ian moore Posted October 2, 2006 Share #1 Posted October 2, 2006 Advertisement (gone after registration) Having suffered from poor quality high street printing of my films,I have decided to scan and print my own films. The Minolta scanners seem to get good press but are no longer available new. The new Nikon scanners,Coolscan V ED,and 5000ED seem to have high resolution but appear to have reliability problems such as jammimg of the feeder,etc. Any recommendations for a high quality scanner,colour and B & W,would be gratefully received. Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 2, 2006 Posted October 2, 2006 Hi ian moore, Take a look here Scanner Choice. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
andybarton Posted October 2, 2006 Share #2 Posted October 2, 2006 My Coolscan V has been 100% reliable. (More than I can say for the Minolta Dual Scan III that I used before...) I have no hesitation in recommending the Nikon - just remember to turn off the ICE when scanning silver B&W film. Most of the shots on my site were made with the Nikon, if that helps at all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic vic Posted October 2, 2006 Share #3 Posted October 2, 2006 hi ian... depends on your needs... if u want to have best then it is imacon scaner or creo... the only problme with them is that they are 15,000 $$$... actually some imacon models can be found for less. if u want a real quality - this is the way to go.. proffesional work, gallewries, comercials etc etc... no other way... personally, at my place i have epson 4990 photo... they are cool scanners, i use then for fast proof scans... for that they are suficient. the essensial thing about them is that i use sliverfast applications (ai studio and hdr48 studio) otherwise i wouldnot use it even for proof-scans. the epson is very cheap, the silverfast software (at least the ai scaning software) are also not expenssive. the good thing about epson is that it is flat-bad scanner - which means.. u can put four 35mm strips, or 3 medium format strips or 2 4x5" sheets, or 8 mounted slides ... this is really cool as i can get very fast your proof-scans... i even concider to get the new big epson scanner with a3 paper.. it supposed to have less resolution but the same d-max, and it will allow me to put much more film at once on the flatbad... about resolution i dont mind that much - cause when a film should be seriously scanned it goes into the imacon or on the creo scanner anyway. microtek has a very good high end scanner wich is very affordable - look into it... u will also recive the silverfast ai software which is essensial to get good files. later, if u want u can add the hdr48 processor to work in RAW with scanners - u have better quality, more flexibility and more important at lest to me - much faster workflow (and indepandance from the scanner). in between the two sides (high end imacons and creos vs epsons and alike) i think that microteck dedicated film scanner will do the job (their latest addition). Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micheal Posted October 3, 2006 Share #4 Posted October 3, 2006 ian I would agree with Andy on Nikon scanners which I have used for a number of years. The Las Vegas pieces on my site are with an ED 4000. I agree with Victor on the choice of software. Michael http://www.stardustgrafik.com Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted October 3, 2006 Share #5 Posted October 3, 2006 Hi Ian, I use a Coolscan V too. Never had a problem with it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zanydave Posted October 3, 2006 Share #6 Posted October 3, 2006 Been using the Nikon Coolscan IV for some time now. No problems at all with jamming or anything else for that matter. Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrosell Posted October 4, 2006 Share #7 Posted October 4, 2006 Advertisement (gone after registration) I've been using the Nikon Super Coolscan 8000 ED for the past 4 years - one cleaning service earlier this year - without any serious problem. As a matter of facts have also switched from Nikon's software to SilverFast's with much better results, in some cases grainier though. All of the images in my website were scanned with the above items, but some of them have been treated with plug-ins and other ways to get a sort of "gravure" feeling when printed on textured fine art papers and piezography inks. Horacio Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
science Posted October 5, 2006 Share #8 Posted October 5, 2006 This topic is always interesting... I have personally been scanning negatives for years now. In the past I have used the EPSON 4990 for proofs--and some final scans...until I used the MINOLTA DIMAGE SCAN ELITE 5400 II...and felt sick in my stomach when I compared the old EPSON scans ... The Minolta is by far the best scanner I have used for BW Negative scans with the SILVERFAST SOFTWARE. Nikons are great as well--not much to complain about really in my experience...but if you want my true opinion--the 5400 is truly amazing. I have also used Imacons--obviously wonderous machines...but to be honest--the 5400 really makes me happy. My two cents... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwilliamsphotography Posted October 5, 2006 Share #9 Posted October 5, 2006 I've tried everything out there. I currently have the Minolta 5400 and Minolta Scan Multi Pro MF scanner. Like others, I also use an Epson flat bed for gang scans, and to digitize my analog silver prints. I made the mistake of taking a demo Imacon 848 for a month. I rescanned many negs previously done on my current scanners, and the results made my heart sink. What I thought were decent scans where junk compared to what the Imacon pulled out of the negs. I love film, but all our commercial work is now MF digital. So, I shoot film for me. But I just can't logically justify the price of the Imacon ... I can emotionally, but $10,000 for even the slower 646 is a slap in the face by reality. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamey Posted October 5, 2006 Share #10 Posted October 5, 2006 I am also of the same opinion on the Minolta 5400-2, simply superb. There is only one Scanner that can replace the 5400-2 and thats the one Leica will build for us ( Hoping.) Dedicated Film lovers. Cheers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob_x2004 Posted October 5, 2006 Share #11 Posted October 5, 2006 Software sucks, and for stuff that is just belt out and shove on the web you can do just as well on a hundred dollar flatbed. You have a point though when you need to do more than that, then the 5400 II after a learning curve is pretty cool I reckon. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic vic Posted October 5, 2006 Share #12 Posted October 5, 2006 hi marc.. ya, i also thougt to buy either imacon or creo for myself, but gave up too... i simply dont need to scan all my photos with them... and the expensis on those particular film that should be scanned with archival scan are not that expenssive all in all. so ya - that money is saved for the digital medium back... the amazing thing about those scanners (at least the creo with the oxygen) is that u got a fantastic scan rite from the biggining since the scanner and its software is so calibrated. well - at least in the case of te slide films (with negatives it is a bit more complicated). if your slide is good from the first place.. then u need so liitle work after the initial scan is done... ya rob... the epson is really cool for web, and i will tell u actaully that it is ok even for big monitors (at least if u do a good scan with silverfast and then process it quikly in hdr48). but for serious work, as marc says... u just have to see the imacon/creo stuff to see how good and thruth the scan can be. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grober Posted October 6, 2006 Share #13 Posted October 6, 2006 I have no hesitation in recommending the Nikon - just remember to turn off the ICE when scanning silver B&W film. Thanks, Andy. I hadn't thought of that. You have given me new hope on reviving all my old Tri-X shots! Started with the Coolscan IV but now have the V. First piece of Nikon gear I've ever owned (but I keep it in a back room so my Leica pals don't catch a glimpse.) I'm sorry Minolta seems to be in twilight mode. I narrowly decided on the Coolscan V over the equivalent Minota 5400 device: only my good history with the IV caused me to buy Nikon again. So far, so good. -g Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobey bilek Posted October 9, 2006 Share #14 Posted October 9, 2006 Love my 5400, but would not get another as they are out of business. The key to the whole thing is flat film. All film buckles in the carrier and can change shape with heat. Quality is self limiting. Nobody offers glass carriers which is the normal enlarger/projection solution. So for the ultimate quality you need a drum scan or wet mounting system or both. I don`t know much about the really high end scanners. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micheal Posted October 9, 2006 Share #15 Posted October 9, 2006 Actually Nikon does make a glass carrier for the 8000/9000. It is a little tedious to work with as you just about have to tape the negative to the mask. I use it for Hasselblad xpan negs. md Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrosell Posted October 10, 2006 Share #16 Posted October 10, 2006 Michael, I have the Nikon glass carrier which I also use extensively for the X-pan negs, and sometimes for some curly 120 negs as well. I have found that the two main drawbacks are: six surfaces to fight with for dust and occassional hair, and several times the Newton rings, which are pain to correct afterwards. In any case, I have never taped the negs fearing that the gum would add more inconveniences, but even so it is, as you say, a little tedious to straighten the film up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micheal Posted October 10, 2006 Share #17 Posted October 10, 2006 Horacio, I use canned air for dust & have not had a problem with newton rings. I use very small pieces of thin tape at the edges at the center of the negative. It seems like the only way I can get can get the negative precisely positioned & anchored on the mask. Have any tricks? Sincerely, Michael Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ai1 Posted October 10, 2006 Share #18 Posted October 10, 2006 I use a Nikon Coolscan ED 5000 with no relaiability problems. I used to use Silverfast (on my prior scanner) but have found Nikonscan to work as well. Also, ICE4 on the Coolscan works orders of magnitude better than Silverfast's dust removal software. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micheal Posted October 12, 2006 Share #19 Posted October 12, 2006 Anthony, I agree ICE4 is far superior to SilverFast Ai's dust removal software. SilverFast 6 Ai allows you to access ICE & I certainly find SilverFast far superior to the Nikon driver. It is one of the vertical buttons to the left of the image window just about in the middle. Just tried it & it looks like the same results as the option in the incredably convoluted & somewhat crude Nikon driver. I had never noticed the button until I called Silverfast tech support to see if SilverFast could use the ICE infrared technology. Sincerely, Michael Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lincoln_m Posted October 12, 2006 Share #20 Posted October 12, 2006 Leica UK suggested that they may be thinking about making a high quality film scanner (i.e expensive) as they have acquired another company, but it would be >18months away. Also do not be surprised if the projectors and slide magazines are not in their catalog next year! I have this same question now that Minolta do not support my Elite 5400 first version I think as there is no 5400 II anywhere. The Nikons did not do as well on spec as the Minolta in Leica's scanner survey in LFI last year. Regards, Lincoln Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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