There are thousands of people out there who managed to take a lot of pictures before the digital cameras came out and completely revolutionized the way in which photos could be seen without having to develop them. Now there is a great way for people to be able to scan their old 35mm slide and film and create digital versions that will be as clear as possible.
In this article we are going to focus on the best 35mm slide scanner and 35mm film scanner and we will provide quick, but very useful slide and film scanner reviews that you can use when you decide to purchase yours.
Slide and negative scanners are formatted in a way that it handles needs of slides and negatives to develop them in full sized quality pictures. 35mm slide and negative scanner further allows the users to convert the 35mm slide as well as film negatives into proper digital format. So for all those who store their memories in a film, such scanners can truly revolutionize the manner in which they archive the images.
If you have been looking for a good quality 35mm slide and negative scanner but are confused as to which one to opt for, here are the main things that a quality scanner should have.
See also: Best Photo Printer for Home Use and Mobile Printing
What Does A Good 35mm Slide and Negative Scanner Have? Have a Quick Sneak Peek.
Features you may need
- Scanner you choose should have scan time under one second per negative or slide
- Attractive resolution for image scanning
- Enough internal memory
- Pictures to be uploaded to computer/laptop or digital frame
- LED light for quick scanning; no warm up time required
- Compact sized scanners are portable and easy to handle
- Low energy consumption scanners
- Dust and scratch removal technology
- Photoshop elements or other software enhancers/editors for photo retouching
Output quality
When it comes to buying the best 35mm slide and negative scanner, make sure that it offers high output quality. Research carefully about the top scanners with best output and then make an informed decision.
Speed
Top quality 35mm slide and negative scanners have high speed mode scanning even at highest resolution around 7200 dpi. The high resolution scans produce larger files and so you need fast transfer rate to scanner’s internal memory or SD/SDHC card.
Ease of use
The high end 35mm slide and negative scanners available these days are easy to use as well. All you need to do is to just feed in the slides and negatives and you will be able to get your images in digital format. It is as simple as that. Such scanners have gained much popularity because of their ease of use quality. Stand-alone scanners scans and digitize on its own and does not need a computer connectivity.
Accessories availability
- TV cable
- Memory card
- Speed load slide and negative adapters
- USB cable
- Power adapter
- Cleaning brush/cloth
- Instruction manual
After you have got an idea as to what to have in your 35mm slide and negative scanner, here we present for you the top slide and negative scanners to take a look at.
Best Scanner Options for 35mm Slides
KODAK SCANZA Digital Film & Slide Scanner
Pros
- Versatile; scans most films and negatives
- 22MP resolution
- Speed loaders included for fast scanning
- Portable and stand alone
- Tilting LCD Display
- Supports up to 128 GB of SD memory
Cons
- Output needs some tweaking
- Resolution could be improved
- Image output could be improved
- Super 8 film only converts to still images
When you need versatility in scanning your slides and other negatives, this Scanza by Kodak is a first choice and here’s why.
The Kodak company is a company that specializes in image technology. Kodak cameras are one of the first cameras that use film negatives. Rest assured that the Scanza can scan your film, slides, 126, 110, Super 8 and even 8mm negatives (black and white or colored).
Scanning with this scanner is not that hard. It has speed load adapters for most slides and negatives. You can preview your images with its 3.5″ tilting LCD. If the screen is too small for you, you can connect this scanner to your TV or even to your laptop (via HDMI). Save your digitized image to an SD card (not included) immediately. It can support up to 128 GB of memory so you have more space to save your images. The digitized output is in JPEG format the same with Super 8 film.
On the other hand, you may not appreciate the immediate results and may customize your digitized images via Photoshop or Lightroom. Note that the results are good but even better on flatbed scanners with high resolution and advanced scanning technology.
A mini version of Kodak Scanza, the KODAK Mini Digital Film & Slide Scanner is also available as a cheaper alternative.
Verdict
There is no doubt that this scanner delivers. It can scan most negatives, not just slides. Price point is acceptable. The scans are a bit average and could be improved if Kodak will launch a new upgrade. But overall, the Kodak Scanza is a great scanner especially to those with bulk slides or negatives waiting to be digitized.
Braun Multimag SlideScan 7000
Pros
- Superb scanning ability
- High resolution
- Automatic batch scanning
- Accepts very few circular trays for batch scanning
- Multi-image output format (JPEG, TIF)
- Very rare jamming occurrences per batch scanning
- Dust and scratch removal technology
- Windows and Mac compatible
Cons
- Hefty price
- Slow scanning speed
- Not stand alone
- Heavy
If you need an automated batch scanning for your old 35mm slides, then here is an answer to your prayer. The Braun MULTIMAG SlideScan 7000 is not an ordinary slide scanner but offers something impressive on it’s pocket. So let’s take a look at what this scanner boasts.
First, this automated scanner can scan fifty (50) 35mm mounted slides per horizontal tray. Automation doesn’t mean you could just leave the scanner in autopilot. This scanner is susceptible with jamming issues just like the Pacific Image PowerSlide X. However, jamming occurrence is very rare per batch around 1 or 2.
If you have a CS slide magazine that can accommodate 100 slides, you can speed up your scanning. Again, do not leave the scanner while scanning by batch. Circular trays can also be used with this scanner.
Next, the output quality produced by this scanner is superb. The maximum resolution you can achieve with the scanner is 10,000 dpi. This means high quality fine prints can be achieved with this scanner. Also, the Braun included a CyberView X software that can help you remove dust and scratch of the digitized image through the MagicTouch. Note that using this tool could increase the scanning time.
Scanning slides with Braun MULTIMAG SlideScan 7000 is slow at some point. Using CyberView X’s MagicTouch could increase 2 minutes per slide at the highest resolution while 1 minute at lowest resolution. That’s why this scanner is made automatic batch scanning.
Lastly, the price of this scanner is hefty. Therefore only get this when you are experienced in scanning slides and you know how to achieve the best scans possible with its features and software being fully utilized.
Verdict
Achieving high quality scans from your old 35mm slides is a hard thing to do but with this automated batch scanner by Braun, it is possible. Though you may find this expensive, nothing beats automated scanning plus superb quality scans. Note that this scanner is not for the novice.
Pacific Image PowerSlide X Automated 35mm Slide Scanner
Pros
- Fast and automated scanning ability
- Feeder holds 50 slides at a time
- Superb image quality
- Optical resolution up to 10,000 dpi
- Magic touch, scratch and dust removal technology
Cons
- Hefty price
- Not stand-alone
The Pacific Image PowerSlide X can do the most intensive 35mm scanning. When it comes to resolution, output quality and cleaning technology, it outshines other slide scanners. You can choose two output formats either TIF or JPEG. Since this scanner is not stand-alone, you need a PC or Mac to view the digitized output. A driver software must be installed to integrate with the scanner.
Verdict
The Pacific Image PowerSlide X offers high speed scanning with a superb and vibrant output though it comes with a hefty price for its limited 35mm scanning ability.
Pacific Image PrimeFilm XE
Pros
- Slide holder holds 4 frames
- Up to 10,000 dpi resolution scanning output
- Supports 48-bit color depth
- Bundled with SilverFast® SE for brilliant enhancements
- Automatic color correction
- Reliable dust and noise reduction technology
- Multi-format output
Cons
- Limited to 35mm film and slide scanning
- Not stand-alone
The Power of a full size scanner is now in the compact Pacific Image Prime Film XE.
The Pacific Image Prime Film XE is a sleek and compact scanner that would sit nicely on your desk. It offers the convenience of a portable unit without having to lose quality. This scanner features 48-bit of color depth and a 10,000 x 10,000 dpi resolution so you can expect large, high quality prints. This input color depth allows you to maximize the quality of your images up to 16-bit in your final scans. Combined with the dynamic range of 3.9, you can create high quality digital images straight from your 35mm slides or film. It’s simple to use, featuring a one-touch scanning that gives you results in minutes.
On the other hand, the Magic Touch technology lets you remove dust and scratches from your scans so your images are crisp and clear. It has infrared sensor that detects dust and scratches. Another unique feature of the scanner is that digital noise reduction that reduces the grain you normally find when you scan 35mm slides or negatives and when enlarging images once they are digitized. Along with the magic touch, the scanner automatically corrects the color of your images to appropriate levels even on your faded films. This scanner has multi-format output of TIFF or JPEG.
Verdict
The Pacific Image Prime Film XE is a powerful compact scanner with a simple-to-use interface with a superb scratch and dust removal technology. It operates quickly and efficiently, and is compatible with both Mac and Windows 7, 8 and 10.
Wolverine F2D Saturn Digital Film & Slide Scanner
Pros
- Full-color 4.3″ LCD Display
- Fast slide and film scanning
- Easy navigation menu
- Supports up to 128 GB memory
- PC and MAC connectivity without driver installation
Cons
- Flimsy adapters
- Digital output may need to be enhanced by photo editing software
- No dust and noise reduction technology
The Wolverine F2D Saturn is a good option for 35mm slide or film scanning. With a reasonable price, you can convert your old slides or film negatives to digital. You can view directly the scanned image with its built-in LCD display. The scanning speed is superb that takes up to 2 seconds on average. There is no SD card included but it can store up to 100 digital images. You need to maintain the cleanliness of the mirror because this unit has no dust and noise reduction technology. The output format is JPEG.
This scanner also supports 120 Film.
Verdict
Scanning with Wolverine F2D Saturn is very easy and produce good quality output. This is a good option for starters who want their slides and film digitized.
Best Scanner Options for 35mm Film Negatives
Epson Perfection V600
Pros
- Scans films and slides, documents and photos
- ReadyScan LED technology for faster scanning
- Digital ICE for film produces excellent output
- Highly efficient
- Multi-output format
Cons
- Using Digital ICE slows scanning speed
- Not stand alone
- Needs PC or MAC to save digitized images
Other Available Advanced Models: Epson V800, Epson V850, Epson FastFoto FF-680W
The Epson Perfection V600 is a multi-purpose scanner that scans not just documents and old photos but also film negatives and slides. This unit is excellent if you’re scanning 35mm film negatives, thanks to its ReadyScan LED technology which speeds up scanning and requires no warm-up time while Digital ICE helps removes scratches and dust. What’s great about this unit is not just its excellent scanning but it is highly efficient, making this unit an ENERGY STAR® qualified.
Using this scanner requires MAC or PC. Unlike stand alone scanners which do not require third party hardware, Epson Perfection V600 needs to be connected to either by MAC or PC to process the scanning and save your digitized output. You can choose JPG, BMP, TIFF or PDF media output formats.
Verdict
Scanning film or slide requires investment of time. The Epson Perfection V600 helps you cut most of the time consumed in scanning thanks to its advanced technology. If you happen to have films or slides that need to be digitized, this unit is a perfect option.
Wolverine Titan 8-in-1 High Resolution Film to Digital Converter
Pros
- Can digitize slides and films in seconds
- Stand-alone scanner
- LCD Display
- SD/SDHC card options
- Up to 20MP image resolution output
Cons
- Internal memory only saves up to 40 images
- Only supports 32 GB of SD/SDHC memory
- Image quality may opt you for third party image editor/enhancer
- Scanner is not built with high quality material
The Wolverine Titan 8-in-1 is easy to use scanner with built-in software and 4.3″ LCD display for instant viewing of digitized images. This scanner claims to scan slides and images in just three seconds. The output is not great though it is not bad either. With up to 20MP output resolution, images are decent enough to be viewed on computers though printed output might be a little problem. This scanner scans 35 mm, 126, 110, and Super 8 negatives and the slide adapter can scan 35mm, 126, and 110 mounted slides.
Verdict
The Wolverine Titan 8-in-1 is a user-friendly scanner. The price is reasonable for its features abilities. This is best recommended for starters.
Magnasonic All-in-One High Resolution 22MP Film Scanner
Pros
- Incredibly cheap
- Scans most types of films and slides
- High resolution up to 22MP of output quality
- Speed loaders included for fast scanning
- Accessories included
- Portable and Stand-alone; No computer required
- LCD Display
Cons
- Not the best color output
- SD card limited to 32GB capacity
- Given the price, overall not built with premium quality
The Magnasonic All-in-One High Resolution 22MP Film Scanner features a 14MP sensor for clear and detailed scanning on your old films and slides. The built-in software can improve quality up to 22MP. Output format option is only JPEG (ideal for web). There is no need for computer as this scanner automatically saves digitized output into the internal memory or if you preferred, into an SD card. This scanner scans all types of films and slides (35mm Film, Super 8 Film, 110 Film, 126 Film, 135 Slide, 110 Slide and 126 Slide).
Verdict
The Magnasonic All-in-One High Resolution 22MP Film Scanner is the best choice for starters for its inexpensive and quality value. Reviving your old memories is easy with this scanner.
Plustek OpticFilm 8200i SE
Pros
- Sports a 7200 dpi resolution
- Automatic dust and scratch detection technology
- Fast scanning even with highest resolution
- Multi-format output
- SilverFast® SE Plus 8 produce brilliant results
Cons
- No screen display for instant viewing
- Not stand-alone
The OpticFilm 8200i SE offers a great way to scan film and slides in a speedy and detailed manner. It can scan up to 7200 dpi resolution in approximately 113 seconds. The output quality is astonishing and offers multi-format output options – JPG, TIF, PCX and BMP. The SilverFast® SE Plus 8 software helps the cleaning and detailing of the scanned images.
See other available model: Plustek OpticFilm 8200i Ai Film & Slide Scanner
Verdict
Though OpticFilm 8200i SE is not a stand-alone scanner, it provides great option to scan film and slide and produce great result with its advanced technology.
Veho VFS-008 Smartfix Scan
Pros
- Popup LCD Display
- Portable with integrated rechargeable Li-Ion battery
- Fast one touch scanning ability
- Supports SD/SDHC Card
- Bundled with 2GB SD card
- Stand-alone
Cons
- SD/SDHC card supports only up to 8GB
- Limited to 35mm and 110 slide and film
The Veho VFS-008 Smartfix Scan offers amazing features to scan and digitize old films and slides. It supports 35mm & 110mm slides and negatives. The image sensor is only 5MP but it has a CMOS lens which makes the image more accurate and contrast. The resolution can go up to 3600 dpi and the output format is JPEG. The scanning speed is absolutely fast which takes up to 2 seconds while the preview speed can take only up to 0.5 seconds. The scanner supports PC and MAC connectivity using USB.
Verdict
Having a scanner like Veho VFS-008 Smartfix Scan can help you scan, digitize or archive your old slides and films. Though it is not recommended for big project scanning, the features this scanner have is a great value for money.
Conclusion
If you have a large number of 35mm slides and 35mm film negatives that you want to turn into digital photos, these are all great options that will provide what you need. These slide and film scanner reviews should be a great way for you to determine the kind of machine that you want and that you are able to afford.
Now you will be able to take all of those memoirs that you had stored in boxes and upload them to your computer, website or social media pages. We recommend that you invest on the best quality you can find if you have a large collection of slides or films that need to be converted to a digital format.
Please guide me to purchase a film scanner which can be used professionally without hampering the quality of the scanned output to even the slightest. It should automatically remove the dust and scratches of the original and give a sharp and vivid output to the fullest satisfaction of the customer. I would like to use it for business purpose. Kindly also let me know the price of the same. Thanks.
Hi Milind,
If you’re using it for business, I suggest the Epson v800 or Epson v850 which are great when scanning photos, slides and film though these scanners are priced around $600-$900. If you’re looking for cheaper one with amazing results, the CanoScan 9000F Mark II, Jumbl 22MP All-In-1 Film & Slide Scanner or the Epson v600. The Epson have Digital Ice which is created to remove dust and scratches.
Hope this helps!
Use a drum scanner. Find a big room to put it in, and spend a lot of time learning how to use it. Used, expect to pay several thousand and make sure it works before purchase. New, if you can find them, up to $50k USD. All other options will “hamper the quality”. Imacon are marketed as drum scanners. They are not. They are a low cost ($10-20k) cheaper alternative to drum scanning with inferior lenses and image quality. Epson V whatever, Nikon coolscan, Plustek are not professional devices. They barely get above 1800-3800 optical dpi and 3.6 Dmax. Fine for home use, not for professional results.
Gosh Joe, we have 32.000 scans up on Getty right making us money each month. All done with Nikon Coolscans. Can’t possible imagine who would even bother with a drum scanner these days.
Everything in this list and your suggestions is utterly trash. Do NOT get the V600–terrible dynamic range, rattle-y (blurry pictures during scans), and has a fixed lens that is glued out-of-focus from the factory, and can’t be adjusted. The V300/V500/V600 are the same scanner inside. I sold my V3xx and bought the V600, and boy was I ticked off when the images looked the same!! The parts inside are worth $50 tops.
The Epson V850 flatbed is the ONLY scanner than can auto-focus, but its dynamic range is barely…just bare…ly usable. It’s maybe worth $200 to build in China, not the $1,200 they’re asking for it.
Unfortunately, the ONLY pro level film scanners that were mere mortals made are no longer built:
Hasselblad Flextight
Nikon Super Coolscan 4000 ED, 5000 ED and 9000 ED scanners
Minolta Dimage scanners 5400 and Multi Pro
The Nikons were so good that they appreciated in value more than twice inflation. They sold for $1,000. Now they’re being sold USED for $6,000!
You have a better chance of seeing God than finding one of these models, parts-complete in the original box. The reason why junk scanners sell is because almost no one alive remembers what a slide through a projector looks like compared to a JPEG on a monitor. A 4K monitor? More like 4,000 times worse than seeing a real slide in person.
And remember…even if you find one of these in good condition, the software may not work.
Drum scanners? Don’t make me laugh. It’s cheaper to go to college for electrical engineering, build a superior CCD scanner and take the leftover money for a nice Hawaiian vacation.
Thanks, Harold for the real life what scanner to buy tip! Some of these comments make my head spin. Will check out the Nikon 👍
Would your suggestions of the Epson v800 or Epson v850 be the same for scanning old slides and negatives in museum collections? We have a large number of slides and negatives we need to scan to digital that are in our collections, several from long term archaeological projects done in the 1970s to 1990s. Most of slide film used was Kodachrome. We will be scanning to a new iMac.
Thank you for any help!
Hi C. Bettison,
Yes. The Epson v600, V800 or V850 are great for scanning tons of old slides and film negatives. What I like about the Epson is its Digital Ice technology which automatically removes dust, hair, scratches or other obstructions. The PowerSlide 5000 is also good option only for 35mm slide scanning. It can scan slide by batch up to 50 slides nonstop at a time.
It depends on what you mean by large number. If it’s several thousand, use a macro lens and a professional DSLR. You will not get dust removal so you will need to unmount the slides and clean them. It might take a week to unmount and clean 5000 slides. Only silverfast studio AI has dust and scratch removal for kodachrome. It is a black and white film emulsion so normal software dust removal doesn’t work. Epson Digital ICE won’t work. Also Kodachrome images will come out blueish unless you use an IT8 target for color. Silverfast has a kodachrome setting but you won’t get totally accurate colors. IT8 target slide runs around $500-$800 if you can still find them.
If it were me, I would use a slide copy stand and macro lens attached to a DSLR. You could “scan” several thousand per day. I would spend a week unmounting the slides and cleaning them and then use the dust and scratch removal in photoshop to fix the rest.
Why would you go with such a time-consuming method to ‘scan’ thousands of images? I have already scanned multiple thousands of 35mm slide scans using a flatbed photo scanner no longer available (HP Scanjet G4050) that was many times faster than the work you describe and more than met the needs of my customers.
There’s a reason people want to use a proper film scanner and not some makeshift rig that risks damaging the film in the process.
There’s reason people use a good sensor/lens digital camera too. If you can’t do it without damaging things then drink your Kool-aid. It’s elaborate to setup; but then can’t be beat. You might have to actually learn some stuff.
Hi,
I have the Epson v600 to scan my 35 mm negatives. However I was wondering if you knew of an easier way to simply view/magnify negatives. I am going through all my negatives to compare to my prints, and am trying to figure out the best way to easily view/magnify the negatives, so that I can print any ones that I am missing. Is there a device that does such a thing?
Thank you!
Hi Dorothy,
Do you mean previewing the negatives? Try the Loupe Magnifiers. That’s the easiest way to preview and magnify negatives to help you spot which negative you are missing.
Hope that helps.
Hi,
I use the V600 also. I noticed simple negative viewer that will display a conversion on it’s built in screen., also scans at lower quality then your scanner. It’s called the Magnasonic FS50 priced from 75.00 to 125.00 US. I guess it might be useful if you have hundreds of 35mm negs like I do. I just look with a loupe on my lightbox and then scan the strip on the V600 and keep the ones I like.
Hi, I’ve just inherited 1000s of family slides, each slide in a metal jacket, then seated in metal magazines. My job: present each family member a CD with pictures and history. I’m thinking I’ll scan each slide to my PC hard drive, enhance, edit and order them and then write them to CDs. Also, my Dad meticulously wrote the when, who and where on EACH slide, so I’d like to be able to write those captions on or next to the scanned images. Is there a scanner or process that would make this easier? Any thoughts on which scanner or software that would help me save our family history as Dad intended?
Thank you so much.
Hi Patricia,
It is actually the software that can append those captions. After each scan, you should affix the the caption so that you will not get confused on which slide has the ‘when, who and where’. You can do the caption through Photoshop. If you’re not into Photoshop, here’s a list of software which can add text to pictures: http://listoffreeware.com/list-of-best-free-software-to-add-text-to-pictures/
Hello, I’m thinking of getting the Epson v600 for scanning 35mm lack and white negatives. How does the Epson compare to the old Nikon Coolscan V LS 50 ED ? I have a chance to pick up the Nikon at a fair price. Thank you
Hi John,
The Epson V600 is rather advanced than the Nikon Coolscan. The Epson V600 is not just a film and slide scanner but also a photo and document scanner. What I like about the V600 is its later OS compatibility, resolution and efficiency (Energy Star Certified). Though both use Digital Ice which is a great feature for fixing those scratches on images.
I have metal the same situation as Patricia Johnson above but the metal slides don’t fit in the Wolverine F2D inserts. Is there a special insert for metal slide jackets that I can order or do I have to remove each slide from the metal jacket?
Hi Brian,
Have you tried removing those metal jackets? The Wolverine F2D will feed on a 35mm thick slide.
I also have inherited thousands of slides in jackets and magazines. Above reply mentions removing the jackets which appears to be a tedious exercise. Any suggestions on how to do it?
Hello,
I am between the Epson v850, Canon CanoScan 9000F Mark II, and something like the Jumbl 22MP. Whats the real difference in the V850 and the 9000F? I mean money is not the issue however the resolutions seem about the same. I don’t want to throw money down the drain but I will buy the Epson V850 it it blows it out of the water.
I am going to do a family project of 1,000 of photos and want the best quality. I was thinking of the FF-640 but that idea is blown out of the water because most photos are in a folder.
I want the best quality at this point.
Please tell me the exact difference in these three models and why I should choose whichever one.
Thank you.
Hi Cliff,
There is one thing I can describe the FF-640 – it’s incredibly fast, but if you want a scanner with great quality scan I go for v800, v850 or the 9000F Mark II. The FF-640 doesn’t have the best quality output but it is built for speed and does have a poor text quality recognition especially if your photos are very old.The Epson v800 and v850 have superb image quality output. What I like about these scanners is its digital ice features which detects and corrects scratches and removes dust on photos. However using the digital ice makes the scanning slow. On the other hand, the 9000F Mark II is also great scanner. It is simple and easy to use. While the Epson utilizes digital ice, Canon develops its own Film Automatic Retouching and Enhancement (FARE). However the scans are not that excellent but not bad either. In terms of energy efficiency, there is an Epson v600 which is Energy Star Certified.
Hi, Can you comment please on the risk of driver conflict if I have say a HP All-In-One scanner/printer installed and then install say the Epsom V800? I have Windows 10 on my laptop. I did have an issue a while back with two HP devices installed and I was advised that HP don’t allow that. Any advice would be appreciated.
John
Hi John,
What I would recommend is to debug. Uninstall the drivers and try to install it one by one. I have no conflicts between two drivers installed on the same OS.
Thanks for that. Maybe it was just a HP thing. You’ve given me confidence to give it a go! Thanks.
I’m glad it helped!
I just tried and returned the Jumbl 22MP. I got it to replace an older Jumbl 5 MP, hoping for better resolution. The new Jumbl often got colors badly wrong – yellow or green in excess. The older Jumbl scanned the same negatives without problems.
I’m still searching for a scanner to digitize thousands of 35mm negatives and slides. The 5MP Jumbl is fast and easy. The Jumble 22MP was a disappointment – perhaps I just got a bad unit. I have an old Konica-Minolta Dimage scanner, however that software is no longer supported and does not work in Windows. It is also a very slow slide scanner.
Hi Bud,
Have you tried to clean the lens of Jumbl 22MP or the films you want to scan? You can preview the image first and adjust the color and exposure. Regarding with batch slide scanning, the PowerSlide 5000 is a good option while Wolverine F2D Mighty 20MP 7-in-1 or 4-1 is a good for fast 35mm film scanning. I usually choose the autofeed scanners rather than flatbed when scanning hundreds of films.
Is there another scanner that will do batch? 50+ at at time than the power scanner5000. Under $400
Hi Harriet,
There is Plustek OpticFilm 135 which is under $400. You will be amazed by its scanning speed but the output is not good. I use the autofeed scanners when scanning multiple films and slides. The PowerSlide 5000 is by far the best option for batch scanning.
Can you recommend a stand alone scanner for photos?
I am trying to digitize a photo collection for my hometown Historical Society and would like higher res stand alone photo scanning on site that I can clean up later on my computer.
Any suggestions?
Hi Johnny,
These are good stand alone scanners:
Pandigital Personal Photo Scanner: Resolution of 600dpi
Doxie One – Standalone Portable Document & Photo Scanner: Resolution of 300dpi
Doxie Go Plus: Resolution of 600dpi
Hi,
I will be starting a project of scanning thousands of family 35mm negatives and slides. I am in the market for a high end scanner that has an output that allows for image manipulation in Adobe CC. Should I be looking for a scanner that produces RAW files? What would you suggest?
Thank you.
Hi Doug,
Do you need fast scanning method or just the typical flatbed or auto fed scanners? All scanners produce JPEG, TIF, BMP or PDFs but mostly JPEG.
This limits you to a few options. Plustek makes OK scanners, the 8200. Pacific Image PrimeFilmXA is a few notches higher output–it deals with darker slides better and has adjustable focus. Upgrade to silverfast AI studio. It makes a difference in output as it allows focusing for the Pacific Image and also produces high bit raw files. Get your negatives perfectly flat. Lay heavy books on top of them for several weeks to flatten the film. Sort your slides by type-kodachrome, ektachrome, fujichrome, etc. Buy an IT8 target slide for better color-and use the auto calibrate function in Silverfast. Each particular scanner will produce slightly different color. DO not use infrared dust removal for kodachrome slides-it does not work properly. Buy a fast computer with a large SSD drive. Silverfast produces very large RAW files 200mb-900mb a piece.
Hi,
I have , lots, maybe thousands of photos and negatives, and some slides that I want to digitize. I am not too concern about resolution. Enough for uploading to Facebook or view online. Speed is of the essence, or my key concern. I think I probably have negatives for my print photos. Hence, if I can get something that can scan negatives and slides quickly, that is good enough for me. Ideally something that can feed negative strips quickly. If that can load on its own in batches without me watching over it, all the more better. I have read the above reviews quickly but am unsure which meets the above criteria. Thanks for any advice.
TWC
Hi TWC,
Great options are Jumbl 22MP or Wolverine F2D which have speed loaders to speed up scanner without reload. Both are fast scanners.
I have 100+ rolls of negative 35mm film rolls to be developed, and the cost to print all these would be far too much. I would like to have a scanner which produces good colours and is fast, which one would you recommend? My main concern is colour, I’ve looked at a lot of examples for different scanners and the colours always look a big blue or unsaturated.
Hi Charlotte,
With regards to color quality, most of the scanners will auto detect the color of the films scanned, at least close to “accuracy” scanning. However, there is also options to adjust color and exposure like the Jumbl 22MP. On the other hand, beautiful scanned images are not created just through scanning directly but there are software to optimize the color, saturation, exposure etc. like the Photoshop, SilverFast or Photoshop Elements. Great option for your case I would suggest Epson Perfection V600 or Plustek OpticFilm 8200i SE.
So much choice and so many mixed reviews!
I’m simply looking for a device to scan black and white negatives in strips of 8 photos.
Time / speed isn’t an issue – what do you recommend?
The Epson Perfection V600 or Plustek OpticFilm 8200i SE are great options with excellent output quality.
I had a film scanner I bought a few years ago but now doesn’t seem to work with my new computer. I have Windows 10 now. can you recommend one, reasonably priced and decent quality, that will work?
Hi Jane,
The Epson v600 is a great choice if you want it to be connected to your computer. However, if you want a stand alone that requires no computer connection, the Jumbl 22MP or Wolverine F2D are the best, for entry to mid level at least.
Posted a question but it disappeared, so trying again. I apologize if this is a double.
I currently have Brookstone’s iConvert Instant Slide & Negative Scanner. It is brand new – never used. Do you know anything about it? I am using a 64mb SC card but it keeps telling me the memory card is full when the card is empty. I even tried reformatting it.
I was wondering if it is like the Veho VFS-008 Smartfix Scan which can only support a 8mb card. It doesn’t say anything about that in the manual. Also do you know where I can get technical support since it is an older product?
Hi Susan,
Do you mean SD card? And where did you buy the scanner? The Veho VFS-008 Smartfix can hold up to 2GB of data. Try this link if you need support http://www.brookstone.com/pd/iconvert-instant-slide-negative-scanner/649236p.html There’s a customer care number on the right and their email is [email protected] Looks like they discontinue this product.
Hi,
I have a whole bunch of 35 mm negatives (mostly B&W) stitched together into a large roll (not on reel). Is there a reasonably priced scanner that can automatically move the film along, center each frame, and produce high resolution scans enough suitable for 8″x12″ prints?
Hi Dan,
Go for the Epson V600. It has an excellent resolution and can accommodate for that size. It has a Digital Ice technology that can remove dust and scratches from your negatives and you’ll get quality prints. I don’t usually go for automatic feeding but for this scanner it will help you center the film with its film holders though manually. If you have that much of negatives, I say scan at a time.
The V600 requires that I snip the roll into short strips, scanning (I guess) 6 frames each time, and then have film strips instead of a roll. That is labor intensive, slow, and undesirable results of possibly having the strips out of order. That is why I am not considering a flat bed scanned (of which I have 2 high resolution ones.)
Other suggestion for something that can handle a roll?
I understand, but try the Wolverine F2D. Be sure to clean your negatives first for best results. That scanner will handle a bunch of films and it is fast. Plustek OpticFilm 8200i SE has a very good speed scanning too and has scratch and dust removal technology but will stretch out your pocket. How long are your stitched films by the way?
They are standard 35 mm rolls with 35-38 frames each. I don’t know how many of them are there but the entire roll diameter is about 7″ with a 1″ center core.
I see, the Wolverine F2D Super can do the job.
I have negatives from the 1950/60s (50 x 65 mm), 1970s (15 x 18 mm) and 1980s (25 x 35 mm) and wonder what scanner is best to buy for these. About 1000 pcs all in all?
Hi Hans,
I’m not quite so sure about those film dimensions. Can you be more specific about the film designation?
Hello. Wonder if anyone could help me, I am looking to get some 12 x 8 prints made from 35mm slides, the slides are historic and it is important to try and get the best possible quality prints they can provide. I have already some prints made by a company that I sent them to, they used a Fuji Frontier printer at 300ppi. My question is 300ppi seems awfully low especially when I see other scanners have over 9000ppi capability. To be honest I wasn’t very happy with the results and I am sure the slides could be reproduced better. Can anyone please point me in the right direction and advise what would be a good scanner to buy to reproduce at high quality. Thank you.
Hi Gary,
How many are those 35mm slides? If you want a flatbed scanner, I recommend the Epson V600 or V800 if you don’t mind about the price. Both have superb scanning resolution up to 6400 x 9600 dpi for prints. They produce high quality prints for slides and films. The Digital ICE helps with the quality output.
If you’re in a hurry, go for Automated 35MM Slide Scanner by Pacific Image that has batch scanning features and has 5000 dpi resolution.
Scanplify
Hi. Thank you for your advice. I guess I have approx 300-400 slides so quite a number! which could prove costly, still that said I don’t mind taking my time as long as the quality is the very best. It seems a lot of people recommend the Epson v600, any other thoughts would be welcome and I am very grateful for any advice. Thank you.
You are welcome Gary! I like the v600 a lot though it takes time scanning films and slides. Man its a tedious job but worth it. Since you have important slides to scan and print I’d always suggest to get a high DPI for prints. And v600 is an efficient scanner, a certified Energy Star.
Scanplify
Great! That’s a real help. Thanks again for the advice, off to source an Epson v600 scanner!
Scanplify
Just been reading some reviews of both the Epson V600 and V800, seems V800 is slightly favoured but then I guess that’s reflected in the price, around £200 more. I would imagine the resolution difference is negligible and most buyers would be happy with V600? Oh dilemma!
Hi Gary,
Yes the V800 is also a good choice if you don’t mind the price. However, if your requirements are met by v600, go for it since you need a high quality prints with an excellent DPI.
Scanplify
Awesome thank you!
You are welcome Gary!
Hi, I have read all the reviews and am confused as to what scanner would suit me best for the job in hand. I have 2000 35mm slides to digitise and I have read that some software doesn’t work on Kodachrome slides. I have mixed slide manufacturers in cardboard and plastic mounts and would like a good result but have limited funds. Are there scanners that do multi loading? Can you help please?
Hi Alan,
The Wolverine Titan 20MP is great choice for that. That number of slides need a batch scanning but I don’t recommend the automatic slide scanner by Pacific Image because it’s hefty. The V600 is also a good option for that. It has a great quality output for slides. Also, have you considered the Kodak Scanza? I’ve heard a lot of positive reviews about this and will include this on my review soon.
Scanplify
Many thanks for your reply. Very helpful.
Scanplify
Hello again! Been doing my research on the Epson v800. I notice most online reviews are very positive but one I came across is slightly puzzling, it mentions the claimed resolution of 4800 and 6400 dpi is wrong and that it can only achieve around 800 on photos and about 1800 on slides/negatives. Surely this can’t be right?! How can an advertised high end product be so far off the mark?! I understand online reviews can not always be relied upon and there is no other remarks to substantiate such a claim but your views and that of the readers would be most welcome. Thank you in advance.
Hi Gary,
The specs are 4800 dpi and 6400 dpi https://epson.com/For-Work/Scanners/Photo-and-Graphics/Epson-Perfection-V800-Photo-Color-Scanner/p/B11B223201#specifications
Remember that it is the interpolated resolution so that you can achieve a higher resolution prints. By the way what particular size of prints you wish to print?
I am looking to get 12 x 8 prints from 35mm slides. Obviously I would like to send the best possible digital files to the printers. I am leaning towards the Epson V850 but need to be sure before committing to buy!
Sorry for late replies. I am busy with work. I believe you can achieve that with v800 or v850, even the v600 will do.
Ok no problem, I appreciate your help. Thank you
Hi Gary,
I hope you get the right scanner for that job but I would like to share an article for you to achieve the best quality prints from your 35mm slides. http://howtoscan.ca/scanning-tips/best-slide-scan-resolution.php
Scanplify
That’s really helpful, thank you very much.
Does anyone know of a scanner that can digitize one of the two 35 mm slides on a mounted stereo 3D slide?
Hey Charles,
Scanning 3D stereo slides is very tricky. Most of scanners you can find online don’t have a dedicated mount to hold such type of slide. The closest I can think of a scanner is the Kodak Digital Film Scanner. But you need to improvise or scan one image.
Thanks for this scanner. You can also check https://blogs.systweak.com/7-best-exif-data-remover-editor-for-mac-2017/, to edit exif data on your photos!
I suggest your testers might want to compare results with the output of the unbelievably stable and reliable Nikon LS-5000 (Super Coolscan 5000 ED, especially paired with the 35mm slide feeder SF-210 – @60 cardboard-mounted slides at a shot).
Pros: Off the market more than a decade, a simple PD add-on .inf file will let it run under Windows 7/8 and Win-10, producing 16 bit/color auto-focused, 1.3 Mby NEF (Nikon RAW format) 16x overscanned Photoshop color spec files, or, if you are going for speed (old-tech quality takes time) much smaller 24-bit total, sRGB JPEGS, TIFFs, and CMYK TIFFs. Third-party scanner software available offers decreased quality and no bulk support. Quality is near-perfect, even with 60-year-old slides – post-production work is necessary on any old film to properly rebalance color. Converts negatives to positives, B&W or color/allows color to B&W greyscale Cons:NO company support, currently fighting for Right to Repair data. Takes up to 2 min.+/full quality production. lack of gravity feed means occasional need to adjust slide gate if mounts vary in thickness, only handles single slide or 2-4 exp. film strip without adapters for 35mm (shaved 126 Instimatic) &other 2×2 slides.Optional adapters for APS in-cartrige negatives, single/damaged 35mm negatives, uncut 35mm long rolls and std glass microscope slides.Final report – let it run all day – places little load on anything beyond a 133-MHz Pentium, removes newton-ring deposits built up on slides (Deterioration, not glass-mounts). Book quality lists Pixels per Inch=to Epson’s best multiple-slide/filmstrip holder, but, hey, it’s Nikon and the results, including software from the XP era are better than anything else on consumer market, much better than commercial 25-cent-a-slide work. Minor color tweaks will produce grainless 4×5 prints, good post-production should take things to 8×10. Lack of stand-alone work and ticking scan noise shouldn’t bother anyone. Big question is why Nikon quit the business with such a superior product – would love to see a mechanical feed jet slides/negatives over Z70 camera electronics at a half-dozen frames a second – a camera, not a scanner. Unless that happens, forget new consumer-level products and spend up to $2,000 for new/almost new scanner and slide feed unit, probably from different sources.
Short question to the scanners; do they show the negative film as a positive image on the LCD Display? If not all, which one does? Any recomandation?
Please advice.
Best regards
Roy Heitmann
Hey Roy,
Yes. A good example is the Kodak Scanza.
I have my mind just about made up to purchase an Epson V600 scanner. There are two things I cannot find an answer for. 1, is it compatible with Windows 8? 2, speed. How long would it take to scan 100 slides. With my current machine, it takes me about 50 minutes
Hi Gary,
1. Epson V600 is compatible base on its driver availability: https://epson.com/Support/Scanners/Perfection-Series/Epson-Perfection-V600-Photo/s/SPT_B11B198011?review-filter=Windows+8+64-bit#
2. It depends on what resolution you want your slide digitized. The V600 has 4 mounted slides with 4 frames in it. Without using the Digital ICE and assuming you are scanning at the lowest resolution it could be faster compared to your current machine.
I have a Braun 4000 slide scanner that scans batches using a 100 slide round tray. I am wondering if there is any scanner available that will do the same thing but with a Kodak 80 slide tray so I do not need to remove every slide from the Kodak tray, put it in the Braun tray to scan and then return it back into the Kodak tray.
Hello Rick,
I believe you can do it with Pacific Image Powerslide 5000 however it is now discontinued by the manufacturer. The Braun Multimag SlideScan 7000 and Pacific Image PowerSlide X can scan horizontal trays and round trays but I do not know if they are compatible with Kodak 80 Slide tray.
Thanks for asking about this. I will have to contact some manufacturers if they are compatible with round Kodak round trays since they widely available.
I have an old Zenox 35mm slide and negative scanner which worked with Windows XP via USB to my computer. I now have upgraded my desk top to a Windows 10 model with an SSD main memory. There is apparently no software which is compatible with window 10 for this scanner. I was thinking of buying the Epson V600 but this seems to be out of stock and unavailable. There is a V550 listed is this a comparable replacement and compatible with Windows 10? I do not need a local screen or portability and have serif photo plus X5 photo processing and Movie plus X6 software. I need a quality comparable with AVCHD videos into which scans may be inserted. What would you recommend to scan around 1000 manly 35 Fuji chrome slides with a few older 125 size some are mounted in glass covers but most just in the standard plastic.
Hi David,
Yes, the V550 is compatible with windows 10: https://epson.com/Support/Scanners/Perfection-Series/Epson-Perfection-V550-Photo/s/SPT_B11B210201
I recommend the advanced model of v600, the v800 or v850 since you don’t need portability and integrated screen. Both are superb in scanning 35mm slides. They have their own software enhancement for images (SilverFast SE Plus and X-Rite i1) which is included.
I read all the reviews and replies…and I am still lost.
I have maybe 10,000 slides I need to scan/digitize. Most of the slides are Kodachrome 25 slides in cardboard frames. Very high resolution. Looking for an EFFICIENT and RELIABLE way to get high-quality, auto correct (color, scratches, dust) scans for loading magazines with 50 slides.
My sincere thanks for your assistance!
Hi Tom,
The V800 or V850 is great for correcting scratches and dust thanks to its Digital ICE. Both are very efficient and reliable but you need to deal with manual scanning 12 slides at a time.
If you need batch scanning, Braun Multimag SlideScan 7000 (50 slides per tray) is the way to go but it is very expensive. It has also an auto-correcting features just like the V800 or V850.
The three scanners I’ve mentioned are reliable and can achieve best results. They have multi exposure feature that can obtain such results.
I have an older scanner- Epson 4490! Can I get close to the quality of the Epson V600 with it and also use the Silverfast SE Plus to clear up the grainy images? I don’t know how much better the V600 is compared to the 4490!
Hi Charles,
Epson 4490 and v600 doesn’t have much difference except for scanning capacity, formats, speed and warm up time. You can always use multi-exposure on Silverfast SE Plus to reduce noise/grains.
Can you use the 12 slide V800 tray on the V600?
I believe not. You may use that only on V800 or V850.
I have been using a Canoscan9950f flat bed scanner for scanning many 35mm slides on to a desktop computer running on Windows 7. I have now transferred everything on to a new machine running on Windows 10. I still have many hundreds more slides to scan but it seems I cannot run the 9950f on Windows10. The Canon site is unhelpful because it seems that the 9950f is distinct from the 9900f. I see there are driver maximiser kits that claim to fix various upgrade problems but do any of them overcome this particular one? The old Windows 7 machine is becoming unreliable and can often cut out so I fear I may now be looking at a good Canon scanner that has been written into obsolescence. I am sinking in a sea of disillusion with Canon; can you tell me whether I have any lifelines left?
Hi David,
As I have investigated your situation, it seems that Canon is not issuing Win 10 driver for that model. Unfortunately you need the Win 7 to use CanoScan 9950 F or you need to get a latest scanner that is compatible with Win 10.
I have some old negatives my grandfather made. They are 2×3 inches and some other odd sizes. How would I scan these?
For starters you may use the Kodak Scanza as it is user-friendly.
We have several hundred 35mm slides that are 50 plus years old. We are 20 plus years older than the slides. Looking for the most user friendly scanner which will give us reasonably good quality digital images. Want to scan to sd card so they can be viewed in a digital picture frame. We have plenty of time so speed is not a requirement but would like reasonable quality and ease of use.
Thank you for any help with this.
Hi Sandra,
I suggest the Kodak Scanza. It is very user-friendly and you can view the negatives into its LCD screen before scanning. You can save it to an SD card up to 128 GB. The output is not professional but still good quality you can share on social media platforms or even print. The image format is in JPEG.
Thank you. Have you reviewed the Kodak Slide and Scan?
Actually it has the same features with the Scanza. Though Slide N Scan has larger LCD display and smaller than the Scanza.
Thank you.
This is a great article, thanks! I’ve been researching this question for 2 days. My project is to digitize 4800 family photos on 1200 negative strips. These photos are 20+ years old and I’d be happy with a 300 or 600 dpi JPG. One very knowledgeable source recommends the Epson V600, as you have, for quality. I’m concerned about the hours needed for 1200 strips. He dismissed the Wolverine and Kodak Scanza as low quality and just taking pictures vs. really scanning, but they seem like they would get the job done much faster. Not sure what to do. Any advice?
Hi Brooks,
The Epson V600 produces great results than the Kodak Scanza. But the Scanza scans fast and has good results. The V600 on the other hand has Digital ICE technology that makes scanning longer but the results are great. The V800 and V850 also produces better results than the V600 though these high end models are more expensive.
Thanks for the reply! I do know about the V800/V850, but yes they are outside the budget. So is the Scanza really scanning or just taking a picture of the negative? Any idea how much faster the Scanza is vs. the V600 … twice as fast, 10x as fast? If 4800 pictures take a minute each, it would be 80 hours or 2 weeks of solid work!
The Scanza does not take pictures of the negative. It scans the negative and outputs your desired quality and resolution. There is no accurate time how the Scanza scans but the speed loader really helps. Estimated scanning time is 2-3 seconds per slide/negative. But if you prefer the highest resolution it would be longer. The flatbed scanners are not that productive but if you prefer better quality then choose these type of scanners.
Hello. Are there newer models that match Epson V600 (first available in 2009!) in terms of quality/price but have more advanced software? I’d like to be able to scan slides, negatives and photos with a reasonable quality on one device. Thanks.
Which scanner would you recommend for old B&W and colour 126 and 127 negatives?
Hi Deanna,
You can use Wolverine F2D Saturn. It can scan both 126 (35mm) and 127 (40mm) negatives.
When my wonderful Nikon LS-5000 stopped working I bought a Plustek Opticfilm 8100i and it is almost as good. I use the VueScan driver for Mac which is very flexible and allows multi-scanning (to reduce noise) and multi-exposure (to give brilliant dynamic range) – and outputs at 48bit depth for optimum postprocessing in PhotoShop etc. The “i” refers to the ICE infrared scan performed simultaneously to allow removal if all but the worst dust and scratches (though it doesn’t work with B&W silver film) and this saves a lot of time with old slides and colour negs.
The latest version is the Plustek Opticfilm 8200i – I don’t know how these compare but there are still some 8100i models available (about £370 on Amazon).
I have a lot of 35mm slides to digitize and am looking at the Wolverine Saturn and Titan. Which one should I get? What are the differences between them?
Hi – I have thousands of family slides I want to convert. We have a Nikon LS 2000 which still works fine but it ain’t fast. Here’s my plan – digitise the slides quickly at a decent quality and save them into a library on my computer. From there, pick the ones I want in great quality and run those only through the Nikon. My question please is: Which scanner (quick and best quality possible at a decent speed) should I buy to complement the slower, better Nikon? Many thanks.
Titan F2D converter -new model 2021- have successfully entered/converted slides.
Using a new 3GB memory card, I entered 315 slides. Then I inserted that card in my computer to view a slide show of the slide. All there!
Now I want to enter a second set of slides onto a new 3GB memory card. The Titan screen still shows 315 in the bottom right hand corner. I want to start with a ” 0″ on the count for each set of slides I am doing. I tried “Delete All ” when I inserted the new memory card, but the number is still on the machine screen.
How do I delete or reset the counter number?
For old scanners that are no longer natively supported by Windows 10, I have successfully used VueScan from https://www.hamrick.com/ as a complete replacement.
Is there a slide scanner that can also capture written information contained in the slide frame and attach it to the digitized file? All of my family’s over 1500 slides are labeled and it would be a daunting task to attach that information to each image manually.
I am considering the Epson Perfection v600 for converting old family photos and slides. I’d like the quality to be decent, but I’m not terribly fussy. I’m not super-concerned about speed either. I am a little confused about the compatibility of the V600 with Macs – I use a MacBook Pro running Monterey (v12.6) – will the V600 be compatible with my Mac?
Hi Rebecca,
You need to download a driver for macOS
https://epson.com/Support/Scanners/Perfection-Series/Epson-Perfection-V600-Photo/s/SPT_B11B198011