the very earliest (circa 2000) can communicate using the standard protocol.

I'll see if I can find out more about the alleged "new Gamma".

[shanbaum]

The "new Gamma" apparently is the same hardware, save for a color screen, together with new software, which does communicate using the standard protocol - as do all currently-manufactured Essilor machines.

So I'm told by someone on the inside (sshhhh).