finding a film scanner

[erikhaugsby]

So, after the purchase of my M2 I find myself in the market for both a darkroom and a filmscanner.
Question:
1. What is the highest resolution/quality film scanner, regardless of (reasonable) pricing?
2. What is the highest resolution/quality film scanner, under ~$500?

Granted, quality is all relative and one's personal opinion, but I am just looking for some tips. I guess I'd prefer a Nikon as I've heard they've the best scanning optics, but is this a founded guess?


Finally: Do different scanners handle B&W vs Color differently? eg. Scanner A is good at B&W not Color, Scanner B is good at Color, not B&W

 

[x-ray]

Reasonable price is relative too. Without question the best scanners untill you get into the twenty thousand up are the Imacon machines. I owned a 343 and found it to be extremely high quality but I needed a scanner that would handle 11x14 film. I purchased a Fuji Finescan 5000 that'sin the mid twenties and found the Imacon scans to be very close in quality to the Fuji. The Imacon 343 can be purchased new in the $4200 range and used in grea condition in the $2200 range. The laeger mosels are faster and will handle film to 4x5 or possibly larger but become very expensive. The 343 will scan up to 6x17cm and the software is first class professional hardware and software. If you're really interested in getting the max out of your film then the Ilacon is the way.

Nikon would be second choice and under $500 look at the Epson 4990. These are good machines but not even close to the Imacons in quality of build and scan quality.

Most manufacturers exagerate specs on their equipment but after owning the Imacon and making hundreds of scans I believe their specs are very close to what the actual performance is.

 

[amateriat]

Having been using what I call the Poor Man's Imacon, for 35mm anyway (Minolta DiMage Scan Elite 5400), I've been crazy-happy with it since buying it over two years ago. Yes, the company that originally made it merged with my other (more) favorite company (Konica), then decided to do a flame-out from the photo industry, but it hasn't shaken my confidence in the scanner itself (and Sony is taking up the support slack, so unless they go belly-up, I'm safe). It still offers the highest-resolution scans of any dedicated 35mm desktop film scanner, and mine's been dead-reliable under quite heavy use. Would an Imacon be better by some parameters? Yes, and for the significant extra cost, it should be. If you were to go for a still-in-production 35mm film scanner, Nikon's about the only game in town IMO, but I'd also take a close look at Epson's latest high(er)-end flatbeds, particularly the 750.


- Barrett

 

[amateriat]

Most manufacturers exagerate specs on their equipment but after owning the Imacon and making hundreds of scans I believe their specs are very close to what the actual performance is.

Too true. I was looking for a driver/plug-in update for my Minolta 5400 (note to all Minolta/Konica Minolta film scanner users: contrary to current events, Konica Minolta does have the latest drivers on their website), and I happened to notice, on what appears to be an updated FAQ on the 5400, the (re)stated "effective" DR is 3.8, down from the original 4.8 spec (but still quite good). Would be nice if a few others followed suit (just as many corporations are just now "restating" earnings made over the last handful of years).


- Barrett

 

[Sparrow]

Minolta DiMage Scan Elite 5400, I can endorse that view, 18 months in I’m getting better results than I had from a pro lab, as good or better than anything I can do analogue

 

[Nikon Bob]

If they still were in production my vote would be the Minolta Scan Elite 5400, although you might be able to find some NOS. I say that having happily used one for over 2 years. The only game in town now, as others have mentioned, are the Nikon models. These class of 35mm scanners are in what I call a reasonable price range for the performance given in desktop scanners. There are better ones but not at a price point I would call reasonable for home use.

Nikon Bob

 

[rover]

Well, just this morning I took a flyer on the Dual Scan IV by Minolta. It is only $250 and listed a very good by many. I do 90% B&W so I won't miss the ICE and having a film scanner will allow me to produce "printable" scans, something my Epson 3200 cannot do.

I had some trouble finding one, and hopefully Freestyle Photographic isn't sold out like everyone else. We shall see, I will prefer an email telling me the scanner has shipped rather than one saying the order has been cancelled.

 

[rover]

The first email says the order is confirmed and will be shipped within 24 hours.

 

[erikhaugsby]

Though, witih KM out of business now, will Sony still sell the remain stock as new/oldstock?
Warranties?

oh, this merger is so confusing, honestly.

 

[bmoc]

The KM 5400 and Nikon Coolscan V ED seem to be two good options in the $500 range. I've used the KM Dual Scan IV for a while now, but had problems with it and then major problems with KM support/service (they had it for 3 months before I finally got it back). I've also had service problems with them in regard to a Konica Hexar repair. I was set to buy the 5400, but I've decided to go with the Nikon simply due to exceptionally poor service.

-Barry

 

[thirteen]

I use the Nikon Coolscan 5000 ED with excellent results with color neg and slide film as long as I use Silverfish software (additional expense). The software that comes with the scanner is not good IMO.

 

[harmsr]

I just bought one recently.

I had an Epson 4990 for general use and it also kinda scanned negatives. It never really impressed me, which I why I started looking for a true dedicated film scanner.

Within the price range that I wanted to spend, I basically looked at the K/M 5400 II, Nikon V, and the Nikon 5000. Actually having the opportunity to scan several negatives on each one at the store was a great opportunity.

I rated them in this order from low to best.

Nikon V - This was my base.
K/M 5400 II - A very noticeable improvement over the Nikon V.
Nikon 5000 - A significant jump in price but also much better scan when compared to the KM 5400 II.

My scans were all in color and negatives as I normally convert color to B&W in Photoshop vs. shooting B&W film.

I did not do any trials relative to B&W or slides, as I don't shoot them very often.

Just my $.02.

Best,

Ray


P.S.: Buying this scanner has really rekindled my interest in photography again. I hate a BIG camera and my D200 with Zoom is HUGE, so it often stayed at home vs. going out with me. My Ms are just right for size and I like RF photography, so I'm now out shooting pictures again.

 

[Simon Larbalestier]

I'd agree with Don's post above re the Imacons if you really want hi res big files but its a huge layout. When i need to scan my 120 negs i currently hire an Imacom 949 in London but it works out expensive for each session. The 343 at the price quoted above is pretty goood buy as its not that much more than a Nikon 9000 but i'm sure these are much more in the UK. I saw the 849 for sale in Calumet, London last year at £15,000 GBB + 17.5 VAT so its serious money.

If you only ever use 35mm film, then i would think the Nikon 5000 ED is a good buy (i have one) not cheap but very relaible and it's software works well with my B/W negs but i do find the Vuescan software produces a wider tonal range and i prefer it's interface on my Mac. In Darkroom terms it's a bit like the difference between printing an image in an enlarger with a Point Source Head and one with a Condensor Head. The Nikon Scan software really increases the grain and any surface defects like dust or scrathces but its a very "sharp" scan.

It really depends on what you want to do with the scanned files in the future.

 

[erikhaugsby]

Yeah, I guess that my main goal is just for digitizing my 35s, mostly low-level editing and web publishing of my pictures.
Possibly using them to make prints larger than my enlarger will allow (~8x10).

So, to be wholly honest I really don't need a brute of a scanner, just something nicer than a flatbed.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

For web work I use a Prime Film 1800i, new on eBay for about €80. Scans at 1800 dpi.

 

[michael.panoff]

Hey Erik.. what scanner did you end up settling on? how you liking it?

 

[JoeFriday]

damn, I hate reading a thread, getting to the end and then realizing it's 4 months old

 

[michael.panoff]

sorry.. was trying to get Erik's attention, maybe he's got some insightful info about his recent scanner purchasing adventure.. the thread seemed to have fizzled.

 

[goo0h]

damn, I hate reading a thread, getting to the end and then realizing it's 4 months old

Yeah, and then towards the end realizing that I've already read it! :bang:

I too have been trying to decide on a scanner. Seems a little odd to pay more than I spent (so far) on cameras....

 

[Terao]

I've been happy with my Nikon Super Coolscan 4000ED. Probably getting into the $500 bracket now. Its versatile and easy to use with some excellent built-in features for colour correction and grain management. Also has a handy batch scanning option - either 50 mounted slides, or strips of 6 negs/slides