Film Scanner Help Please

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350wedge

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I'll be looking to buy a film scanner at some point soon and just wondering what people here use??

Does anyone have experience of Plustek scanners? What are my choices other than those?

I currently run a pc with Windows 7 so I guess a lot of older film scanners may not be of much use due to driver issues.

Basically without spending thousands I want a scanner that produces best quality on a lowish budget. I have a flatbed scanner that does slides/negs but I'm not happy with the quality really hence the move to a dedicated film scanner.
 
First question is ...35mm only or 35mm & M/F, because the difference in cost and availability is like night and day.
And what is the budget
 
Ahh I knew I forgot something..... Its purely for 35mm use only. I don't have any MF camera's but I do have a large (and growing) stash of film camera's that I'm using more now. I also have a large number of negs that I want to re-scan over a period of time.

While I dont want to get into the thousands on spending I am quite prepared to spend a few hundred on something that will give excellent results.

I'm not restricting myself to brand new but I do need something that will work on Windows 7. ( I may move to Mac in the future but not for some time yet)
 
I did have a Plustek scanner but the process of scanning was something I detested so I didn't use it. The quality was fine but dust was an issue.
 
I had a Plustek 7600 i SE and sent it back due to being rubbish quality

They sent a replacement

I sent that back because it was the same...

They cannot manage a light blue sky without creating a harsh red/brown grain over it !!

I found that the scanner off a £40 all in one device created a better scan from the photo than the Plustek did from the neg. It was ok at B&W though and if someone offered me one for £50-80 I would buy one for that but colour was a major issue.
 
That's interesting Darren, IIRC I only tried it with B&W negs.
 
OneTen said:
That's interesting Darren, IIRC I only tried it with B&W negs.
Click to expand...

I'm buying a HP C8180 printer which can scan 6x6 negs as well scan copy memory cards to DVD, photocopy, print, scan to DVD, sits on the network etc etc

It will keep me going until the V750
 
You're right about driver "issues" - I'd call them problems - with scanners. I have a Nikon super coolscan 5000 which is excellent but it would not work with 64 bit win7. There is a workaround for it but it was beyond my comprehension. In the end I had to downgrade to 32 bit w7 to enable some other ancient software of mine to work and the scanner software started working at that point as well.

The 5000 does give excellent results if you can find one secondhand.....
 
Yes, I have a Epson Perfection 2450, which, although long in the tooth does for me. But, Epson have abandoned this model, so after an upgrade to Win 7 64 Bit it was tough luck :wave: and b****r off from Epson.

Luckily, I had already discovered VueScan http://www.hamrick.com/ which works with 1500 Scanners, and I now use it with both my Epson and my Coolscan V, which also gives me a consistant interface.

You may want to try Vuescan with an older second hand scanner.
 
Thanks for the replies so far, makes for some interesting reading.

I always liked the Minolta Dimage 5400's but assumed that kind of older machine wouldn't be compatible with Windows 7 (I have 32bit installed).

I'll have a look about and see if I can find any secondhand Coolscan 5000's or the like.
 
I just got a V750, though many folks say a V700 is nearly as good - and a lot cheaper. Just in case of any interest, I have an Epson Perfection V350 listed in classifieds (it does 35mm slide/roll). Since 1995 I've used nothing but Epson for printing/scanning.
 
kartracer said:
I just got a V750, though many folks say a V700 is nearly as good - and a lot cheaper. Just in case of any interest, I have an Epson Perfection V350 listed in classifieds (it does 35mm slide/roll). Since 1995 I've used nothing but Epson for printing/scanning.
Click to expand...

The V700 and V750 are pretty much the same but the V700 doesn't have the liquid neg holder thing. How do you think that the V350 and V750 match up?
 
john-oh said:
Luckily, I had already discovered VueScan http://www.hamrick.com/ which works with 1500 Scanners, and I now use it with both my Epson and my Coolscan V, which also gives me a consistant interface.

You may want to try Vuescan with an older second hand scanner.
Click to expand...

Vuescan is the only way that most older scanners can be used with MacOS !

I spent a fortune on a HP SJ 6350 with document feeder etc when I went from W98 to W2K and my old scanner didn't work. I then found that it didn't work on the Mac and was not happy especially as I had just picked up an old SJ 6300 as well. VueScan worked with both but neither do negs so I have to upgrade again. The C 6210 all in one works with the Mac but again no negs so having looked about I found the C8180 which is a cracker on features, just hoping the quality is as good and it will do everything I need till I get my V700/V750 next year. Too many things on the shopping list at the moment till end of year accounts go in and I get some money back :)
 
The V700 & 750 are flatbeds, they are not dedicated scanners.
The Minolta 5400 or Dual 3, Nikons coolscan IV and upwards ought to be ok with the right software on Win7, they shoot 2500-3000 dpi which is reasonable.
Stay away from the SCSI models.
 
I bought an Epson V500 last week and it seems pretty good for £160. There are a couple of things I don't like, the film/slide carrier is a flimsy piece of junk, and it sometimes gets confused about framing and leaves the leading edge of the following image on the scan.
The upside is it does 35mm and 120 up to 6 x 9cm and the software is logical and is bundled with Photoshop.

Dedicated scanners cost a lot more than I'd be willing pay as I need a glorified contact strip and screen sharing device, not a hi-tech image source.
Edit: Windows 7 compatible.
 
colpepper said:
I bought an Epson V500 last week and it seems pretty good for £160. There are a couple of things I don't like, the film/slide carrier is a flimsy piece of junk, and it sometimes gets confused about framing and leaves the leading edge of the following image on the scan.
The upside is it does 35mm and 120 up to 6 x 9cm and the software is logical and is bundled with Photoshop.

Dedicated scanners cost a lot more than I'd be willing pay as I need a glorified contact strip and screen sharing device, not a hi-tech image source.
Edit: Windows 7 compatible.
Click to expand...

Just how good is the V500 ? I could do with knowing what the difference is between that and the V750. If there is not much difference I might be able to get the V500 sooner....

Could you post a link to a full sized scan please :D
 
cowasaki said:
Could you post a link to a full sized scan please :D
Click to expand...

Not sure what this will tell you but it's a compact camera image scanned at 800 on 400asa film. I've also done some 6 x 9cm trannies and the quality is excellent for a flatbed. Don't know much about the merits of one scanner over another, except my old HP only worked with older operating systems.

img253.jpg
 
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Comments noted re the plustek 7600se as that had been one I was considering. Has anyone used the AI version which as far as I can tell just uses some different software for creating colour profies and matching...
 
Update from me....

Just bought a Minolta Scan Elite 5400 albeit the MK1 version. Got it for £225 so not a bad price at all really. Just gotta wait for it to be delivered now!
:thumbs::D:thumbs::D
 
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