Davetron Posted June 10, 2009 Share #1 Posted June 10, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I'm looking to buy a 35mm film scanner with medium format capabilities. Basically i have no idea what is good and whats not. Ive been looking on the net to not much avail. If anyone could give me any advise on good makes and models. Please note i'm basically a novice when it comes to 35mm film up until recently i have been using 120 film. I want to be able to show the perforations in my photos. Also i dont want to spend a terrible amount of money. So any film scanners that high quality good value for money and reliable. Thanks in advance for your help Regards Dave. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 Hi Davetron, Take a look here Need Help! 35mm Film Scanners.. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
andybarton Posted June 10, 2009 Share #2 Posted June 10, 2009 Welcome to the forum! I think that you are likely to be looking at one of the 35/MF Nikons, such as the 9000 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don'tknowmuch Posted June 10, 2009 Share #3 Posted June 10, 2009 Cheap? Sprocket holes? That has to be a flatbed. The Epson range goes from cheap to more expensive but still cheap compared to, say, the Nikon range. On MF my old Epson 2450 Photo flatbed does a great job and if I didn't also use 35mm I wouldn't bother getting anything newer. However, if speed is important to you; my flatbed is dead slow - time to make a good cup of coffee and drink most of it on one 6x6. I should think they're a bit speedier these days though. Jim. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
firststream Posted June 10, 2009 Share #4 Posted June 10, 2009 I was quite impressed with this review on the Epson scanners: EPSON V700 review I really have to stop and think before plunking down so much for a Coolscan 9000. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Henry Posted June 10, 2009 Share #5 Posted June 10, 2009 I was quite impressed with this review on the Epson scanners:EPSON V700 review I really have to stop and think before plunking down so much for a Coolscan 9000. A very good scanner for the very small price, who can make all formats with quality reproductions ! Please look at my threads I have both the 750 and the 700 for two workstations Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenjh Posted June 10, 2009 Share #6 Posted June 10, 2009 I second the V-700. I use it frequently and it produces brilliant scans, 35mm medium and large format. Leonard Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody Posted June 10, 2009 Share #7 Posted June 10, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I don't like the V700 for 35mm film. I use the Nikon 5000 for 35mm and the V700 for 120+. Total price ~$1500 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSL Posted June 11, 2009 Share #8 Posted June 11, 2009 Hi Woody, How would you compare the best medium-format scans on the Epson V700 vs. best 35mm scans on the Nikon 5000? I now use a Leica mp and am pretty pleased with the results from the 5000. I''m wondering if I can get even clearer and bigger scans from Hasselblad V and Epson V700, using the same film. Thanks, HSL Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
drums1977 Posted June 11, 2009 Share #9 Posted June 11, 2009 I'm a very happy owner of a Epson V700. I Scan 35mm and 120 with very fair results. I keep reading reviews that say that the 35mm scanning performance of the flatbeds is nothing compared to dedicated film scanners, such as Nikons. I have not tried them to be honest, but the quality of V700 35mm scans is often very good, specially at top resolutions. Scanning 35 mm is quite fast, since you can fit 4 6-frames strips at the same time. Of course it gets slower as you increase the scanning resolution. Medium format scans are very good. for the record, I scan almost exclusively B/W film. Good luck! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PavelDerka Posted June 11, 2009 Share #10 Posted June 11, 2009 I have the epson 4990 and had the Nikon 4000 at the same time as well. Last month I sold the Nikon. The nikon's cold light source is terrible with black and white and the software is horribly out of date, necessitating the use of another program. THe problem is that Vuescan does not do the previews very well with the Nikons ... so I got tired of struggling with them and sold it. The experience I've had with the 4000 would completely stop me from ever contemplating the overpriced 9000. Keep in mind though that if you do color and a small volume, fiddling with the Nikons may not bother you. I've decided to get an Epson V750 and send out for drum scans on the more worthwhile negs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody Posted June 11, 2009 Share #11 Posted June 11, 2009 Hi Woody, How would you compare the best medium-format scans on the Epson V700 vs. best 35mm scans on the Nikon 5000? I now use a Leica mp and am pretty pleased with the results from the 5000. I''m wondering if I can get even clearer and bigger scans from Hasselblad V and Epson V700, using the same film. Thanks, HSL My MF scans have come out very nice on the V700. It might be that you can get better scans from the Hassy + V700, but the shooting experience would be different. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Henry Posted June 11, 2009 Share #12 Posted June 11, 2009 Hi Woody,How would you compare the best medium-format scans on the Epson V700 vs. best 35mm scans on the Nikon 5000? I now use a Leica mp and am pretty pleased with the results from the 5000. I''m wondering if I can get even clearer and bigger scans from Hasselblad V and Epson V700, using the same film. Thanks, HSL Hi HSL, I find that when a producer begins stopping the production of his scanners as to Nikon (500 then 1000 and soon 5000) it is not possible to trust any more even if the scanner is good Regards, Henry Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dseelig Posted June 12, 2009 Share #13 Posted June 12, 2009 the nikon 9000 is much better then the 5000 or 4000 with B&W. It is also much sharper then the epson flat beds for meduim format but use the glass holder. It is also the best scanner I have used with kodachrome. David Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
noah_addis Posted June 12, 2009 Share #14 Posted June 12, 2009 The Nikon 9000 has a larger, more diffuse light source than the 35mm versions. Some have compared the difference to a diffusion vs. condenser enlarger. With the 9000 dust shows up less, and over emphasis of grain is not as much of a problem as with the smaller Nikons. I was thinking of trading my 9000 for a 5000 and some cash since I don't shoot MF and would like to save some space on my desk. But I do think the 9000 is a step above and so I'm leaning towards keeping it. I've used several Nikon scanners over the years including my current 9000 with Vuescan with great results. It's much better than the Nikon software and I've had no problems with previews, etc. The dedicated film scanners are still way ahead of flatbeds, unless you move up to the very expensive prepress flatbeds in the $10k range. I have a 4990 (which I use with vuescan) and have tried the v750 and they're not as sharp and the dynamic range is smaller. I do worry about the future of film scanners, with the rumours than Nikon is getting out of the business that only leaves the hasselblad scanners, which are quite expensive, and some cheaper models by other brands. I hope Nikon will continue to service their scanners. For now, if you want to buy new, the Nikons are the only game in town for 35/MF scanning under $10k. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PavelDerka Posted June 12, 2009 Share #15 Posted June 12, 2009 Noah, do you get to select more than one crop area on the 9000? The thing that drives me crazy is that the only way that I had been able to do multi-scanning with vuescan is putting in offsets ... but they change each time I feed another six negs in. It drives me nuts. I'd like to preview the whole strip .... select on frame and crop the negative and then hold down a key modifier and do that for the other five (or two in the case of my hassy 6x6 negs) - but the program simply will not do it. I've had three other scanners, all with VueScan .... and there it was no problem. It also will not let me do an adjust on the first neg ... and then lock the exposure, based on that. I was to the point of thinking that there has to be a bug ... perhaps on the mac side ... but simply gave up because the accentuated grain ( false grain too) and I do 95% B&W. The Nikon software it terrible on a Mac and wont run on the new macs at all. Silverfast I like very much for large batches ... but they want $500 for the 9000 .... I actually find the terrible epson software (worst and dumbest software ever writen) in a way. It does so so scans but when you feed in 12 negs it previews, and autocrops all of them and inverts the negative. I like it because it is fast and no fuss and I like to have a 800 pixel "index" shot of every roll and every frame. It works nicely for that. I really would love to take another tumble on the Nikon 9000 if the light source makes a good difference but I do much more 35 than 6x6 ... and sending out two to three negs every month on average seems to be cost efficient ... and in the end the very best quality ... so I don't think that the best scanner IQ is worth it (for me) but of course ... I do like control and doing things in house ... so who knows ... perhaps I need to spend that small fortune. Is Nikon still making the 9000? I heard rumors that they no longer manufacture them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted June 12, 2009 Share #16 Posted June 12, 2009 Have you emailed Ed Hamrick with your problems / ideas? He's always open to input from users. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndjambrose Posted June 13, 2009 Share #17 Posted June 13, 2009 (edited) The Nikon software does run on new Macs. I've been using my 9000ED with Nikon Scan on an iMac (2.8 Dual Core with 10.5.7) out of the box since I bought it. It's totally stable - sits there quietly in the background and just churns its way through batches of 4000 dpi scans without me even noticing. Pavel, if you're having problems it's nothing to do with the scanner software. Most likely you've got a connection problem in your firewire cable. Try a new cable. One of the best things about Nikon Scan from a workflow perspective is that you can copy and paste any combination of scan settings between frames. Each frame is individually selectable so you can set all the settings on the first frame and then copy them onto all the others - and then go to each frame individually and set the crop and curves for that frame only. I haven't used any other scan software that's as flexible. Yes, it does have exposure lock. You can set the exposure on the first frame and apply it to all the others (via copy/paste). Somewhat easier than exposure lock in Vue Scan. Batch scanning is fast and simple - point it at a target folder, give it a file naming convention and let it go. You can scan 35mm with sprocket holes but you'll need the glass carrier for 120 film - the conventional 35mm holder doesn't expose the holes. But if you scan your film in the larger carrier it works fine. A cardboard mask is advisable - supplied with the holder. And quality from the 9000 is markedly better than an Epson flatbed. I have both (used the Epson for a while and then upgraded). The 9000 is expensive but you get what you pay for. For anyone who is interested in getting the most from film in a hybrid film/digital workflow it's the second best game in town. (The best is the Imacon X5 - but it's also the most expensive). Quality for 120 scans is much improved over the Epson - after getting the 9000 I felt compelled to rescan all my 120 portfolio. As far as I know the 9000 is still widely available, but if production of new units has ceased, there's going to be a fairly narrow window of opportunity to get one. Edited June 13, 2009 by ndjambrose Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPerson Posted June 13, 2009 Share #18 Posted June 13, 2009 The Nikon software does run on new Macs. Yep it does. I had the problem when I bought two new iMacs and used the Migration Assistant to transfer my settings, doc and progs. There is a fix I posted here: Nikon Scan on Intel Macs That should solve it. If not you can run it in a great prog called: Crossover for Mac Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
noah_addis Posted June 13, 2009 Share #19 Posted June 13, 2009 Not sure if vuescan will let you select multiple crops. I'm not at that computer right now. I tend to just scan one at a time though, and with the 9000 35mm carrier I don't have to deal with offsets or anything, just tell it which frame number I want. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Henry Posted June 13, 2009 Share #20 Posted June 13, 2009 ... continuation another interesting advantage of the V700-750 scanner is the reproduction of old photos (where the negative is lost) or old photo postcard as below postcard of the forties when I found in the loft of my home "street in the Mont Saint Michel" Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/87534-need-help-35mm-film-scanners/?do=findComment&comment=930536'>More sharing options...
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