However, something is bothering me. Why are scan files so huge? Apparently the Minolta at max resolution can produce a 42MB file. This seems a lot bigger than the file that a high-end digital SLR would produce. Does the scan file have more information? Or is the scan file inherently less efficient?
I have the Scan Dual IV. It commonly produces TIF files in the 22 to 28 megabyte range, using Vuescan and 24-bit images. So yes, 42 megabyte seems quite possible on a higher-end scanner such as the one you're contemplating.
My wife has a Nikon CoolScan 995 3.34 megapixel digital camera. It stores files in JPG format, and they're something like 1 meg each in size. These JPG files are compressed, as all JPG files are. They represent something like 8 megabyte files in reality. Obviously nothing like my scanned 35mm images. Why?
Part of it is TIF versus JPG. JPG files are compressed - and 'lossy' in nature, meaning they lose information. TIF files are compressed a bit, but not with any loss - so they're bigger.
And, despite what anyone has been saying online or in photography magazines, digital cameras do not yet approach the theoretical capability of film to store data. A recent article I read indicated that a newly-released 12 megapixel camera is FINALLY capable of storing more information than Kodak Gold 100 in 35mm. And that's a close thing.
So, no consumer and most pro digital cameras do not produce anywhere near the amount of information that is stored on a frame of film. I'm sure that will change in time - the balance is already tipping.
It should also be said that my 20 meg files are not ALL USEABLE information. I get the same file sizes from scanning the frames that come from my el crappo point-n-shoot and my best Canon FD lenses or my Canon LTM lenses on my Bessa R. So file size is NOT necessarily an indicator of quality - they are just an indicator of quantity, and POSSIBLY quality.
I hope you find this useful.
FYI - You can't store even a whole roll of scanned negatives on a CD-ROM - not enough space. You need a 250 mb hard drive (minimum - I have three of them) AND a DVD burner. That's just been my personal experience. I store my scanned DVD's with my negatives, and keep the image files online until I have space issues, then I delete the oldest ones first.
Another tip - have a file naming convention. Calling your files 'SCAN001.TIF' and storing them in a directory called '/Scans/ is not conducive to finding what you're looking for 4 years later.
One more tip - most graphic image editing files can insert JFIF information into the file itself - not visible, but viewable in an editor as 'metadata' Put your copyright information there, and if you store things like shutter speed and f-stop, put that there too. Only takes a second and worth having ready at hand if you ever need it again.
Best Regards,
Bill Mattocks