Advice on negative/slide scanners

[dxqcanada1]

So, I've decided to get back into B+W photography.
I am thinking of developing my own negs (I love the smell of Fixer in the morning), and then scanning them with a dedicated neg scanner.

I have been searching around ... and realized I cannot afford a Nikon ... so I have settled with the discontinued Minolta DiMage line.

From my research the Minolta DiMage Scan Dual IV seems good but it has no ICE ... but there is also the older Minolta DiMage Scan Elite II with ICE.

Any one have any input (or other alternatives).

 

[Derrel]

I have a discontinued Scan Dual, which scans at up to 2448 dpi as I recall, with a D-Max of around 2.7 or 2.9 I think; I believe mine in the Model III, with the SCSI interface system, so it's before the IV model. it's an "okay" scanner for 35mm transparencies, and it's okay on chromogenic B&W negatives and color negatives also; it is NOT that good when scanning Tri-X Pan 35mm negs...the beautiful tonality and long scale that Tri-X could do when printed wet in the darkroom does not come through with my Minolta Scan Dual. I believe that the very notable print maker and photographer Ctein still uses the Minolta Scan Elite.

Whichever Minolta scanner you get, you will DEFINTELTY,definitely want to buy some decent software to drive it with, like Silver Fast, for example. The Minolta software is very crude, and a PITA....Silver Fast is somewhere along the order of 10 times better.

 

[Josh66]

(or other alternatives).

Epson makes a pretty good scanner. V600 or V700/750. I would go with the 700 or 750 if it's not too expensive. The V600 is still a good scanner though.

Will you just be scanning 35mm, or medium/large format as well?

I used to have a PlusTek OpticFilm 7300 that I liked a lot too. It is strictly 35mm only though, one frame at a time.

 

[Josh66]

like Silver Fast, for example. The Minolta software is very crude, and a PITA....Silver Fast is somewhere along the order of 10 times better.

I have never used the Minolta software - but, yes - SilverFast is very nice.

 

[dxqcanada1]

Hmm, thanks for the info.

How do you find the focus/resolution of the Dual III and Plustek ?

 

[Josh66]

How do you find the focus/resolution of the Dual III and Plustek ?

The 'specs' section of any online catalog should say. The PlusTek goes up to 7200ppi though - higher with hardware interpolation. Even 7200 is kind of excessive though, IMO. Do the math to figure out how many pixels that is for a 35mm frame...

I know 6400ppi gives you something like a 50+ MP image...


Focus can't be adjusted on the PlusTek, but I didn't have any issues with it on mine. The Epson V600 I use now can use an adjustable height holder to fine tune focus - but that wasn't an issue on that scanner either. It was already dialed in right where it needs to be from the factory. (I only switched from the PlusTek to the Epson because I switched OS's and the PlusTek was not compatible.)

 

[dxqcanada1]

OK, after reading many websites ... I am going after the Minolta Elite II.
Everything I have read so far says this neg/slide scanner will produce better scans than a flatbed.
For the price, it also appears to be better than the new ones being sold in that price range.

I would love to get the Minolta Multi Pro ... but it is too much in demand (avg eBay price = $2500) ... I will have to use the flatbed for my Yashica A.

Silverfast does not support this scanner on Windows 7. Vuescan does.

... now all I have to do is find one.

 

[Proteus617]

A scanner for your Yashica? Everything gets easier in 120. Have you thought about one of the new Epsons?

 

[dxqcanada1]

My research says don't use a flatbed scanners for best results scanning film.

 

[Proteus617]

My research says don't use a flatbed scanners for best results scanning film.

Your results will have much more to do with your scanning abilities and how well you have optimized your exposure/developing to a hybrid workflow. Also, ICE is notoriously bad with BW negatives.

 

[Helen B]

I have two Dimage Elite 5400 scanners specifically for 35 mm silver-image B&W film. Those, rather than the later II, seem to have the best illumination system for B&W and 5400 spi is good enough to replicate the graininess of most films in a similar way to traditional printing. ICE doesn't work at all with silver-image film (because the image is opaque to IR), but it does work with dye-image ("chromogenic") B&W film (because the image is not opaque to IR). One thing about consumer flatbeds and the cheaper dedicated film scanners is that their true resolution is usually nowhere near their stated optical resolution - their optics and mechanical precision aren't good enough. The Nikon and Minolta film scanners come very close to their stated resolution.

Best,
Helen

 

[dxqcanada1]

Helen, thanks for the info.

I will be getting a hold of a free Polaroid SprintScan 4000 ... I will try to see if I can get it working via SCSI, and compare it with the Elite II.

I do not have the budget for the DiMage Elite 5400 (that would have been my first choice).

 

[Helen B]

The Sprintscan 4000 is a very good scanner, particularly for B&W. That was the first scanner I had. It came with a full version of Silverfast.

Best,
Helen

 

[dxqcanada1]

Ah, but the DiMage Elite II and Elite 5400 is better ?

 

[dxqcanada1]

Hmm, I have just discovered the Polaroid/Microtek 120 scanner.

Anyone have any experience with these ?