New Plustek OpticFilm 120 Scanner Surfaces(sort of)

[glhs116]

Is the Epsom v750 really just mediocre?

And it seems like plustek is just stringing people along because they don't want them to buy other scanners and are keeping them on the hook just to get a few more buyers when/if it comes out.

Too late for me, despite my lack of software understanding, the images I've gotten seem better than high rez scans from my lab...

This is the paradox of scanning yourself. The lab scanner is probably better than any you or I could afford. However, you and I have the luxury of time and the freedom to choose our own settings. This usually results in a more useful scan for our purposes. I've never met a lab that didn't oversharpen their scans (which you can't fix later) and very often they crank the contrast up to where stuff is clipped.

V750 is very highly regarded. It really sets the bar for current consumer level flatbed film scanners. I'm after one myself when I can afford it for my large format stuff.

The issue is that flatbeds suffer compromises that dedicated film scanners do not. They must scan through an additional layer of glass, they must use a lens with a much wider field than you need for the smaller formats, they have a much less controlled light path and, of course, they are built to a price and must perform well when scanning A4 paper documents. None of these limitations are imposed on dedicated film scanners so they generally can perform better at scanning smaller pieces of film. The smaller the film the more important this is. If you want to shoot 35mm and print it large it is hard to get away from the need for a Coolscan 9000/5000 or the Plustek. If you are shooting medium format or larger the V750 may be all you need. The film scanners can also, generally, deal with denser film gracefully. If, like me, you love to massively overexpose negative film for rich colour and clean shadows then this may or may not be an important factor for you.

Sam

 

[artobest]

The film scanners can also, generally, deal with denser film gracefully.

True, but conversely, the V750 handles thin negs with wonderful facility.

 

[StoneNYC]

This is the paradox of scanning yourself. The lab scanner is probably better than any you or I could afford. However, you and I have the luxury of time and the freedom to choose our own settings. This usually results in a more useful scan for our purposes. I've never met a lab that didn't oversharpen their scans (which you can't fix later) and very often they crank the contrast up to where stuff is clipped.

V750 is very highly regarded. It really sets the bar for current consumer level flatbed film scanners. I'm after one myself when I can afford it for my large format stuff.

The issue is that flatbeds suffer compromises that dedicated film scanners do not. They must scan through an additional layer of glass, they must use a lens with a much wider field than you need for the smaller formats, they have a much less controlled light path and, of course, they are built to a price and must perform well when scanning A4 paper documents. None of these limitations are imposed on dedicated film scanners so they generally can perform better at scanning smaller pieces of film. The smaller the film the more important this is. If you want to shoot 35mm and print it large it is hard to get away from the need for a Coolscan 9000/5000 or the Plustek. If you are shooting medium format or larger the V750 may be all you need. The film scanners can also, generally, deal with denser film gracefully. If, like me, you love to massively overexpose negative film for rich colour and clean shadows then this may or may not be an important factor for you.

Sam

I guess I just considered mediocre a strong term for the Epson, but you're right about all that, I just wish it wasn't so expensive to get a decent scan, it's been years and seems like by now they should be able to figure it out, I STILL don't understand why they can't just scan a film piece in sections if its larger, keeping the ppi the same... People have tried to explain but it seems simple to me...


~Stone

The Noteworthy Ones - Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1 / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[glhs116]

You can do that. I've done that. Just means an extra stop in Photoshop to do the stitch. This is easy on a flatbed. In a film scanner you have space constraints. For example, I could never stitch a 4x5 scan together using my Coolscan 9000ED because there is not physically room for the film in the scanner without cutting it into pieces.

Sam

 

[StoneNYC]

You can do that. I've done that. Just means an extra stop in Photoshop to do the stitch. This is easy on a flatbed. In a film scanner you have space constraints. For example, I could never stitch a 4x5 scan together using my Coolscan 9000ED because there is not physically room for the film in the scanner without cutting it into pieces.

Sam

How do you tell the scanner to pretend its a 35mm to scan smaller? The Epson scan just kind of scans everything lol


~Stone

The Noteworthy Ones - Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1 / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Felinik]

I (keep your fingers crossed) should have an announcement next week or the week after. Check the Plustek social media outlets, our blog and plustek.com/usa.

Heya,

How's things proceeding? I am about to raise the cash here now, but I'm waiting for the reviews... Any units shipped yet?

 

[Pioneer]

Heya,

How's things proceeding? I am about to raise the cash here now, but I'm waiting for the reviews... Any units shipped yet?

+1 - Still waiting.

 

[toyotadesigner]

Waiting for phantoms might be hazardous for your health.

 

[Felinik]

Why all this moaning and sarcasm?

Plustek has explained why things all of a sudden, shortly before their planned release, changed, and that they then had to re-design due to change of sensor all caused by the unexpected KODAK sales of their sensor division!

Hopefully we'll see a stabile and great product coming to market very soon, can't wait to read the reviews, and if those are positive, I'm gonna be all in for one, in a hearbeat!

 

[glhs116]

I agree. It is indeed frustrating but Mark has reached out in a way that no other company representative has. The machine looks stout. A genuine enthusiast seems to be in charge of development. On top of all of this Plustek has smaller current real shipping film scanners that are well regarded for image quality. I too am impatient but very hopeful that something great is indeed on the way. When was the last time a significant new film scanner was released Was it not the V700/V750 twins? And how many years has that been?

Sam

 

[Felinik]

Mark,

Where r u guys at with the release now?

I am more or less ready to buy, I just want to see a review or two, and then I'm in (assuming the reviews are stunning...).

 

[Jeff L]

I read on RFF that some store now have stock and people are receiving their scanners.

 

[Felinik]

Great news, thanks!

After reading a thread on the RFF, I've found a cpl of German dealers who seem to have it in stock, so there has to be a bunch of reviews in the making as we speak then!

Can't wait!

 

[toyotadesigner]

Until today there is no in-depth review available in Germany. One user already sold it shortly after receiving his unit. (aphog - Home). In the German Nikon forum someone placed a link to a flickr site with a sample. The quality of the sample is miles away from the scan quality of a Nikon LS 9000.

All sizes | Roussillon | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

[Felinik]

I don't care where the review is, as long as it's translatable with google translate, I'm not german anyway and I understand english, french, danish, swedish, norwegian, and a tiny bit of german..

Hmm, the problem with the nikon scanner is the incompatibility with the modern world computers and operating system versions, I want a scanner that can be integrated into my current computer and workflow.

 

[artobest]

Jens, pardon me for saying so but, for reasons known only to yourself, you seem eager for this scanner to fail. That scan you linked to is indeed bad, but bad scans can be made on any equipment, and one bad scan (with blown highlights) does not a bad scanner make. There are a number of samples appearing on Flickr, and most of them look a lot more promising than this one.

 

[Felinik]

There are a number of samples appearing on Flickr, and most of them look a lot more promising than this one.

+1 on that!

 

[pschwart]

The scanner is *still* not available in the US, so it's all moot. I'm going to remain a skeptic until I see a credible hands-on review and comparative test scans.

 

[pschwart]

the problem with the nikon scanner is the incompatibility with the modern world computers and operating system versions, I want a scanner that can be integrated into my current computer and workflow.

Use Vuescan -- problem solved

 

[Felinik]

Use Vuescan -- problem solved

USB?

 

[gmikol]

Nothing will make the LS-9000 work over USB, but you can use the Firewire card (PCI flavor) supplied with a complete scanner, or buy a $20-40 PCI or PCI-E firewire card, depending on what your computer supports, if it doesn't have native firewire.

There's also the Thunderbolt to Firewire adapter for Mac laptops.

I just bought this one, but I haven't had a chance to install it yet.

Seems like a small price to pay to keep the LS-9000 working...

--Greg

 

[Felinik]

Right now I have a computer with firewire, but as that protocol will vanish within the next 2-3 years, I'd rather have a scanner that just works with USB, and not have to bother about adapters etc.

So I'll await the reviews of the Plustek Opticscan 120, something tells me that it's going to be a nice surprise!

 

[pschwart]

Nothing will make the LS-9000 work over USB, but you can use the Firewire card (PCI flavor) supplied with a complete scanner, or buy a $20-40 PCI or PCI-E firewire card, depending on what your computer supports, if it doesn't have native firewire.

There's also the Thunderbolt to Firewire adapter for Mac laptops.

I just bought this one, but I haven't had a chance to install it yet.

Seems like a small price to pay to keep the LS-9000 working...

--Greg

I got this PCI Rosewill from Newegg, $10.99 and no complaints:
Newegg.com - Rosewill PCI to 4x1394 Card Model RC-507

 

[gmikol]

Like I said, PCI or PCI-E, depending on what kinds of slots you have available.

--Greg

 

[Felinik]

Well in my case, I'll just wait for some reviews of the final version of the Plustek, something tells me that technology from 2012 has a good chance of whooping some serious *ss...