Scanner shopping - recommendations?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Skip Allison
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Skip Allison

I'm looking for a scanner that will do 8.5 x 11 as well as 35 MM slides.
I have a lot of old 35 MM slides from vacations etc. The scans will most
likely be viewed on a 20" computer monitor. I may do an occasional print
(8x10 or less). I've heard negative comments on flatbed scanners for
slides, but no one has said why other than quality. Is it just the
resolution? Any other negatives? Anywhere I can see samples of scans from
various scanners? At this point I'm looking at flatbed scanners. I'm down
to:

HP 4070 $130
Epson 2480 $100
Canon 4200F $100

I like the HP because it will do 4 slides at a time and it looks like the
slides are easy to insert.
I don't like the Canon because the slide mechanism looks a little whimpy and
hard to change slides.
The HP is a little lower resolution, but from what I hear 2400x2400 is more
than I'll ever need unless I want to blow up slides to over 8x10.

I have had good luck with HP in the past.

Any comments / opinions from people that have used any of these?
Any other suggestions?
 
Flatbed scanners are not ideal for negatives for a couple of reasons:

1. limited resolution
2. limited bit depth, especially in shadows
3. glass between source and scan head

That being said, 2400 is quite enough to blow slides up to 8x10. I have
done so many times. Printing 8 x 10 at 300dpi requires 2400 x 3000
pixels, scanning a 1 x 1.5 inch slide at 2400dpi gives 2400 x 3200, so
there you are.

HP scanners took a downhill turn around 1999 if I remember right. The
software certainly did. I have never liked Canon scanners nor their
software.

You can upgrade that 2480 to a refurbished 3170 at $124 by looking on
the Epson site. I would recommend the Epson over any of the other
offerings, and I think you will be quite satisfied with the results for
your needs.

(The Epsons also scan 4 slides at a time. The old 2450 could do 8 if
you set it up right, but the 3170 has a smaller transparency light in
the lid.)
 
Flatbed scanners are not ideal for negatives for a couple of reasons:

1. limited resolution
2. limited bit depth, especially in shadows
3. glass between source and scan head

That being said, 2400 is quite enough to blow slides up to 8x10. I have
done so many times. Printing 8 x 10 at 300dpi requires 2400 x 3000
pixels, scanning a 1 x 1.5 inch slide at 2400dpi gives 2400 x 3200, so
there you are.

HP scanners took a downhill turn around 1999 if I remember right. The
software certainly did. I have never liked Canon scanners nor their
software.

You can upgrade that 2480 to a refurbished 3170 at $124 by looking on
the Epson site. I would recommend the Epson over any of the other
offerings, and I think you will be quite satisfied with the results for
your needs.

(The Epsons also scan 4 slides at a time. The old 2450 could do 8 if
you set it up right, but the 3170 has a smaller transparency light in
the lid.)
Click to expand...

I have one of the Epson 3170 scanners from the epson web site. And
while I completely recommend the Epson 3170, it isn't really adequate
for 35mm slides. I have an old HP Photosmart that does as well, and
you can pick them up for almost nothing. The Epson is fine for 2 1/4
negatives or prints, but I use my Nikon LS-IV for 35 mm slides or
negatives.

Unless you spend a LOT of money, you just won't do well with a flatbed
for scanning 35mm film. Better to get a cheap film scanner and also a
cheap flatbed, then you're set up for both 35mm film and photos.
Charlie Hoffpauir
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~charlieh/
 
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