Help me decide between lens or scanner

[maitrestanley]

Okay, I have money left over from my last Leica purchase.

I can either get a 50mm Leitz glass (either the f2 summicron or the 2.8 elmar)

or I can get a Canon 9950F scanner so I can finally digitize my shots and perhaps try out some digital printing.

What do you guys think is higher priority? A new lens or a new scanner?



I'm leaning towards the lens but I really want a scanner because I really don't have the time for real darkroom printing.

 

[shenkerian]

Hi Stan, the way I look at it is that you can always scan your film later if you buy the lens first, but you can't take the pictures that you missed if you buy the scanner first.

Also, tangential to your question, I've read varying opinions of flatbed scanners vs dedicated film scanners.

 

[maitrestanley]

Hi Stan, the way I look at it is that you can always scan your film later if you buy the lens first, but you can't take the pictures that you missed if you buy the scanner first.

Also, tangential to your question, I've read varying opinions of flatbed scanners vs dedicated film scanners.

That's one of my main arguments as well but I do have the 35 to currently work with so it's not like I wouldn't be making pictures. Right now my negatives are just sitting in a black binder. Only a handful get printed every so often. With a scanner, I can just batch scan them and go through them all a lot quicker.

Decisions decisions!!!!



I was also thinking about getting the Nikon Coolscan V. It's a dedicated 35mm film scanner. Thing is, I also shoot in medium format so a flatbed seems the way to go.

 

[ferider]

I vote for the scanner and an LTM/M adapter for your J8.

Roland.

 

[jmi]

I was also thinking about getting the Nikon Coolscan V. It's a dedicated 35mm film scanner. Thing is, I also shoot in medium format so a flatbed seems the way to go.

I thought that too and got an Epson 4990. Suffice to say the dedicated 35mm scanner arrived yesterday, although it remains to be seen how much improvement there will be since I haven't had time to unpack it yet...

 

[NL2377]

Well, I was going to go w/ shen, but then I read ferider's post... I think he's had the best Idea so far!

 

[shenkerian]

jmi, I'd be very curious to read your impressions on the differences between your scanners.

Stan, 35 and 50 are different enough to me in their fields of view that I'd still suggest the 50. Or, as ferider noted, you could get the adapter for your J8. That's not a bad idea at all.

 

[furcafe]

Get a dedicated film scanner (only Nikon is left for consumer models) & a good flatbed for your medium format.

 

[maitrestanley]

I vote for the scanner and an LTM/M adapter for your J8.

Roland.

This was my plan if I got the scanner. However, I don't really want to spend money on an adpator if one day I'm just going to get the 50cron anyway

 

[szekiat]

get the darn scanner cos we want to see more shots!!!!

 

[mich8261]

sure, you could always scan later, but if you are like me, the more daunting the task, the more you'll push it off. Scanning is also a way to create a back up of your images (at least the good ones).

 

[jmi]

I'll try to do a comparison properly between the two scanners at the weekend. Will post a new thread if I get anywhere. The 35mm one is now connected and working but I have to get the hang of yet more software first...

Initial impressions good though 🙂

 

[mike goldberg]

Looking forward to the comparison between the 2 scanners.
Cheers, mike

 

[rxmd]

This was my plan if I got the scanner. However, I don't really want to spend money on an adpator if one day I'm just going to get the 50cron anyway

You are talking about an $20 to $40 adapter that has a lot of added use in itself and that you can sell at any time and get your money back.

 

[maitrestanley]

You are talking about an $20 to $40 adapter that has a lot of added use in itself and that you can sell at any time and get your money back.

Yeah I know😛

I think I'm going to opt for the scanner and pick up a ltm-m adaptor while I'm at it.

Do you think the cheapo ebay adaptors are okay? They won't fall apart on me will they?


jmi, I'm also looking forward to your comparison!

 

[iml]

Get a Voigtlander adaptor, they're pretty cheap and well made.

A scanner's a good decision. I made some A3 inkjet b&w prints tonight on an Epson R1800 printer from some negative scans made on a very cheap Epson flatbed and they look fantastic. I need to find somebody willing to let me try a dedicated 35mm scanner so I can scan the same negs and make comparison prints.

Ian

 

[maitrestanley]

Get a Voigtlander adaptor, they're pretty cheap and well made.

A scanner's a good decision. I made some A3 inkjet b&w prints tonight on an Epson R1800 printer from some negative scans made on a very cheap Epson flatbed and they look fantastic. I need to find somebody willing to let me try a dedicated 35mm scanner so I can scan the same negs and make comparison prints.

Ian

Why not just take a random negative, scan it on your machine, then send the negative to a fellow RFFer w a dedicated scanner and get them to scan it?

 

[iml]

I was hoping my post might lead someone here to volunteer to do just that 🙂

Ian

 

[MadMan2k]

I would, but I don't have a dedicated scanner yet... I'm actually thinking about a darkroom setup that'll let me print color, and a flatbed instead, but I'm not sure yet.

 

[BronicaLee]

Oh, just get both and be done with it 🙂