Scanner recommendations

[Captain Kidd]

I'm looking to buy a scanner and would love some recommendations, my only requirement is that it can scan a little bit more that the negative just to include a little of the images frame, not necessarily the whole negative, I just don't want it to crop any of the image. I have a computer that I can connect it to, I see some don't need that, any recommendations would be great.

Thanks

 

[Jake Mongey]

I have a lot of experience with canon scanners and id recommend the canoscan 9000f mark 1. The mark 2 limits the size of the scan area but the amrk 1 doesnt. But IHMO the Epson scanners are better

 

[:: Mark]

I have tried both the Plustek 7600i and Epson v850 for 35mm negatives. The Plustek gave great results but was way to slow - up to 15 minutes per frame with high resolution and multiple-passes to get good dynamic range. The Epson gave ok image quality, but hellish problems with dust and fluff due to the perspex film holders (static charge). Much of the scanner software is barely fit for purpose, and that which does work (Vuescan) is hardly a model for good UI design.

In the end, I settled on using a digital camera + macro lens to scan the photos. There are many ways to do this - I built a simple light table to give even illumination of a single frame, using the film-strip holders from the Plustek to carry the film. I shoot RAW and deal with the negative and colour conversions in the RAW converter (Capture One - but pretty much anything that allows a negative curve setting would work).

For me, this is faster and gives better results than either scanner...

 

[skucera]

I picked up a Canon Canoscan 4400F at a garage sale a few weeks ago, and I'm pleasantly surprised by the scans I'm getting out of it. It's nice and clean, and once you get into "Advanced" mode you have lots of control and excellent resolution. If you can find one used, pick one up.

Scott

 

[michaelwj]

There are lots of scanner recommendations in the scanner sub forum, read through them and you should be able to narrow it down

 

[Captain Kidd]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate all the advice, using macro digital, I'd read something on that before, interesting, I'm hearing good things about epsons and sorry didn't realise there was a scanner forum, thanks for that, I'll look that up.

 

[michaelwj]

I would have recommended one of the dedicated 35mm scanners like the Plustek, but getting the whole negative... not sure why you need to, the amount cropped is tiny. This puts you into the larger formats, which either lowers quality or increases the price. You'll probably need to file the holder. Happy reading.

 

[Captain Kidd]

Thanks, I wouldn't need the whole negative scanned, I'm just concerned that some scanners crop into the negative a little and if there was the option then I'd pick a scanner that included a little outside the frame, even a just 1mm would be enough, and then I can crop the image myself, or are all these scanners pretty accurate when cropping from the neg?

Thanks

 

[michaelwj]

The Plustek crops less than 1mm, and I could file the holder to crop a bit less if I cared. I assume others are the same.
If you just want the whole image, then you'll get it. Some people want the borders of the negative too, which you won't get with a 35mm dedicated system.

 

[ForestCap]

I'd suggest a PlusTek. I'm using a 7200.

As commented above it barely crop any of the frame.

One trick to have faster scanning speed is to use lower resolution like 2400 dpi or 3600 dpi, which is enough for online sharing and small digital print (e.g. 13x18cm). Mine does not have ICE dust removal and it takes like ~20s to scan each frame at 2400 dpi.
Of course you can always use max. setting for the "keeper frames".

 

[michaelwj]

The Plustek's maximum "practical" resolution is 3600dpi anyway, no point going higher.
I preview at 900dpi or so, then scan my keepers at 3600dpi. I don't save the non-keepers. It takes me about 15 min to get through a roll previewing all shots with 5 or so keepers.

 

[willie_901]

I find Plustek works very well with VueScan. I scan in Viewscan's 'raw' mode.

However, I don't do a lot of scanning, so a faster solution could be important.

If I had to scan film often I would seriously consider an old-school DSLR copy setup.