Negative film scanner

[fatihayoglu]

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Hi all,

 

Could you please recommend me some negative film scanners you are using? I find Plustek online, but not quite sure it is a good option or not.

 

Many thanks,

 

Fatih

[gnuyork]

I use a Minolta Dimage 5400. In fact I am using it right now and browsing LUF as I wait for previews.

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[fatihayoglu]

I use a Minolta Dimage 5400. In fact I am using it right now and browsing LUF as I wait for previews.

Ive heard about that too, but sadly they dont sell it anymore

[Doc Henry]

You can find second hand Epson V700 or V800 scan for 135 and MF (6x6)

or Nikon Coolscan 5000 or V (still work) only for 135 , Minolta Dimage like GNU

is also good !

 

For Plustek may be Gary in "I like film" thread in "Other" can intervene for this last

scanner. 

Henry

Edited July 28, 2017 by Doc Henry

[michaelwj]

The Plustek scanners are great for personal 35mm use. It's small enough to put away when not in use and good enough for most purposes and very affordable.

The downsides are;

-Only 35mm (unless you get the 120 for lots more $)

-No auto feeding. It's one frame at a time.

For my use, the +s outweigh the -s.

[Martin B]

You might find some helpful advice here where Plustek scanner pros and cons have been discussed - in short, I would recommend for 35 mm negative scanning but not for framed slide scans!

 

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/267131-plustek-scanners-and-silverfast-8-software/

[105012]

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PrimeFilm XA has auto advance and auto focus and is a competitor for the Plustek. Quality on these units can be variable. If you can find one, a Kodak Pakon F135+ is super fast, much more convenient and has Kodak's own colour conversions for their colour film (Portra, Ektar). Produces a 6MP image and has a dedicated community of users. (I have both these units.)

[oldwino]

PrimeFilm XA has auto advance and auto focus and is a competitor for the Plustek. Quality on these units can be variable. If you can find one, a Kodak Pakon F135+ is super fast, much more convenient and has Kodak's own colour conversions for their colour film (Portra, Ektar). Produces a 6MP image and has a dedicated community of users. (I have both these units.)

I've thought about the PrimeFilm as an alternative to my Epson v700 for 135. Any thoughts on that? I like my v700 for 120 film sizes, but have never been overly enthused about it for smaller formats.

[105012]

If you want to scan every frame of every roll, then best to have something like the Pakon, in my opinion. The PrimeFim is not as reliable and automatic, even with auto focus and auto advance (batch scanning). And you can spend an hour on a roll instead of a minute or so. If you are more focused on a high resolution scan of individual selected frames, then the PrimeFilm might be better than the Pakon. I have a darkroom and so I find the Pakon the ideal contact sheet device (and for sharing etc) before making prints.

[Ko.Fe.]

I have older Plustek without dust and scratch IR removal. It is neat and fast to scan. I still have it, because I paid for it in LINIB only 25$. It really missing this IR function. Do not buy without it.

I had briefly Pacific Image  7200 and it was fast to digitize old negatives and remove dust and scratches. I sold it because it was inferior on fresh color scans. Giving bars like digital noise often.

My most used is Epson V500. It does 6x9, scans 4x5 (by two parts) and provides fine scans from 135 film for 8.5x11 prints. Software from Epson is the best among most common scanning softwares I also used. Very easy, accurate, effective. 

[Doc Henry]

I have older Plustek without dust and scratch IR removal. It is neat and fast to scan. I still have it, because I paid for it in LINIB only 25$. It really missing this IR function. Do not buy without it.

I had briefly Pacific Image  7200 and it was fast to digitize old negatives and remove dust and scratches. I sold it because it was inferior on fresh color scans. Giving bars like digital noise often.

My most used is Epson V500. It does 6x9, scans 4x5 (by two parts) and provides fine scans from 135 film for 8.5x11 prints. Software from Epson is the best among most common scanning softwares I also used. Very easy, accurate, effective. 

 

I agree with Ko Fe and you save your money ...

H

[cp995]

I use a Reflecta 10T for 35mm and an Epson V550 for medium format.

(35mm with my V550 is not very convincing)

I had a chance to compare my 10T to a Plustek 7200.

On the positive side, the Plustek ist a bit faster.

But my Reflecta has a better resolution an a larger dynamic range (allthough the Plustec' scans were not bad at all)

And, most important for me, the 10T has a great implementation of digital ICE (dust removal)

while the plustek is very weak at this point.

 

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M2, Fuji C200, Software: Vuescan

Edited July 31, 2017 by cp995

[otto.f]

The Plustek scanners are great for personal 35mm use. It's small enough to put away when not in use and good enough for most purposes and very affordable.

The downsides are;

-Only 35mm (unless you get the 120 for lots more $)

-No auto feeding. It's one frame at a time.

For my use, the +s outweigh the -s.

+1

I find it still difficult to scan silver film on the Plustek to a really satisfying result, but for C41 films the Plustek offers very good quality for its price. I'm afraid I'd have to spend 2000€ to achieve more quality.

I use EPSON 700 only for large format, which delivers very good quality

[michaelwj]

+1

I find it still difficult to scan silver film on the Plustek to a really satisfying result, but for C41 films the Plustek offers very good quality for its price. I'm afraid I'd have to spend 2000€ to achieve more quality.

I use EPSON 700 only for large format, which delivers very good quality

I would add I use Vuescan, and I find it very easy to use. I bought the pro or premium or whatever years ago and it just works upgrades work and it's simple. The developer is also very helpful via email whenever I've needed help.

 

Another note, ICE (dust/scratch removal) doesn't work on traditional black and white films, only E6 and C41 type films.

[Martin B]

I have older Plustek without dust and scratch IR removal. It is neat and fast to scan. I still have it, because I paid for it in LINIB only 25$. It really missing this IR function. Do not buy without it.

I had briefly Pacific Image  7200 and it was fast to digitize old negatives and remove dust and scratches. I sold it because it was inferior on fresh color scans. Giving bars like digital noise often.

My most used is Epson V500. It does 6x9, scans 4x5 (by two parts) and provides fine scans from 135 film for 8.5x11 prints. Software from Epson is the best among most common scanning softwares I also used. Very easy, accurate, effective. 

 

Agree about the IR dust and scratch removal function in the latest Silverfast 8 software which comes with Plustek scanners. It is very useful for color negatives, but I turn it off for B&W negatives to scan. The ICE (dust/scratch removal) function works IMO well for dust removal but less well for scratch removal. 

I am still on the edge to get an Epson scanner for 4x5 negatives. I currently cope well by photographing my 4x5 negatives in two parts with light table and digital camera/macro lens setup and stitch both photos afterwards in PS. 

Edited July 31, 2017 by Martin B

[Reeray]

Although I own both the Minolta Multi Pro and Minolta 5400 dedicated film scanners I very much favour using a digital camera for film "scanning" these days. I scan 135 and120 film with a Leica Beoon set up, finding it much quicker, cleaner and almost equal to the dedicated scanners, with the added blessing that it fits into a nice little box and tucks away in the drawer after use.

[Peter H]

With the recent increase in film sales, is there any likelihood that someone will start making a high quality film scanner again along the lines of the Nikon Coolscan range?

 

I suppose the first sign would be if Nikon or Canon were to start making film cameras again. 

[cp995]

...

I suppose the first sign would be if Nikon or Canon were to start making film cameras again. 

 

Nikon still does:

http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/filmcamera/slr/f6/

[lookbook]

.. I am very satisfied with the hasselblad imacon 949.
24x36, mf, gf (4x5)!

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[a.noctilux]

Although I own both the Minolta Multi Pro and Minolta 5400 dedicated film scanners I very much favour using a digital camera for film "scanning" these days. I scan 135 and120 film with a Leica Beoon set up, finding it much quicker, cleaner and almost equal to the dedicated scanners, with the added blessing that it fits into a nice little box and tucks away in the drawer after use.

 

BEOON route is fair but film scanner is better (with ICE and co) if film to scan is dusty or scratchy.

here are some fresh links for "beoon scan":

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/230886-m8-and-beoon/

 

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/275111-using-m246-w-macro-rather-than-scanner-for-film/