Film scanners
 

Hi,

I'm tempted to buy a basic film scanner. I'm not looking for anything fancy, just something I can use to archive some negatives with. Another use would be to get some prints done relatively cheaply where I have a neg but have long since given the print to someone else.

I'm not after super quality, just a basic unit for making 6x4 prints from a scanned neg. How good are the flatbed scanners with built in film adaptor units? I really don't want to spend the £300+ that a dedicated film scanner costs, especially as my flatbed scanner is fairly tired not and doesn't produce particularly good results. A flatbed upgrade could be justified, which is a good VFM buy for a flatbed with built in film adaptor?

Duncan

Have you considered using a DSLR to copy images? For slides it's easy if you have a light box, a macro lens and a tripod. For negatives you need to process the image to remove the orange mask. I don't know how to do that, but I'm sure it is possible. Anyway, images reproduced by a 6MP DSLR will probably match those from a 2700DPI scanner, and will easily do 6x4 prints. I've used a D200 to copy slides so I do have some experience and it works.

Alternatively you can buy my film scanner, but it's going on ebay to hopefully achieve a silly price.

I have a Epson 'perfection 3170 photo' flatbed which has a built in film scanning unit. Works excellent for film scanning (poss or Neg) - Suprisingly the film scanner does a better job than my Minolta scan dual dedicated film scanner! It is also a great flatbed. Not sure if this model is still available as it is over a year old now but I am sure the newer models are probably better still (and cheaper).

I forgot to mention that I also have a 1 year old flatbed - an Epson 2460 I think - which cost about £80 and it does very good scans of slides. I think you would have little problem getting decent 6x4 prints from it.

Leif

Thanks for the replies everybody. Looks like I can investigate flatbeds with film adaptors for £120 or less. Good, this was the answer I wanted to hear.

Duncan

I've done a bit of shopping around. The Canon 8400F seems to be a respectable unit. Has anybody got any experience of this unit?

If you have an Aldi store near by - tomorrow 30th March they are selling a flat bed scanner with 35mm film attachment for around £45. These are excellent based on the results I've seen on a friends who has one. Certainly comparable to my more expensive Epson and if you only looking for 6x4 prints...
I wish they'd do 120 format models as I've a very small batch to scan!

I've got a Canon 4200F that does a pretty good job. I imagin it was the predecessor of the 8200F.

It was the 120 format capability of the 8400F that was one of the reasons I was looking at it. I don't do much in 120 format because of the cost of printing. If I can get the 120 negs scanned and tweak them on my PC then I may do more with the old Rollei.

I'll see if I can get to an Aldi store tomorrow and have a look. For £45 it may be worth speculating on one of these.

If I were you I would wander into WHSmiths or similar, and flick through the digital photography magazines and maybe PC Pro and PCW too. They usually give their preferred choice in each category.

Do check out Warehouse Express offers!

Leif