Very hard for me to gauge the level of commitment from the original person that posted. Having said that, I have owned and used both the Epson V750 and the Imacon.
The V750 might be fine for 8x10, but for medium format, it's a dog. Does not hold a candle to an Imacon. The Imacons are now tough to work with unless you find a 343 with firewire; otherwise you have to jiggie around with that SCSI adaptor.
Judging by the tone of the original person, I'd suggest he avoid film altogether and buy a simple digital camera. But he does not make it clear, as to his priority list of what he's looking for. But it sounds like he's not looking to get married to this project, heavy duty.
In these days, shooting film involves a lot of sacrifices, and a lot of jumping thru hoops. But if that's the way you see the world, then the battle is worth it.
But my advice, avoid any and all flatbeds, unless you're shooting 8x10.
As far as sending film out for someone else to scan it, I cannot imagine doing that. To me, a vital part of the process is sitting there with the software, determining how the file is going to feel, when you're about to scan it. I cannot imagine leaving that decision to someone else. In the end, it's my picture. I'm sure these shops are fine for grind-it-out work, but there's something about ownership of your own image, to me. Same with making prints -- I can't imagine letting someone else make a print for me.