glenn_grove Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 I have about 1,000 medium format slides I would like to scan and I'm not sure which scanners would be best for this purpose. They're all mounted slides. I plan on giving digital copies of the slides to family members, and may be printing off a few as 4x6's or even 8x10s. I'd prefer not to spend a lot of money in the hopes of keeping it under $500 for the scanner, but would be willing to go as high as $1,000 if need be. Sending them off someplace to be done isn't possible as my relatives wouldn't trust anyone with such valued family memories. In addition to the scanner, I'll need software to help make any necessary adjustments/clean up to the quality. Is Hamrick Software's Vuescan still a wise option or has something else come along that would be better? I should note that while I have 1,000 medium format I also have about 50 35mm slides that need to be converted as well (and they are also mounted slides) Thanks for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon_shiu Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 Hi, I think the Epson V700 scanner would probably work fine. You can scan the mounted medium format slides on the scanner bed and possibly use digital ICE to clean up dust and scratches (not sure how it would work if you have Kodachrome film). The scanner comes with it's own scanning software. You probably only need to scan at about 1200dpi. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimsimmons Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 And set aside plenty of time for doing this. Scanning is a relatively slow process. The V700 will do quality work, but it will take time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kparratt Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 I copy the advice above. I bought a V700 which came with Photoshop Elements 3, providing 99% of the correction functions deeded, (which for me is everything except correcting barrel and pin-cushion distortion curvature) For both work and private labour-of-love jobs, one needs to be selective, scanning only to the resolution required. Scanning at 150 dpi (for a small web page image) takes a mere fraction of the time required to scan at 2400 dpi. For important works I scan big which permits precise geometric correction and very accurate spotting. (Important in portrait detail, where one can carefully clone at 1 pixel at a time where needed, for example repairing neg damage or dust spots in facial detail) Haven't done it yet, but will make a series of CD/DVD which family can view on the TV screen. The Photoshop Elements program also helps with this. The V700 comes with holders for 35mm strips, mounted 35mm slides, roll-film strips (3 @ 6x6), 4x5 and 10x8 large format. I'm working with it now. It's the most useful bit of kit I've bought for ages. The only draw-back about doing all of this is forgetting to eat, sleep, go to the bathroom, and exercise ... all the stuff that keeps one going. Cheers, Kevin<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kparratt Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 The above image from Sherbrooke Forest near Melbourne Australia: Using the 'Free Transform' function in Elements to straighten up the trees, then with lifting the shadow detail from this film with such unprintable density range, has brought to life an image which closely resembles the impression of the actual scene. I'm happy with this. (Further lightening is possible but looks exaggerated and unreal.) Bellow is another scan from the same film.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kparratt Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Detail of the above. I'm looking forward to obtaining the kit for making 'wet' scans for the highest quality prints. No doubt all of the above can be better, because I'm pretty new at this. Even so, the potential is encouraging.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hclim Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 I have printed 4x6 and 8x10 from scans with the Epson 4990. The prints look like nobody would have guessed they were scans of negatives. Also the Silverfast scanning software that comes with the 4990 is quite good. Go here for the reviews: http://www.photo-i.co.uk/Menus/reviews.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eskoi.pohjanpalo Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Here an example of 6x6 scanning in Epson 4990. V700 could be slightly better and faster. Scanned orginally with 4800dpi for exhibition print purpose, size 30x30 cm and bigger. This picture is down graded to 1200dpi. Unmounting your slides could be tedious, you can try to scan with frames placing them directly to glass. ICE in dust removing takes really time, instead I'm cleaning carefully slides with antistatic brush, then picking away the dust which is still left in Photoshop.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolf_rainer_schmalfuss Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Hello Glenn, get you the latest CANON 8800 F fladbed scanner for an reasonable price. Unfortunately, there is no slide holder for the 7x7 mounted slides coming with the scanner. I've cut one out of thick cardboard and painted it black. It works perfectly. I scan all my 7x7cm slides successfully with the ScanGear software with 1,200 dpi. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calvin_lee Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Nikon Coolscan 9000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeo_joe1 Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Get yourself a small lightbox, a 5 to 8Mp digital camera and a small table tripod. 1000 slides will take about a day to "scan" this way, whereas you'll need to set aside several weeks of your life to scan 1000 slides with a flatbed, what with demounting and remounting them again. And 5Mp is more than enough for reasonable 10x8 prints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_lawson8 Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 What Rodeo said, but for the 35mm Bower makes a digital slide duplicator that works just great for cheap. Just copy the idea for the medium format slides. Much, much quicker and will get most out of your slides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savagesax Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 I have the Microtek 120tf film scanner. Hard to beat the quality. 4000x4000 dpi and you can scan 35mm to 4X5. The price is less then $1500. Often there's a rebate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve graham Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 "Nikon Coolscan 9000" Isn't one of those going to cost a lot more than the stated budget? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stwrtertbsratbs5 Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 You could buy a Nikon Coolscan 9000, scan your slides, and then resell it on eB*y. That should come in under budget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon_shiu Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Hi, can the Nikon 9000 scan mounted slides? Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
q.g._de_bakker Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Yes, it can.<br>Mounted MF slides 1 at a time. Mounted 35 mm slides 5 per go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_tran8 Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 I agree with posters who've mentioned the Epson V700. It's doing a pretty good job for me, but with the proviso that the OEM film holder for MF is terrible. I bought a third party film holder - I hope it's ok to mention that it was from betterscanning.com - without this seeimg like an ad - and now MF scanning is a pleasure. The V750 with its wet scanning might be too time consuming if you have a lot of material to get through. Another issue I've noticed with the V700 - it likes Kodak Portra, but struggles with the colour of Fuji NS160. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stwrtertbsratbs5 Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 The cost of the scanner is small compared to the labor that goes into scanning. I'd rather wring as much info as possible from a scan - and never have to repeat the process. There are, of course, buget considerations. But, for me, the Nikon scanners seem like real bargains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glenn_grove Posted January 20, 2008 Author Share Posted January 20, 2008 Thanks for all the recommendations. It sounds like the Epson V700 is the way to go. Although, I couldn't tell from the product description for it if mounted medium format slides can be done on it. It has a medium format film holder, but will that do slides or do I simply have to put the slide on the glass. As for this being time consuming...I just finished converting all my old 45s and cassettes into mp3s, so this can't be any more time consuming than that. I am intrigued by the idea of simply using my Pentax Digital SLR to photograph the slides and play with them that way. Although it sounds like doing that means I'd spend more time using photoshop or some such to clean up the slides. The Epson V700 sounds like an all around good choice so far. Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xato Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 I would go with the D SLR with a good macro lens. Your family won't really appreciate the time it will take you to do manual scans of a thousand slides. First you have to dust it carefully, then wait a bit for the scan, then crop it and PP the dust if the ICE hasn't handled it. If somebody wants a 16x20 or something, it can be sent out for a better scan. If you can do 10 per hour, that's a 100 hours of work or 2 1/2 weeks full time. At 25 per hour, it would take one week. If you have a family, and/or a job, let alone photography as a hobby, you simply won't have enough time to turn what is a generous offer to your family into something much more onerous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_mathew2 Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 I'm new to MF and the V700 has been recommended to me for MF scanning. Is the general consensus that the Epson film holder is poor for MF? Someone also told me that this scanner has problems with negative film. Are there any particular types of 120 film that I should avoid with this scanner. Is the Nikon 9000 really worth the extra money (even at Ebay prices)? I am not doing professional photography. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_young13 Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 <p>Kudos to Xato. In addition to that, using some of the <strong><a href="http://slidescannertips.com/slide-scanning-services/">slide scanning services</a> </strong> will do cost some money but definitely be worth spending it in the long run if you calculate value of YOUR time spared for your family.<br> Apart from that, I agree. <a href="http://slidescannertips.com/epson-v700/"><strong>Epson V700</strong> </a> would still be the most beneficial solution, IMO.<br> Michael</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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