Negative Scanners

[FrankLamont]

Recently, I've been revisiting film. For the sake of travel, if anything - I find it easier to lug about my simple AF35M or XA. Also, I just found them again.

However, nowadays, or at least in my area, the price of scanning film is just enormous. About $77 for a roll, high res; $40 for a roll at medium res.

So I've been looking at some slide/negatives scanners. Not so much flatbeds, as I'm looking to cut down, just at the moment.

As an example (just as an example, would be looking around 100$~ though, just as a trial if anything, ignore the price for now)... I am probably looking for Plustek or the sort... a general recommendation on prints roughly about 12/11". Yep, you get what you pay for - but sometimes you also get more than what you pay for.

It does say 3600dpi optical resolution with 48-bit... '3 mega', assumingly megapixels... not entirely sure how that faces up with 'optical resolution'. Certainly, better than 5x7" is what I'm looking for. I'm a bit behind in film->digital scanning... it's been a while since I've been using film.

Appreciate the help.

EDIT: Actually, I don't mind having a flat bed scanner. It's just that the prices (eg, v500/700's are rather expensive at the moment... I'm heavily invested in digital and film's not a 'big' thing. Quality is still important - I'm sitting on the fence, but... )

 

[coreduo]

I got a Canon 440 scanner. Got it for just 110 dollars. I don't know if it was just the film or the scanner itself. But the film scanned turned out to be clearer than the digital with ratio 5:4.

 

[djacobox372]

3600dpi should be more then enough.... I do most my scanning at 2400dpi, as higher resolutions don't do much more then give me blown up film grain.

 

[Josh66]

I am probably looking for Plustek or the sort...

I have a Plustek 7300 that I have been happy with.

I can't remember the resolution off the top of my head - but it is more than adequate.

The software it ships with is not bad (SilverFast SE), but you may (or may not) want to upgrade the software eventually.

 

[molested_cow]

Depends on your needs. I usually scan a large badge of negatives at once so the ability to scan 24 frames at once is nice. If you don't do it very often, you can consider cheaper flatbeds that does smaller batch, like a strip of 6 or 4 frames. Scanners are really cheap these days as compared to a few years back. You should be able to get something decent for less than $200.

 

[FrankLamont]

Oh - note that I do have Photoshop, so unless it saves in some other strange format aside from JPG, and doesn't offer TIF, then...

EDIT: I know, I should be happy to pay for a $300 scanner, but at the moment, I can't. Film's a lot more expensive than I remember.

I suppose what I'm after is... what's generally a 'safe' dpi, bit colour and megapixel (...) count, etc.?

 

[Derrel]

Maybe you could look at something like a used Minolta ScanDual 35mm film scanner. Those are pretty inexpensive these days.

 

[bhop]

Target develops and scans my film for 3 bucks.. high res..

As far as my own film scanner. I have an Epson 4490. It's ok. It's cheap and scans medium format too. Most of my color shots on my flickr link are from target, but all my b&w is from this scanner.

I am noticing it's limitations after shooting a roll of slide film and seeing the difference between sharpness when looking through my loupe and looking at the scans. I'll probably upgrade soon to a used coolscan, or more likely (because used coolscans are still expensive), a V700.

 

[FrankLamont]

They're hard to find on this side of the world. Cost + shipping for one on eBay can get around $300 + without any knowledge of the condition of the machine (many at this price will say that it is 'working but unable to be tested' - for whatever reason).

 

[Proteus617]

I would stay away from the junk scanner that you linked to in the ebay auction. I played with one for a bit and I have nothing good to say. I'm too poor for a V500 so patient searching got me a an old Epson 3170 Photo, $38 US shipped. It has minor technical issues that I'm more than willing to put up with for the price. I would be patient and search for any used flatbed in country, just make sure your current OS is supported. Epson and Minolta are pretty good about releasing updated drivers, HP not so much.

 

[Vautrin]

They're hard to find on this side of the world. Cost + shipping for one on eBay can get around $300 + without any knowledge of the condition of the machine (many at this price will say that it is 'working but unable to be tested' - for whatever reason).

What country are you located in?