What scanner?

[fabian628]

I have looked at the past threads and found one on scanners, but it is several months old and thought i would start this to see what experiences were gained in that time.
I am looking for a scanner for negatives (35mm and 120 film) but also for documents and prints, so flatbed i think is the way to go.
Looking for something with good quality however not really prepared to pay over $1000. I was looking at the epson V700 which looks like it fits the bill. I have read reviews on the internet, but it is good to hear first hand accounts from people :)

So I ask: What scanner do you use? What are the good points and some places where it falls short etc. and possibly anyone using other brand / model scanners that will do similar things to the epson. I have an open mind at this point.
I would hopefully be able to pick up a good condition one off ebay for a cheaper price. Since i have not much experience with buying scanners, I wonder if second hand ones should be avoided?

Thanks. :)

[Lance B]

I have the Epson V700 and couldn't be happier with it.

[fabian628]

thankyou for your reply. This is good to hear :)
Did you upgrade from a smaller scanner? How did you find the improvements?
Currently my only scanner is a 8 year old 3 in one unit, at does somethign like 1000x1600 so anything at this stage will be an improvement :D

[MarkChap]

Fabian, I have just purchased the Epson Perfection V500, the smaller brother to the V700.

I couldn't really justify the extra dollars to scan a few extra frames of film, 120 at a time.
The 500 will scan 1 frame up to 6x12 at a time, I have to cut my negs into strips of 3. There is a little sequence of holes in the back of the carriers that tell the scanner what you are scanning, cover this with film and the whole process stops.
The quality is outstanding.

I did my research before buying, there is a Canon and a HP unit that will do both 35mm and 120 film, but these didn't figure too much in the research I did, most of the feedback I got was about the Epson's, particularly the V700

[Lance B]

thankyou for your reply. This is good to hear :)
Did you upgrade from a smaller scanner? How did you find the improvements?
Currently my only scanner is a 8 year old 3 in one unit, at does somethign like 1000x1600 so anything at this stage will be an improvement :D

Not an upgrade, but it works and works well and is easy to use.

[swifty]

I agree with Lance. I also have a V700 and it works great. But its rather big and bulky.

[GoldenOrb]

We have the v700, had it for a few years with the old franchise... excellent scanner, cant rate it high enough!!

[MaxKlimov]

I had used V700 and it's capable of great results on medium format but it's crappy for 35mm film so I sold it and bought previous model epson 4990 and I can assure you that with special film holder I ordered from "better scanning" (not sure if I can give links here, just google it) it's gives me better results with medium format than v700 did with it's standard holder, whereas for 35mm film I use amazing Minolta Dimage 5400 (only does 35mm) which can give you huge somewhat 5000x7000 resolution scans and when I shoot transparencies + Lightroom 3 noise reduction applied I print up to A3 format and you won't see a difference with latest DSLR unless you come closer than 10-15 inch to a print and become very picky about it's sharpness and structure. These Minoltas are difficult to find nowadays I was looking for mine for a few month and then it costed me 600$ and the epson 4990 I got for 200$ + holder 100$

To sum up for the price of new Epson v700 you can actually get better results for your money.

On my website you can have a look at the scans In Medium format section the first shot was scanned with 4990 and the whole India section was scanned with Minolta

Hope that helps, but again if you want decent results with you 35mm film flatbed scanner won't come as close as a dedicated one.

[fabian628]

i got the v700 today. Have some software issues here

http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?76700-epson-v700-troubles&p=770405#post770405

i reccon they could have included a paper manual with an index instead of just a webpage with all these random links :( it is expensive enough.

[Beckmarc]

Has any one had experience with a dedicated film scanner made by Nikon and other companies. I am not referring to drum scanners which are in a different league all together but just deicated film scanners rather then a flat bed. I believe they can be quite expensive and I wondered how the results compare to the v700 you have been discussing. Thanks in advance

[Jane11]

I to am looking at purchasing a scanner and have nearly done my head in reading all the various reviews
All articles seem to point to using different software for better results. could anybody help me out here with this one as not sure and don't have any knowledge in this area

Also I have hundreds of slides so would be interested in what would be the best path to take

With all the photos if I have negs I would assume would be better to scan rather than the prints but once again don't know enough about subject so all help would be greatly appreciated, but
would assume this would be a much slower process.

Guess this brings me back to the question which scanner would be best for my project if I ever get it off the ground? :(
Please tell me if I have posted in right area as is only my second go

Jane

[fabian628]

Hello, I was in the same situation not long ago. Since I had no background in scanners it was starting from scratch. I was thinking a cheaper scanner (~300) would be OK, but i then decided on the epson v700 photo which is a flatbed, but also can scan negatives. The reviews seemed to like it and I am sure the cheaper scanners still do a good job, but I am happy with it. I cant comment too much on the results as I have nothing to compare it too, but the images seem sharp and good detail is shown.
I am using the standard software that came with the scanner, epson scan, i think its called. I can then use photoshop to change the digital image if needed.
A good thing about the scanner + software, is it will scan 24 negatives and automatically make a seperate file for each frame. This might be a common feature of other scanners/software, im not sure.

[ameerat42]

Hi Folks. This issue has been raised a good few times, but...

Beckmarc. I can't help you directly in drum scanners, but I'd say they're a world apart from the flatbeds. And then, you'd need to have something that warrants it, IMO.

fabian, U took the words right out of my mouth, as I also have (but haven't used in yonks) the same scanner. It sure can do good work for its price.

Jane. Yes, the original image will potentially give the better results (depending on how yo treat it), rather than scanning a print, that is. There's a lot to learn about scanning. You can do it the "quick and easy" way but otherwise there's a lot to consider and it takes time and understanding. If you have ONLY 35 mm stuff to scan, then you may find something cheaper than the Epson V700 (at about $700). Many (Epson and other brand) multifunction printers (MFPs) have 35mm film scanners built in that can do scans of up to 3200 dpi and 48-bit colour depth sampling. The 35mm limit keeps the price down. While the V700 can do 24/16 negs/slides, the MFPs usually can do only 6 or so at a time. The software usually assigns a different file name for each image. You need a fairly hefty computer system and substantial storage space and a good bit of time for this exercise.

BUT, don't feel daunted. You only have 100s, you said. I have lots more, and one of these days...

And lastly, people also use modern DSLRs for this purpose, by way of macro techniques. The results would depend on how good your lenses are for a start.
Am.

[Jane11]

Thanks for the advice. I do have slides as well hundreds of them that my father took when he was alive

Also heaps of old black and whites some 100 years old plus my own most of which have negs.

This is main reason I want to buy the best that I can that will do the job properly

Cheers

Jane

[ameerat42]

Hmm! Sounds like you might have to consider a goodish flatbed. Am.

[Jane11]

Thanks all for the imput. Much appreciated.

Have been watching a few demos on you tube. Some trashy but others quite good.

As a newbie at least have picked up a few hints on how to actually scan these negs and photos

Jane

[TOM]

http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?23673-Nikon-Coolscan-vs-Canon-8800f&highlight=canon+8800f

this is the coolscan 5000, but if you want to do 120, then you're up for a heap more $ to get the 9000. I decided to go for a flatbed to proof scan my 120, then send to the lab for the required high res scan.

[tr0j]

As a newbie at least have picked up a few hints on how to actually scan these negs and photos

Jane

Bump.
Interested in what you got, if anything.
Also looking forward to your sharing some of the B&W over 100 years old! :D

[pellicle]

Thanks for the advice. I do have slides as well hundreds of them that my father took when he was alive

Also heaps of old black and whites some 100 years old plus my own most of which have negs.

This is main reason I want to buy the best that I can that will do the job properly


I advise also getting a good flatbed, either a good used Epson 4870, 4990 or a V700. There really isn't that much difference.

Some pointers from my blog:
http://cjeastwd.blogspot.com/2009/10/quick-negative-scan-tutorial.html
(http://cjeastwd.blogspot.com/2009/10/quick-negative-scan-tutorial.html)http://cjeastwd.blogspot.com/2009/05/bulk-scanning-with-epson-flatbed.html
(http://cjeastwd.blogspot.com/2009/05/bulk-scanning-with-epson-flatbed.html)http://cjeastwd.blogspot.com/2010/02/black-and-white-neg-scanning.html
I have also a Nikon LS-4000 which I use for 35mm but unless you are intending to print bigger than 8x10 only critical evaluation will reveal the difference.

Consider your project from the following perspective: Is near enough good enough if you get all of them done? Using an epson flatbed you can get more done in less time than with a Nikon. The nikon serves better for individual efforts where you want the best.

There is a lot to learn about how to scan efficiently and effectively, but you can speed that up by thinking about it carefully and planning. Let me know if you want any more advice on this.

something else to consider:
http://cjeastwd.blogspot.com/2009/03/nikon-iv-ed-vs-epson-flatbed.html

[Maz1]

Hello to all. I have just found this thread and I'm in the same situation as Jane11 and fabian628, with many slides plus old family photographs to scan.
What is the latest advice re purchase of a photo scanner? I've been considering the Epson V700; it's been around for a few years now but doesn't appear to have been updated. Also most retailers don't stock them. I'd appreciate any advice.
Or, if I used my DSLR Canon 60D as a scanner, what would be a good lens to use?
Thanks ,
Maz

[fabian628]

Ive got the v700 which i think does a good job. It isnt cheap but can do medium format as well. I think the cheaper v500 can only do 35mm and medium format (?) so this might be an option if you have no large format to scan.

I have seen a contraption where someone used a dslr to 'scan' slides/negatives. From what I recall they use a tele lens with extension tubes, but i think a macro lens like the 60mm macro would work very well due to the purposely built flat image it produces. If you could get a good system going it would be much faster than scanning.

[Tom J McDonald]

If you just want 35mm go straight for a Plustek. Don't mess with the Epsons coz they are crap for 35mm.

[ameerat42]

If you just want 35mm go straight for a Plustek. Don't mess with the Epsons coz they are crap for 35mm.

(Preface: Gee, this is an old thread, but I guess people still read it.)

Tom, I might be feeling your pain a bit as I have a V700 and found the scanning of 35mm negs a bit fiddly with the carriers. But some expansion of your particular gripe would probably be of some use in this thread.

And Fabian, your...
...v700 which i think does a good job. It isnt cheap but can do medium format as well...

can go better: it does 8x10 inch

[fillum]

I have no experience with them, but just to let you know there are a few other Epson models: http://www.epson.com.au/products/scanner/


Cheers.

[ameerat42]

GAWRSH! This is a bitter va shock!! The price of
$949 RRP inc GST.
Five years ago I paid only $700 for the V700.

(Hey, what about that A3 scanner for a cool $6265!!??!!)

[Maz1]

Best price so far is $795 Bing Lee.

[blacktop]

CPL Computers are the cheapest
V500 = 325
V700 = 725

I've done a lot of research and I'm still lost, I've heard bad things about flatbeds and 35mm, and I've had some well respected people tell me that an old Canon/Nikon/Minolta/Kodak dedicated film scanner will still blow any flatbed out of the game.

My problem is most of those cheaper old dedicated scanners run only on Windows 98, I haven't used win98 since 2001! I do have a PC set up with XP, but then I'm told you have all sorts of problems with drivers and software incompatibility issues...

I'm at a point where I'm willing to part with about $1k, but when I look you can't find much apart from a flatbed for $1k, the Plustek come in under $1k but then they only do slides and 35mm, I'm not yet into medium or large format, but I am planning on getting there at some stage, and when I do that will make the Plustek all but pointless.

the Nikons that everyone raves about still go for stupid amounts on Ebay, but thats what I would like, as I can then future proof my photo scanning...

So in short I'm stuck, not willing to go over $1k, can't get much for less (that doesn't require an old PC anyway) want something that does large format, brings me back to spending over $1k...

I'm too impatient to wait for one to come up on ebay as well, since I've been looking (2 months) only 3 options have come up, all selling for more than what I was willing to pay, apart from a CanoScan that I forgot to bid on.

[ameerat42]

Well, while the world waits, take a leaf out of Chimbu's book. Look at his thread here (http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?98332-Dilemma-regarding-Epson-Perfection-V700-Photo-Scanner-for-digitalising-35mm-colour-slides&highlight=chimbu). And he's only using a P+S camera.

Do you have one that does RAW? Knock up a rig, use some macro lenses, and bingo... (maybe).
Am.