Slide Scanner

[tony1965]

Can anybody on the forum recommend a good, reasonably priced slide scanner for scanning 35mm slides to a laptop?

any thank in advance

Tony

[viscount]

Basically, in my experience there are two main types of slide copiers. A dedicated 'box' scanner, scanning a single slide at a time, or a flat-bed scanner with attachments to take four slides at a time, with alternative guides for negative film. I have a flat-bed scanner (a Canoscan 9000F now around 3 or so years old) and have grown to like it. OK, it is a fiddle to load and unload the 4 slides at a time, but once set up and a routine of unloading-loading-scanning-precleaning the next slides during scan-unloading then round again, a box of slides quickly disappears. The fact it can take 35mm strips or larger 127 type negatives is an advantage, and of course I can swap easily from prints to slides to negatives. Some of the single slide style copiers are cheap and appear in gift catalogues - however do watch the detail of scanning (mine is upto 4800 dpi for 35mm slide), time taken to scan and ease of loading/unloading each slide etc.

I purchased the Cannon flat-bed partly because it came with a programme called 'Silverfast' promising infra-red scratch and dust removal as part of the scan process. I have never though made it work for me, or at least I can get it to work on screen one at a time, but I always loose the results once I move to the next image. What I need (still) is someone to provide a "master class" in using the programme on my PC. Which actually raises an important point, a vital part of purchasing a copier is not only the mechanical copying process, but also practical knowledge of an efficient cleaning programme that will work for you. I, mainly for the hell of it two years ago, did an adult class in photography - two sessions of which turned out to be instruction in the use of a basic cleaning free-to-load programme called 'Picasa' - and I'll be honest I struggled at first. However, once home and the free programme loaded I found my speed of cleaning built up, and with being able to discuss problems encountered with the tutor I soon became very confident. While Picasa does have limitations (particularly in correcting colour cast), it is a quick, yes easy, and safe programme, and for Merseysiders I'm willing to offer "masterclass" sessions in its use, or can "troubleshoot" over the phone. 'Photoshop' is the leading cleaning/manipulating programme, but is said to be more difficult and slower in operation - whichever you get comfortable using will be the best for you!

So, what are my recommendations? If you want to copy a mix of slides, negatives and prints - then a flat-bed is the essential tool for the job (and when linked to a printer is also a general photo-copier and instant e-mailer of documents). Be aware that single slide copiers are often attractively low priced and therefore basic and results could be of low definition quality and the scan speed slow. Not sure of prices now but seem to recall when I was looking 3 to 4 years ago that £25-40 could buy a basic one-at-a-time style copier, £100-150 would buy a decent flat bed 4-at-a-time slide copier that is versatile. I think that there are now on the market all-in-one scanner/printers that also offer slide scanning, but I have no experience of these.

Slides that to the eye are clean, crisp and nicely coloured, once scanned and on the screen are full of specs, scratches, dust, and worst of all the colour is often not as you would like it. That is why you need to look not only at the scanner, but also at the programme to be used to clean and process the images - and if you can master it!! Once cleaned-up, straightened, cropped, sharpened, re-contrasted (and posted on nwan forum), the results can be startling - but don't expect to copy, clean and save 20 years of slides in a couple of nights!

None of which directly answers the simple question asked. Have a look at a product comparison site such as www.pricerunner.co.uk to compare capabilities and prices. Categories>computers>scanners. Poor advice, just checked and that site no longer seems to include in 'refine' or 'product description' which flat beds are capable of scanning 35mm slides. Lots of purely 35mm transparency/negative copiers listed though, a number with innovative loading systems, so perhaps the market place (and product quality) has changed in the past few years.

[Deleted]

Occasionally Aldi have Negative & Slide scanners in think they are about £30 usually and although you can only scan 12 at a time before sending them to a folder they scan pretty good.

Its a Maginon FS-500 negative and slide scanner

[tony1965]

Thanks very much for your comprehensive response Viscount, most informative. Also thanks for your input aviation café - much appreciated.

Tony

[viscount]

Don't be put off, Tony 1965. A decent scanner, PC cleaning programme and knowing how to use it effectively, and you will be delighted with the pictures you uncover. You are absolutely right to ask the question as getting the right equipment is a major part of being capable of getting good results. A little surprised that others have not shared their knowledge about the scanning devices they use yet and their experiences using them.

Two major threads featuring cleaned colour transparencies and b&w prints that show how worthwhile cleaning is can be found on the forum eg

derbosoft.proboards.com/thread/13474/blackburn-hsa-buccaneer-photo-thread

derbosoft.proboards.com/thread/13378/donnell-douglas-phantom-photo-thread

While short of the quality of a recent digital image, the cleaned transparency image make for attractive images of scenes impossible today. Keep looking and seeking advice, then make the best choice for your requirements. Good hunting.