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Scanner recommendations?


IkarusJohn

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I have finally bitten the bullet, and dragged out 25 or so years of slides with the intention of scanning them to digital.

 

I appreciate this has been covered in the past, but I also imagine that opinions and experiences has settled down. So what have people's experiences been? Recommendations on a good result, without going to a full sized professional scanner?

 

Cheers, and thanks in advance.

John

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It seems these days most good flat-bed scanners do a good job with slides. My

not very expensive Canon 8600F does a fine job. Some time ago I bought (and still

have) a Nikon film scanner which was very expensive…. but, for all practical

purposes a $ 175- $250 good flat-bed can do as well.

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John - I think the first question you have to ask yourself is the reason you want to scan them. Archival, print or displaying on the web. If you have not seen it yet Rich Cutlers post(s) may get things in perspective for you if you are doing this for printing.

 

As you are looking to scan slides you need to check how many slides each make/model of scanner will do at once. When I got my flatbed (Epsom V750 Pro) it was because it did three strips of six negs at a time. Lesser models did two or just one. It also covers my medium format work as well. If I am honest I rarely use my Coolscan now, I do all the 35mm on the Epsom.

 

I scan for archival reason, lost all my negs in a house fire, also the web and occasional prints. I mainly wet print. Archival scanning at higher resolutions can be very time consuming.

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There are a couple of threads about Epsons and Plusteks, very useful and in-depth. I use a Plustek 7600 wiTh Silverfas SE plus for 35mm slides. If one scans at 1440 dpi a roll can be finished in about 2/3 hours. With a little post production results are pretty good. If you scan at max res (7200 dpi) each frame can take a LOT of time... Flatbeds are quicker of course.

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I tried the Canon flatbed and was disappointed with it. Top-end scanners are vastly, very obviously better -- but they are pricey. I recommended if you have lots of slides to scan have them done professionally. A massive time saving.

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Thanks David.

 

I looked at the Plustek 7600, but decided against it. Hi-res results, but a bit limiting. I've ordered an Epson V700 as I can use it at work for scanning documents, and it costs about the same.

 

Professional scanning is attractive, but there's only one good lab left in Auckland and the quantity (and quality) of slides don't warrant the expense.

 

I have found some Kodachrome slides my father took in the 50s and 60s with his Bessamatic and the quality is fantastic.

 

Cheers

John

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