Slide Scanners

[MCL00]

As someone who was recently in the market for a scanner, I have done much research. First, it depends how much money you are willing to spend. I was on a conservative budget and the result was purchasing the new Minolta Dimage III which has worked excellent. It is simplistic yet makes high quality scans with 2,820 dpi. I have printed 8x10's and posted pics on my website. For $299, this scanner is excellent.

Now, if you do have the funds, I would suggest the Nikon Coolscan IV, or the Microtek 4000t. Both are excellent and offer a 4000dpi resolution. The Nikon will run you approx 850 at an authorized store, and the Microtek is $999.

Good luck...

 

[CJ's]

Hi Hamburger,

We have an HP Photosmart S20. It is primarily a slide scanner but also scan prints up to 5 x 7. It scans up to 2400 dpi which is more than enough for viewing on your pc and will overload anyone's email unless you shrink it!!

The best part is that it won't break the bank! If I remember rightly we got ours for around $400 about 2 years ago so they should be cheaper by now!

Good quality, good price!

Hope this helps.

CJ.

 

[The Hamburger]

Thanks for the posts.

Froop , your pictures certainly make your point!

I'll see whats actually available here and maybe Singapore and then come back with more questions.

Cheers

The Hamburger.

 

[DivingGal]

The Hamburger once bubbled...
The Epsom and the Umix? are these flat bed scanners with a facility for slides? Which one do you have / use which model.

I have an Epson -- it is a flat bed scanner with an attachment for slides. I believe the number is 1650, though I'll have to confirm when I get home (I'm sneaking a peak on the board from work)

 

[alcina]

I have the CanoScan FS4000US and I really like it. I have recently been doing some slides of my Grandmother's from the forties & fifties and it is amazing what the scanner is picking up. I am not sure how much mine cost as it was a gift from same Grandmother.

I have also done a lot of underwater shots including many (many many) whale sharks and mantas in blue (and not so blue) backgrounds. It does a wonderful job.

Good luck...seems like buying equipment is mostly just jump in - no matter how much research you do there is always some one out there who thinks something else is better!

 

[RICHinNC]

Finally....home at last....

the epson i was referring to is the Epson Perfection 1660 Photo..
the advantage is that it will do slides as well....


I paid $175 for it new. ,,,works like a champ

 

[vicky]

You can't really compare two scanners without re-touching the photos before (using scanner parameters) and after (using photoshop) the scan.
The only thing we can deduct from your comparison is that a photo from scanner "A" looks different compared to scanner "B".
Scanners differ one from other in so many aspects other than the so-popular "resolution", that it is almost impossible to compare two scanners "as is" without touching the results. You may well find out that after some minor modifications you get a better image from the first scanner...A good scanning should start even before the scanning, during the pre-scan, by modifying the various scanner parameters (exposure, focusing, color correction and so on). Then you can compare the scanned result with the original image and use photoshop (or equivalents) to make them look as close as possible. It will, in most cases.
No shame in doing these "modifications", every scanner may even act differently with various types of films/slides, so don't expect to get the same results with two different scanners, not without correcting them.
BTW, most photo developers correct image parameters all the time without even asking you or letting you know (usually they set the machine on "auto", but that's another story).

 

[waltdeas]

I use a Nikon Slide Copying Adapter ES-E28 which screws on to the lens of my Nikon Coolpix 995. Can't complain in regards to the results. It cost £60 when I was over in Scotland last year. I think that converts to around US$100.

 

[cmdasia]

I thought Froop's scans made a clear and simple case for spending 1000$ if you want to scan slides rather than wasting 200$.

 

[Mizzens'l]

I have the Primefilm 1800. It is a low end scanner at something like $200. It does a fine job but has not options for auto feed or anyting like that and the scan/save is a little slow. If you are looking for something that is affordable and don't need to do a huge amount of slides I can recommend it. If you are doing anything commercial it is not such a great option.

Brian