What 1st scanner to get and the cost

[clcolucci58]

Thinking of getting a scanner in the future to scan my negatives and post some of my photographs. What is all involved with a scanner and the software that is need. Thanks in advance for all the feedback and information. 🙂

Regards,
CLC

 

[f16sunshine]

If you have prints and other reflective stock to scan as well as negatives go for an epson V700.
It's a good all a rounder although not the best for 35mm.
I use a Coolscan V ed for 35mm and the V700 for everything else.
If I need something better I send it out.
The V700 is great for quickly batch scanning "contact sheets" of my 35mm rolls before spending the time to send them through the Nikon (the nikon is mush slower and also much more detailed).

 

[thegman]

Depends on your requirements.

When you say 'negatives', will those only ever be 35mm negatives? If so, then I'd get a dedicated scanner, like a Plustek, or perhaps a Canoscan 4000US, the Nikons are great, but can be expensive.

Also, I think the Pakon scanners are worth a look, never used one, but they seem to be very fast, though I think the resolution is a little low.

If you're talking about medium format negatives, I think the Canoscan 9950f and similar are very good.

If you're going up to 4x5, and beyond, then Epson V700.

 

[lynnb]

Thinking of getting a scanner in the future to scan my negatives and post some of my photographs.

Ask yourself why you want to digitise them: what you want to do with the scans? If you are just going to scan them so you can post small jpgs on the web then any of the cheaper options would probably be quite OK: e.g. a flat bed, or using a DSLR to photograph them.

How do you normally print your negs - using an enlarger? Or do you plan to scan and print using an inkjet printer? If an enlarger, you don't need high quality digital scans. On the other hand if you intend printing digitally, you might quickly get dissatisfied with cheap low-quality consumer scans and want a dedicated film (negative) scanner.

The film format also is a factor. If you shoot medium format or larger, something like an Epson V700 might be all you need.

 

[clcolucci58]

Depends on your requirements.

When you say 'negatives', will those only ever be 35mm negatives? If so, then I'd get a dedicated scanner, like a Plustek, or perhaps a Canoscan 4000US, the Nikons are great, but can be expensive.

Also, I think the Pakon scanners are worth a look, never used one, but they seem to be very fast, though I think the resolution is a little low.

If you're talking about medium format negatives, I think the Canoscan 9950f and similar are very good.

If you're going up to 4x5, and beyond, then Epson V700.

Mostly medium format
Clc

 

[clcolucci58]

Ask yourself why you want to digitise them: what you want to do with the scans? If you are just going to scan them so you can post small jpgs on the web then any of the cheaper options would probably be quite OK: e.g. a flat bed, or using a DSLR to photograph them.

How do you normally print your negs - using an enlarger? Or do you plan to scan and print using an inkjet printer? If an enlarger, you don't need high quality digital scans. On the other hand if you intend printing digitally, you might quickly get dissatisfied with cheap low-quality consumer scans and want a dedicated film (negative) scanner.

The film format also is a factor. If you shoot medium format or larger, something like an Epson V700 might be all you need.

I print with an enlarger and mostly medium format is what I shoot. I was on B&H Photo website and the EpsonV600 flat bed is in my price range the V700 not so much. DSLR not so much for me either. Thanks for the feedback.
Regards
CLC

 

[Frank Petronio]

Mostly medium format
Clc

Epson v700 then... Comes with scanning app, but you will want Adobe Photoshop for cleaning the scans up and editing. I suppose Lightroom would work in a pinch.

 

[cabbiinc]

The V600 would work fine for medium format. You already print with an enlarger so I assume that you want to post to the web. If you have something you really need scanned at a much higher quality then send that one off negative out for drum scanning. Check Epson's website, they often have a sale or refurbished units that come with the same warranty as new ones for a lot less than new.

 

[jvr]

Mostly medium format
Clc

Epson V700 is a good choice for MF.
Just optimise the height of the film holder (I quit on the Epson and bought a BetterScan holder) and the curvature of the negative (with the BetterScan holder I bought a Anti-Newton glass). In my case, the difference is big.

Don't be afraid to use unsharp mask: the V700 is a bit soft, so it needs it and grain won't be very visible after the mask.

I also have a Minolta Multi Pro and with proper technique (good, adjusted holder, flat film and unsharp mask on the V700) they are almost equivalent until 1800-200 dpi. Of course the Multi Pro goes to (real) 3200 dpi and the Epson maxes out at around 1800-2000 (although it's rated at 3200 dpi).

I posted a thread comparing both some (long) time ago.

Before the V700 I had a Perfection 3200. My first MF scans on the V700 were a let down (much worse than the 3200). After adjusting height, the V700 is clearly better. It's just that the depth of field on the V700 looks to be really small and the holders are not factory optimised for each scanner (my particular sample could only be adjusted with the spacers on the largest height and some more shimming...).

Even for 35mm on the web (or small prints), the V700 is ok.

You will read a lot of very different opinions on the V700, and part of the problem is precisely this one: some people get lucky and some unlucky people don't bother to optimize. I almost gave up on it, myself, and bought a used Multi Pro because of that.

Nowadays, except for the thrill of having a panoramic slice of a 6x7 slide from my Mamyia 7 scanned at 4800 dpi (*) on the Multi Pro with no sharpening (we all have our guilty pleasures...), I would happily live with the V700. Sometimes, I hate Epson for not providing an upgrade for the optics on the V700. That said, the Epson has trouble on multi-pass scanning, for instance, it's mechanics are not precise enough and you will sometimes get some ghosting...

(*) The Multi Pro can be used on a 4800 dpi mode, where the lens is changed and the FOV narrowed. Vuescan can use this to scan panoramas (ex: Xpan) at 4800 dpi on a narrow strip of the scanner. You just have to create your own mask: the negative has to be aligned with the middle of the holder and not the ridge. But I digress... 🙂