Scanners

Photobycate · June 16, 2008

Can anyone recommend a scanner for slides? I have about 300 slides from eight years ago shot in New Zealand that I want to scan and upload to my website. I'm looking in the price range of $200 - $400.

Thanks,

DonRicklin · June 16, 2008

I am also interested in a good (but inexpensive) slide/negative (35mm) scanner for modern USB connections. I have an old Polaroid SprintScan 35/LE SCSI scanner with no drivers. EVen if I could get a SCSI connector for my Mac I don't think I can get a scanner driver for it, though it 'might' be on the VueScan list. Actually, I just looked, and it is!

Now, if I could just get a SCSI to USB Connector!

Sorry to go a bit OT here.

Don

Lovesong · June 16, 2008

As is today, the only decent 35mm slide scanners (dedicated film scanners that is) that are not more than $5000 are the Nikon Coolscans. They currently have 3 models- the V, the 5000, and the 9000, priced at ~$500, $1000, and $2000. I currently own the 5000, which does 16bit imaging, with a DMax (density range) of 4.8 at 4000dpi (ICE, grain reduction, and color restoration come naturally). The V model does 14 bit images, while the 9000 can do medium format as well. This is by far the best you can do on the "low" end of the spectrum, and I have been very pleased with the images I've been getting from my 20-year old slides.

Another option you might look into is the Epson V-700 or 750. They are both flatbed scanners, but have the ability to scan film. The DMax on these, however, is only 4.0, meaning that you won't get the tonal range (or sharpness for that matter) as you would from a dedicated film scanner. That, and they cost more than the Coolscan V.

Try to avoid crappy scanners from Pacific Imaging and the likes. The experience is frustrating to say the least.

papajay · June 17, 2008

Photobycate wrote:

Can anyone recommend a scanner for slides? I have about 300 slides from eight years ago shot in New Zealand that I want to scan and upload to my website. I'm looking in the price range of $200 - $400.

Thanks,

I haven't tried them yet (but am leaning this direction)...outsourcing (especially in the 300ea range you mentioned) would seem to be a good option.

http://www.scanmyphotos.com/slidescanning.html

The price for 300 is in the $0.75 each range (which I have to admit seemed expensive to me initially), but the total cost would be in line with what you'd already "committed" to. And, as another poster indicated, you probably can't find a high-enough quality device for under $500 bucks anyway.

I'm inclined to let someone who has the right equipment, and does it for a living, do the work.

swintonphoto · June 17, 2008

Get an epson flatbed. I have used one for years and had fantastic results scanning slides.

Art Scott · June 18, 2008

swintonphoto wrote:

Get an epson flatbed. I have used one for years and had fantastic results scanning slides.

I believe it was the Epson 4490 or 4990 that was rated extreme high by most of the testing facilities and they stated that the only way to get better was with a drum scanner.....the conclusion of all the reports I read was that the epsons were easier to use than any dedicated film scanner and not only that but you can do multi sizes....as I need to beable to scan from 135 to long 120 (220) and also 620 and 127......so a good flat bed seems the only way to go, unless I send them off to scancafe for around $00.20 each...if it weren't for them going off to India....that is my only hold out on scan cafe..........

The Epson 4990 has been replaced by the V 700 ....................still at 499.99

hgernhardtjr · June 18, 2008

Like Art said, the Epson 4490 is outstanding ... and the V500 (which I use) is exactly the same with one exception ... it uses instant on LEDs rather than a cold-cathode, long warm up period bulb. Amazon has it today for US$225. It will take a while to scan 300 slides/negatives since there is no automatic feed but it does an outstanding, highly cost effective job.

jziegler · June 18, 2008

Photobycate wrote:

Can anyone recommend a scanner for slides? I have about 300 slides from eight years ago shot in New Zealand that I want to scan and upload to my website. I'm looking in the price range of $200 - $400.

Thanks,

You might want ot look for a used Minolta DiMage Scan Dual III or IV film scanner. I have one that I bought new a few years ago, and it works pretty well. With all of the Konica/Minolta merger and then selling off products, they are no longer produced. There is no Vista driver for them, but VueScan support apperas to exist (I still use XP, so I use their software). I've never used one of the Epson flatbeds, so I can't compare, but when I bought, the Minolta was higher resolution than any then current flatbeds.

hgernhardtjr · June 18, 2008

The Epson V500 can be set for 6400 dpi resolution at 48-bit color depth (which slows slide/film scans only a bit) and dust and scratch removal with Digital ICE (slows processing a bit more if you have a slow computer with little memory). I have found the defaults work well, but for some slides I have to turn the default sharpening setting off as Epson's scanning software is sometimes prone to over-sharpen. Since I prefer to do most post-processing in PhotoShop, with the exception of Digital ICE I generally use the manual (professional) settings mode. Depending on the slide (or negative) itself, results can be anywhere from AMAZING to acceptable. My 40+ year old Kodachromes and Kodacolors generally do the best followed by the Ectacolor/chromes, while Fuji films of the same age seem to require significant touchup and color correcting.

The old 35mm motion picture film ends many of us used to bulk reload into 35mm cartridges (I think Starlight Labs was one source back in the 70s) that got us prints and slides and which you generally had to use an 82A filter with, has fared, for the most part, the worse in storage and they are tough to scan and resurrect.

Photobycate · June 18, 2008

Thanks everyone. Since these are the only slides that I have and the price of the scanners is a bit high I am going to outsource this. I'm going to get a price from Duggal and Calumet. I think Duggal boasts having the drum scanner that was mentioned on this thread. I'll let you know what they charge.

Thanks,

Art Scott · June 18, 2008

Photobycate wrote:

Thanks everyone. Since these are the only slides that I have and the price of the scanners is a bit high I am going to outsource this. I'm going to get a price from Duggal and Calumet. I think Duggal boasts having the drum scanner that was mentioned on this thread. I'll let you know what they charge.

Thanks,

Drum scanning is very very expensive...1 - 35mm slide is over $50 here where I live for drum scanning........unless you are needing to literally make billboard size prints from you photos you really might want to consider SCAN CAFE...... yes they do send your slides and negs to India but the reviews on ere have been really good..... (search the forums)

DonRicklin · June 18, 2008

Currently there is this thread here: ScanCafe - New Review, New SMUG code, etc.

Don

Photobycate · June 19, 2008

thanks guys. I'll check our scancafe.

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