21st century hybrid darkroom

[venchka]

Pre-Hurricane Katrina I had visions of a new house with a darkroom a few years from now. You know the kind: enlarger, running water, red lights. Post-Hurricane Katrina the timetable was accelerated and the new house is bought. Alas, there is no room for a darkroom. So I reckon it's time to join the 21st century and stumble into the digital darkroom era. I plan to process my own B&W negatives and find a reliable source for color negative and positive processing. Film scanning, software manipulation, printing, etc. in the digital domain.

Naturally I seem to be a day late and a dollar short. While I was dozing, Konica Minolta bit the dust. Nikon seems to be the only player left. Nikon also appears to have dropped the FireWire interface from all but their top of the line scanner. How important is that?

In 25 words or less, which film scanner and software are worthy of the highest quality negatives and positives my old brain and hardware can produce? There is a budgetary limitation, naturally. Lets say the budget constraint is that of a struggling amateur.

What say ye?

Since writing this yesterday, I did a bit more GOOGLING and have come to the conclusion that the Nikon film scanners are the only game in town for home use. If there is another line of film scanners in the same price/performance range, please tell me. Of the 3 Nikon scanners, which one offers the best price/performance package?

I really appreciate all the work put into the great scanner comparison. However, with Konica Minolta gone, the really good drum scanner costing more than a car and the others not quite living up to the highest standards, from where I sit the Nikons appear to be the answer.

That leaves software as a variable. What works and what doesn't?

 

[venchka]

Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

The lightbulb flickered and finally came on.

Always harboring medium to large format thoughts in the back of my brain, I would be reluctant to purchase a 35mm film only dedicated film scanner. Unfortunately, at the rate the marketplace is evolving, the Nikon CoolScan 9000 ED might be the only 35mm-MF film scanner left by the time I accumulate the funds to buy one.

This afternoon I stumbled across reviews of the Epson V700 and V750. That's when the train hit me. BHAM!

For less than the cost of a Nikon CoolScan 9000 ED, I could buy a Nikon CoolScan V ED or 5000 ED for my 35mm needs. If I'm struck down by medium/large format GAS, I can add one of the Epson flatbed/film scanners.

There you go.

Thanks for all of your help, EH! 😀