Film scanners

  • Thread starter Thread starter Polar Light
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Polar Light

I am looking for a film scanner to scan mostly 35mm slides & the odd 35mm
neg, I have 1000s of them & want to manipulate them in Photoshop so I'm not
after a commercial service.

Years ago I had a Nikon LSIII, which had a very low dynamic range & required
a SCSI card. I then purchased a Plustek OpticPro but had to send it back due
to a purple colour cast & consistently crap quality of the images scanned.

Is there a website where I can find a good, up-to-date review on different
brands & models? A Google search unveiled 'Tony Sleep's filmscanner
reviews', which used to be very good, unfortunatly Tony seems to have gone
to sleep, since the site was last updated in 2000!

Any ideas?
 
Polar Light said:
I am looking for a film scanner to scan mostly 35mm slides & the odd 35mm
neg, I have 1000s of them & want to manipulate them in Photoshop so I'm not
after a commercial service.

Years ago I had a Nikon LSIII, which had a very low dynamic range & required
a SCSI card. I then purchased a Plustek OpticPro but had to send it back due
to a purple colour cast & consistently crap quality of the images scanned.

Is there a website where I can find a good, up-to-date review on different
brands & models? A Google search unveiled 'Tony Sleep's filmscanner
reviews', which used to be very good, unfortunatly Tony seems to have gone
to sleep, since the site was last updated in 2000!

Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Try these for reviews:
http://www.imaging-resource.com/SCAN1.HTM
http://www.steves-digicams.com/scanners.html

For the best value in a film scanner, check out Minolta Scan Dual IV.
It does not have Digital ICE, but does have software dust and scratch
removal.
It is USB 2.0 as most of today's scanners are.

The Konica Minolta site.
http://kmpi.konicaminolta.us/eprise/main/kmpi/content/index.htm


For a list of film scanners:
http://www.scantips.com/basic13f.html

After you get a scanner and you want information on how to get the most from
it. (Learn how to use it)
http://www.scantips.com
 
CSM1 said:
Try these for reviews:
http://www.imaging-resource.com/SCAN1.HTM
http://www.steves-digicams.com/scanners.html

For the best value in a film scanner, check out Minolta Scan Dual IV.
It does not have Digital ICE, but does have software dust and scratch
removal.
It is USB 2.0 as most of today's scanners are.

The Konica Minolta site.
http://kmpi.konicaminolta.us/eprise/main/kmpi/content/index.htm


For a list of film scanners:
http://www.scantips.com/basic13f.html

After you get a scanner and you want information on how to get the
most from
it. (Learn how to use it)
http://www.scantips.com
Click to expand...

And don't forget to have a look at the scanners WITH Digital ICE. It
can save you a huge lot of time.
I started with Dimage Scan Dual IV, but switched to the Scan Elite
5400, and am happy I did :)

Greetings, Alex
 
If you can afford them look only at the Minolta 5400 and the Nikon scanners.
You will not be sorry with any of this group if they are within your price
range.
The Canonscan4000 is no longer being manufactured but is still available new
from many vendors at a very good price. This is a slow but very capable
machine.
The low end Minolta scanner is very good for what it does but you really
want a scanner with scratch/dust removal if you have alot of images to scan.
 
If you can afford them look only at the Minolta 5400 and the Nikon scanners.
You will not be sorry with any of this group if they are within your price
range.
Click to expand...

I agree fully. I "stretched" considerably about a year ago and got
the Nikon Coolscan V, and am very glad I spent the extra. Digital ICE
adds to the time, but it sure is worth it. And without it, the scan
time is great - not even too bad with it, either.

C.R.
 
I agree fully. I "stretched" considerably about a year ago and got
the Nikon Coolscan V, and am very glad I spent the extra. Digital ICE
adds to the time, but it sure is worth it. And without it, the scan
time is great - not even too bad with it, either.
Click to expand...
I think the reply above was originally addressed to me when I asked for film
scanner reviews. In the end I also 'stretched' but went the opposite way, I
got a Minolta 5400 II. I've only used it a few times (had it only a few
days) but so far I'm pleased with the results. I used to have a Nikon
Coolscan years ago which cost me more than the Minolta but had a rather low
dynamic range (I think it was 3.0) & wasn't very good with shadow detail,
giving a lot of noise. It had Digital ICE but no multipass option, for that
you had to shell out for the SuperCool Scan & you could only scan mounted
slides one at a time. All this was back in the 90s though (pre-USB, SCSI
card essential), they're probably a lot better these days.
 
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