Recommend me a 35mm film scanner

[GidiMorris]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hi all,I'm looking into buying a film scanner so that I can:

1. Cut down on costs.

2. Have the possibility of scanning film when I'm in third world ountries or places where I don't have access to a mini lab.

 

I'd like some recommendations for scanners you think will be suitable.

 

I'm looking for both high quality and if possible, relatively small so I can take it with me when traveling.

 

Any ideas?

 

I'd also like to hear about your experience with these scanners - require a lot of post production? Easy to use? Slow or fast? etc.

[RedNomis]

Reflecta RPS 7200

 

You can scan a full film at a stretch. (overnight for instance)

[christer]

I found the result with the above setup depends on your computer. Older computers not so good, latest Apples excellent.

[MSV]

I can tell you what i'm using, it's a konica-minolta scan dual IV.

I'm pretty satisfied with the results but, first I'm afraid it has been discontinued, second I don't think you can take it with you travelling, so...

[GidiMorris]

ok, thanks guys, I'll look in deeper at the recommendations you gave.

[pleeson]

I'd say the c

Nikon Coolscan V is hard to beat.

[stunsworth]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Nikon Coolscan V is hard to beat.

 

But be quick, I believe it's just been discontinued.

[herbet]

I second the sugestion for Nikon coolscan V, and if you can afford, the 5000 is supposed to be able to pull more detail out of the shadows.

[ndjambrose]

..

I'm looking for both high quality and if possible, relatively small so I can take it with me when traveling....

 

Unfortunately high quality and small size are mutually exclusive in scanners. The best scanners anywhere are the Imacon X5, Imacon X1 and Nikon Coolscan 9000. All of them are superb with only a few percentage points of quality between them, although a significant price spread.

 

But they deliver their high quality because they're sealed units with variable lens assembly, light sources and multiple CCDs contained in an interior assembly with heavyweight chassis. This allows adjustable focus and multiphase scanning, both of which are necessary to get the highest quality. The lightest of these is the Coolscan and it's already the size and weight of a loaded steel toolbox. The others are more substantial still.

 

There are plenty of small film scanners - see Epson flatbed types for example - that could be transported fairly easily in a Pelicase or similar. They're very usable and will be fine for non-critical work, but be aware they deliver only a small fraction of the image quality you could get from one of the aforementioned models.

 

The lightest film scanner of all is a ScanTek which looks like a slide copier, and will fit in a camera bag. But quality is at the very bottom end; it's basically just a low end compact camera that photographs your film.

[herbet]

my understanding was that the coolscan 5000 has the same resolution as the 9000 with the difference being that the latter will scan medium format in addition to 35mm. the 5000 can easily fit into a briefcase.

[rob_x2004]

I dont really understand how you would travel with it. There is still all the associated, like laptop, printer, paper, inks, and packaging because you couldnt trust them to be robust. If you are prepared to have your films processed in a third world country then why not print as well. If it is important to upload, then surely a digital solution? Do you move to third worlds and set up temporary camps? Sounds interesting? Sounds like a job for a small flatbed, you will get an acceptable scan, from something the size of a laptop, chuck it in with your film processing kit, and will take a few knocks and you can keep it cleanish. Very cheap.

[tecumseh]

Got an epsom 2480 Photo, it's excellent for the price, does 35mm and slide.

[pleeson]

Over the years, I've used Epson 2450, Nikon Coolscan IV, 9000, and now the V.

The Coolscan V and 5000 are less than half the size of the 9000.

The 5000 has 2 beams and scans twice as fast as the V, but has the same 4000dpi resolution and costs around $1150

The 9000 is the MF version, costs around $2100 and is huge and heavy.

The V is around $550.

I feel that flatbed scanners for film are inferior to these Nikons.

 

I wouldn't recommend carrying them around, though, for fear of going out of adjustment and dust intrusion.

[GidiMorris]

I dont really understand how you would travel with it. There is still all the associated, like laptop, printer, paper, inks, and packaging because you couldnt trust them to be robust. If you are prepared to have your films processed in a third world country then why not print as well. If it is important to upload, then surely a digital solution? Do you move to third worlds and set up temporary camps? Sounds interesting? Sounds like a job for a small flatbed, you will get an acceptable scan, from something the size of a laptop, chuck it in with your film processing kit, and will take a few knocks and you can keep it cleanish. Very cheap.

 

 

I do my own development (B&W) so thats no problem.

The images need to be transferred through the internet for both publishing & archiving. I need the final image to be a good enough quality for a double-spread print (8 megapixel is acceptable, preferably higher though).

I have a laptop + the needed quipment for communications, what I'm lacking is a means to move the images from the film into the computer- hence a small scanner.

[rob_x2004]

Pretty much points to the Nikon 5000 current generation, you would want to buy new. Keep the packaging and throw it in with your procesing kit. Worth getting in early and learning it because scanning is a bit of a black art. You wouldnt want to be opening the box on the eve of your deadlines. I have a KM5400ii which had excellent reviews and seems pretty good. I can get a 240MB file from a colour 35mm neg, but pixels arent pixels and and I wouldnt back it in the resolution stakes against a top of line DSLR.

[GidiMorris]

. You wouldnt want to be opening the box on the eve of your deadlines. .

 

Thats pretty much a rule of thumb with any equipment

 

Thanks.

[peter55]

I have recomended the Plustek OpticFilm 7200 dedicated 35mm film scanner several times over the years and have had good, positive feedback from all. I use it myself. It has since been updated to Windows Vista.

 

Plustek OpticFilm 7200:

Costs around $190 US

Small 4"Ht. x 4"W x 10"Long (not a flatbed scanner)

Light Weight

Ships with LaserSoft Software version 6.6+

Reliable and moderatly fast scanner

Very good image quality for a little money

Windows and Mac Compatible

[rob_x2004]

... updated to Windows Vista.

 

Very good point if you do buy second hand. Some Twain driven for XP etc havent updated drivers and you may only be able to use them with some not all after market software programs that may or may not be to your liking, or by partitioning and installing XP.

[sisyphus]

MSV,

I use a Konika Minolta Dual IV also. I use "Vuescan" by Hamrick Software, as the original software was not compatible with my newer Vista computer. Since Konika/Minolta have abandoned the photo business, I thought I would have to buy a new scanner but Vuescan works very nicely!

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[MSV]

MSV,

I use a Konika Minolta Dual IV also. I use "Vuescan" by Hamrick Software, as the original software was not compatible with my newer Vista computer. Since Konika/Minolta have abandoned the photo business, I thought I would have to buy a new scanner but Vuescan works very nicely!

 

Hi Richard,

I have a Mac so I'm still using the original software but yes, I think "Vuescan" it's ok and even more configurable, if I remember well, it lets you "simulate" the film type too, nice feature!

I think it'll be my first choice when i'll be ready to update the Mac OS system, this scanner works right for me and I don't need to have it replaced.