Looking for a dedicated 35mm scanner

S

Solvstrom

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Hi everyone

I've browsed through some of the topics to see if I could find some information that would make my decision easier, but I haven't had any luck. There seems to be many different opinions when it comes to scanning, just like cameras :)

I have an Epson v800 that i use for my 120mm together with SilverFast. I'm very happy with it and it does a great job.

I've looked at the Plustek 8200i - And it seems to be doing a better job when scanning vs. a eg. Epson v800.

Looking at some of the previous posts, it seems that there is mixed feelings about the Plustek scanners. Some hates them, others love them.

Other scanners like the Pakon F135 is also an option, but they are so pricey. Would it be worth saving up and get one of those? The software part is a bit tedious, but I could run XP on a Virtual Machine if needed. Are the results really that much better of eg. Plustek?

I see there is an Plustek 8200i and AI version. As far as I can see, the only difference is software. Is that correct, and if so, does it make a huge difference when i'll be scanning with SilverFast?

That was quite a few questions, hopefully some will be able to answer some of them. Thanks for you help everyone! :)

Morten
 
I have a Plustek 7600i and use the Silverfast software in the Pilot mode most of the time. I bought it used for a hundred dollars and it works for my purposes. It's used for old Kodachrome's and recently developed rolls of TMax. It is much slower than other methods and if you own a digital camera you may want to read the thread about scanning with one. As you have noted most of the older high end scanners are not compatible with newer computers. There are several threads about scanners on the forum containing plenty of the information you're looking for. Welcome to the forum.
 
My recommendation would be a Plustek 8200i and purchasing Vuescan with it. I own the 8100 which is the same scanner just without the infrared scanner (which I miss dearly for color) and I never cared for Silverfast. It seemed that sometimes it gave me great results, other times I would work on a single frame for 15 minutes just to get an acceptable result. For black and white I have always found Silverfast to be far too contrasty and blew highlights far too often. Vuescan scans much flatter but does a fantastic job at giving an image without color casts or anything. Scanning with the Plustek will certainly take longer than the Pakon, but you will get significantly higher resolution scans.
 
Yes. Save up for a Pakon. Most dedicated scanners vary little in IQ but if you don't enjoy scanning get one that scans full rolls at once eg. Pakon f135.
People on the Pakon group on FB has developed software that enable most features the Plus version has and other useful stuff.

Sample I happened to have at hand ATM.
They come out great straight from the machine:

35kv2is.jpg

Agfa Vista 200
 
I've experimented with all the approaches, not with that particular scanner, but with the highly regarded Nikon CoolScan V (LS50).

Pakon:
+ Fast and automatic, feeds full rolls or strips. Quoted speeds are accurate.
+ Excellent color, the fruits of Kodak color science, jpegs are beautiful
+ Digital ICE, the gold standard for dust/scratch
– Limited to 6MPx
– Limited to 8 bit, unless you go outside the easiest operating modes
– Requires XP. Most reliable with an old computer, but many are OK w/virtual

Camera-Scan
+ Unlimited resolution. Camera res in one shot, more with stitching. RAW capture
+ Takes advantage of advances in cameras: more MPx, sensor shift, etc.
+ Super convenient for slides; click, you are done
+ The new Negative Lab Pro is a real breakthrough for negs; good color automatically
– Dust/scratch is a royal pain; you quickly learn why they invested in Digital ICE
– You have to rig lighting and setup; not hard, but you have to do it
– In many rigs, you have to fiddle with positioning each frame, moving film

Dedicated Scanner (CoolScan V for me)
+ 24MPx, 4000 ppi, enough rez for most all 35mm shots
+ There is currently supported software (VueScan, Silverfast)
+ Nikon scan still usable, has Digital ICE
+ Frank and Gleb can still fix CoolScans
– Slow, a couple minutes per frame; to me this means for selected images only
– Dust and scratch with other software (yes, they do IR cleaning, but not as well)
– A used CoolScan today probably needs mirror cleaning or other service
– Firewire chips are failing (affects 4000, 8000, 9000 Coolscans)

My take:
- For the boxes of snapshots, the family library: Pakon, hands down
- For maximum image quality: Camera-scan or CoolScan, per individual preferences

Hope this is helpful.
 
i just did away with all this and just had my lab scan my roll for a small fee. they use Fuji Frontier SP-3000 which I think is the best option that is available to me at the moment :eek::eek::eek:
 
The Pakon is unbeatable for 135 format color negative film. I was lucky enough to order one from AAA when they were a bargain. I don't think I would pay current price unless I was shooting a lot of 35mm color negative film.
 
I switched from a CoolScan 4000ED (I assume the ptics became cloudy) to a Plustek 8200i just recently and think the results from the Plustek are OK for 135. In the past I used the Epson V700 also but the CoolScan gave better results and I expect the Plustek to do the same simply because the film holder is doing a better job in keeping the film flat (Tri-X in dry air !) as compared to the Epson.

I use VueScan with the Plustek and it works much quicker and faster than SilverFast (I have the Ai version). I miss the 40 frame roll-feeder that I used with the CoolScan, one roll 135-36 went in about 45 minutes and it takes me now about 3 hours (but including multi-exposure). I also found that the Nikon CoolScan 4000ED performs better when scanning very dense negatives as compared to the Plustek. I haven`t used the Plustek for color as of yet.
 
Fjäll said:
Yes. Save up for a Pakon. Most dedicated scanners vary little in IQ but if you don't enjoy scanning get one that scans full rolls at once eg. Pakon f135.
People on the Pakon group on FB has developed software that enable most features the Plus version has and other useful stuff.

Sample I happened to have at hand ATM.
They come out great straight from the machine:

35kv2is.jpg

Agfa Vista 200
Click to expand...

Really lovely pic. Dream like
 
Solvstrom said:
I actually picked up a light table to try out the DSLR route. I'm actually a bit impressed with the result. I did a quick test and I think there is room for improvement.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1iwlgtkg2dw836s/AACt1_M1pxB6Ab0Eajpo3JXca?dl=0

What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

I think it looks great. Also, not sure if you have used this but I highly recommend negativelabpro.com as the conversion software. Super easy to use, fantastic results and they have a free trial.
 
I use a Plustek 8200i with Vuescan before setting/adjusting the white point, black point, highlights, shadows, and contrast in Lightroom. The only thing I hate about this scanner is the film holder. It takes quite a bit of finessing to get the strip to sit straight. Once you do and start scanning, you have to ever so carefully advance the holder frame by frame VERY slowly or else the strip will shift. Usually after 5 tries I’ll give up and scan with the orientation askew. I wish someone made an aftermarket holder for this scanner. Otherwise, it’s great! I find the scanning time to be pretty solid @3200dpi and the scans retain a lot of detail. But definitely make sure to buy cotton gloves since you’ll be handling the **** outta your negatives.
 
Look for a used Plustek OpticFilm 120. Astonishing quality for both 120 and 135 film. You will be left wanting for nothing with this scanner.
 
I'm actually gonna stick with this DSLR setup. I'm really happy with it, and saved me a lot of money. I had the camera and lens, so all i needed was a light table.

I used a Canon 5D Mark III with a Canon 100mm L Macro lens.
 
Solvstrom said:
I'm actually gonna stick with this DSLR setup. I'm really happy with it, and saved me a lot of money. I had the camera and lens, so all i needed was a light table.

I used a Canon 5D Mark III with a Canon 100mm L Macro lens.
Click to expand...


Not a bad route to go for scanning. I enjoy using my DSLR/Macro lens set up for scanning B&W, and slides. I really like that I can scan the whole frame all the way out to and including the edges, something film scanners often don't let you do.


An example:


47518736542_0619b9b89a_c.jpg
 
Just discovered that Concord Camera Store (now "Concord Photo Service"), in Concord NH, does scanning that must be Pakon for $1.25 a strip. Result is 6MPx jpegs.

That's actually pretty reasonable.
 
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