Luminous Landscape Forum
Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Digital Image Processing => Topic started by: mjflaherty on November 30, 2010, 05:49:57 pm
-
I'm going to start scanning a lot of older photos. I have a lot of 35 mm slides to scan (probably too many to make sending them off cost effective). I also have many prints, only a portion of which have matching negatives unfortunately.
My question: which type of scanner to buy. I want to get the better photos to the point that they might be suitable for excellent large (say 13x19) prints, and for stock sales. Some were captured with a good Nikon film camera, some with point and shoots.
There are some good looking flatbed scanners at good prices. Or should I go with a dedicated 35 mm scanner? The latter generally have better resolution but I don't think most of my photos were captured with a good enough camera to make that worthwhile. So I'm leaning toward a flatbed, but don't know if that will get me what I really want.
Thanks so much.
-
I'd consider getting a dedicated film scanner for films, and use a 14Mp-22Mp digital camera with prime lens and a copy setup for copying prints.
-
Thanks Chris, excellent idea on using a DSLR.
I have a 50D, but right now only the 70-200 f4 & the 17-55 f2.8. Got my 5D Mk II and all my lenses (including several good primes) stolen awhile back. So the question is whether to wait until I can replace, or go ahead with the 15 MP 50D. Oh I also have a 100 f2.8 macro.
When you say "copy setup" what are you referring to?
Any recommendations on great-value dedicated film scanners?
Thanks again, this forum is pretty good.
-
Hi,
This website has some pretty good reviews of scanners that might be of interest to you.
http://www.filmscanner.info/en/FilmscannerTestberichte.html
Cheers,
Jay
-
I use a Nikon Coolscan LS 9000 ED together with Silverfast and am very happy with it.
The Nikon Coolscan 5000 even has a slide feeder accessory available, but can't scan 120 film.
If you can get one of these I doubt you'll regret it.
But: Expensive stuff ...
-
When you say "copy setup" what are you referring to?
Lights equidistant & @ 45˚ to the artwork. Polarizers over the lights, correctly oriented. Polarizer over the lens, correctly oriented. Camera parallel and square to the artwork. Lens @ f8 - f11. Camera is color calibrated with Adobe's DNG method or with a quality ICC profile if using Capture One.
Any recommendations on great-value dedicated film scanners?
Starting in 1992, I used a Umax, then a Nikon, then an Imacon Flextight, then finally, in 2001, a Howtek drum scanner. Nothing compared to the Howtek in sharpness, shadow detail (DMax), or smoothness of tones throughout the DMin-DMax range. Mounting film is where most people balk and go for a CCD or flatbed scanner. But once the mounting is learned, and the software is learned, there's no turning back.
Scanners:
Aztek (http://aztek.com/premier.html)
Nikon (http://www.nikonusa.com/Nikon-Products/Film-Scanners/index.page)
Imacon (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/463799-REG/Hasselblad_70380201_Flextight_X1_Scanner.html)
-
Scanning slides (Nikon Coolscan IV and V is my experience) is mind-bogglingly time consuming, if you are thinking of scanning a lot, you should seriously consider sending them out.
For slides, I think the best bank for your buck is to use your MkII with a 50mm macro lens (and extension tube if needed to get to 1:1) and the Nikon ES-1 slide copier. (I think you need the 50mm focal length to get the right working distance for the adapter)
-
"For slides, I think the best bank for your buck is to use your MkII with a 50mm macro lens (and extension tube if needed to get to 1:1) and the Nikon ES-1 slide copier. (I think you need the 50mm focal length to get the right working distance for the adapter)"
Yeah I'm wafflling back towards sending selects out and maybe just a flatbed to round out my personal digital collection. The good scanner options seem to be so expensive. Unfortunately a thief now has my MK II, and I'm left with my backup, a 50D. So would you go with the lower resolution crop frame to slide-copy, 50 mm equivalent?