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Epson
Epson Perfection V600
by Mike Pasini, Editor, The Imaging Resource Newsletter (September 2009)
Epson's $250 Perfection V600 scanner is designed for the photographer who finds the Epson V700 too rich for their blood but still wants a serious photo scanner. The V600 uses an LED light source to scan film sizes up to 120/220 and can handle two 35mm negative strips at a time. We scanned both Kodachrome and Ektachrome slides, 120 black and white negatives and some 35mm color negatives.
Canon
CanoScan 9000F
by Mike Pasini, Editor, The Imaging Resource Newsletter (May 2010)
The CanoScan 9000F brings 9600-dpi optical scanning to the moderate-cost flatbed film scanner party. We compare it to the CanoScan 8800F and Epson V600. And we take a look at what 9600 dpi actually does. Read the review for the details.
Canon FS-4000
by IR Staff (June 2001)
High end "personal", (very) inexpensive "professional" film scanner, 4000 dpi resolution (65 meg file from 35mm negative!), 14 bits per channel, dual USB & SCSI interface.
CanoScan 8800F
by Mike Pasini, Editor, The Imaging Resource Newsletter (April 2010)
Canon's compact flatbed film scanner is only $200 but has the specs to run with the big boys. We liked the software better than most for its user-friendliness but it still lacks a couple of key features.
Epson
Epson Perfection V700/V750
by Mike Pasini, Editor, The Imaging Resource Newsletter (June 2007)
We spent a few months with an Epson Perfection V700 using it to scan everything from documents to medium format film. It won't surprise anyone that it handled reflective material well, but the real question was how well it scanned film -- which were helped considerably by the latest version of SilverFast Ai. Our report covers both the less expensive V700 model and its more expensive cousin, the V750 -- and even explains those mysterious height adjusters.
Hewlett Packard
Hewlett Packard PhotoSmart Scanner
by IR Staff (September 1998)
2400 DPI, PC only, SCSI interface (card included), slide, negative, or print. 35mm film only. 30-bit. $399 list price.
Hewlett Packard PhotoSmart S20 Scanner
by IR Staff (June 1999)
Wow! A major upgrade to the original! (And the original was very good) 2400 DPI, PC only, USB interface (no card needed), slide, negative, or print. 35mm film only. 36-bit. Specs similar to original, but much better image quality, improved software. $499 list price.
Hewlett Packard Scanjet G3010
by Mike Pasini, Editor, The Imaging Resource Newsletter (February 2007)
4800x9600-dpi resolution with 48-bit color to scan ganged prints, two-up slides and negatives and create text-based PDFs with links automatically. $99.99 list price.
Microtek
Microtek ScanMaker i800
by Mike Pasini, Editor, The Imaging Resource Newsletter (February 2006)
Available in a standard or Pro configuration (with upgraded software to read the included IT8 targets), the i800 is a legal-sized scanner with a transparency adapter in the lid. But this adapter's lamp moves with the CCD so the illumination remains constant. In addition the 120 and 4x5 film holders use a spring tension design that flattens the film for a sharper scan.
Microtek ScanMaker i900
by Mike Pasini, Editor, The Imaging Resource Newsletter (April 2004)
We're seriously starting think about looking for the Fountain of Youth and a camcorder that takes great stills after spending some time with the Microtek ScanMaker i900. It scans both flats and film with 3200-dpi resolution and a DMax of 4.2.
Microtek ArtiScan M1
by Mike Pasini, Editor, The Imaging Resource Newsletter (December 2007)
It's hard to believe we first wrote about the M1 in October 2006, publishing a short feature in the newsletter on the state of the art in scanning. Last Friday, FedEx delivered the $699 Microtek ArtiScan M1 and we thought we'd share our experience with it in our diary format (including an installation gallery). You've waited long enough.
Minolta
Minolta Dimage Scan Dual
by IR Staff (August 1999)
Inexpensive "personal" film scanner, 2438 dpi resolution (24.5 meg file from 35mm neg), bits per channel (Dmax not specified), high-speed SCSI interface, software accommodates beginners AND experts, optional APS adapter.
Minolta Dimage Scan Dual III
by IR Staff (October 2002)
Excellent dynamic range, thanks to 16-bit A/D, scans 35mm and APS formats, (APS with optional adapter), 2820 dpi maximum resolution, 8- or 16-bit scanning modes, software-based "Dust Brush" and "Pixel Polish" for removing dust and auto-improving color & tone, multi-sample scanning up to 8x for noise reduction in deep shadow areas.
Minolta Dimage Scan Elite
by IR Staff (June 2000)
Inexpensive "personal" film scanner, 2438 dpi resolution (24.5 meg file from 35mm neg), bits per channel (Dmax not specified), high-speed SCSI interface, software accommodates beginners AND experts, optional APS adapter.
Minolta Dimage Scan Elite II
by IR Staff (April 2002)
Very good dynamic range, thanks to 16-bit A/D; Scans 35mm and APS formats (APS with optional adapter); 2820 dpi maximum resolution; 8- or 16-bit scanning modes; Digital ICE, ROC, and GEM adjustments; Multi-sample scanning up to 16x.
Minolta Dimage Scan Elite 5400 II
by Mike Pasini, Editor, The Imaging Resource Newsletter (June 2004)
Just as we were wrapping up our review of the Konica Minolta DiMAGE Scan Elite 5400 what does Konica Minolta do? It releases the $599 DiMAGE Scan Elite 5400 II. It was back to the drawing board for us. Konica Minolta had already gone back to the drawing board themselves, though. And the differences between the two models are noteworthy.
Minolta Dimage Scan Multi
by IR Staff (May 1999)
Multi-format, scans 6x9 cm down to 16mm! 2820 dpi (35mm and smaller), 1128 dpi (medium-format), Mac or PC, SCSI interface, slide or negative, 35mm or APS film. Optional full-roll APS attachment and bulk 35mm slide feeder. 36-bit, 3.6 Dmax rating. $2499 estimated street price. Excellent software covers needs of both beginners and experts well.
Minolta Dimage Scan Multi Pro
by IR Staff (September 2001)
Multi-format, scans 6x9 cm down to 16mm! (Considerably updated version of the original Dimage Scan Multi) 4800 dpi(!) (35mm and smaller), 3200 dpi (medium-format), Mac or PC, SCSI interface, slide or negative, 35mm or APS film. Optional full-roll APS attachment and bulk 35mm slide feeder. 48-bit A/D, Dmax not specified. $2999 estimated street price. Excellent software covers needs of both beginners and experts well.
Minolta Dimage Scan Speed
by IR Staff (January 1999)
2820 dpi, Mac or PC, SCSI interface, slide or negative, 35mm or APS film (APS via optional adapter.) 36-bit, 3.6 Dmax rating. $1299 estimated street price. Excellent software covers needs of both beginners and experts well.
Nikon
Nikon CoolScan IV ED Film & Slide Scanner
by IR Staff (September 2001)
Professional-quality scans; 2900 dpi resolution; 36-bit color depth; USB interface; amazing "Digital ICE" dust & scratch removal; new Digital "ROC" and "GEM" correct for faded negatives and film grain automatically.
Nikon LS-30
by IR Staff (February 1999)
2700 dpi, Mac or PC, SCSI interface, slide or negative, 35mm or APS film (APS via optional $199 adapter.) 30-bit. $999 list price. Amazing "Digital ICE" automatic defect-removal.
Nikon LS-2000
by IR Staff (December 1998)
2700 dpi, Mac or PC, SCSI interface, slide or negative, 35mm or APS film (APS via optional $199 adapter.) 36-bit, with multi-sample enhancement to 42-bit "effective." $1899 list price. AMAZING "Digital ICE" automatic defect-removal.
Nikon Super CoolScan 4000 ED
by IR Staff (April 2001)
True professional-quality scans, 4000 dpi resolution (67MB file from 35mm neg!), 42-bit color depth (!), plus 16x for 48-bit equivalent, high-speed FireWire (IEEE 1394) interface (card included for both Mac and PC), amazing "Digital ICE" dust & scratch removal, new Digital "ROC" and "GEM" automatically correct for faded negatives and film grain.
Nikon Super CoolScan 8000 ED
by IR Staff (September 2001)
True professional-quality scans; 4000-dpi resolution across full medium-format film frame; 42-bit color depth, plus 16x for 48-bit equivalent; high-speed FireWire (IEEE 1394) interface (card included for both Mac and PC); "Digital ICE" dust & scratch removal; new Digital "ROC" and "GEM" correct for faded negatives and film grain automatically.
Olympus
Olympus ES-10
by IR Staff (October 2004)
1770 dpi/3.84 Megapixel, Mac or PC, SCSI or parallel interface, slide or negative, 35mm or APS film. (APS via optional $199 adapter.) 24-bit with multi-sample enhancement to 30 bits "effective." $399 list price.
Plustek
Plustek OpticFilm 7600i
by Mike Pasini, Editor, The Imaging Resource Newsletter (February 2010)
There aren't a lot of 35mm film scanners any more but Plustek has just come out with the third generation of its 7000-series. We review the 7600i using the bundled SilverFast SE, LaserSoft's Archive Suite and VueScan. We've also included a companion piece that discusses the VueScan and SilverFast Raw scan formats that tuck the infrared defect channel into a TIFF for archival scans.
Polaroid
Polaroid SprintScan 4000
by IR Staff (May 2001)
High end "personal", inexpensive "professional" film scanner, 4000 dpi resolution (65 meg file from 35mm negative!), 12 bits per channel, high-speed SCSI interface, software with both "photographic" (RGB) and "prepress" ( ) scanning methodologies.