Nikon scanners discontinued?

donbga · Nov 18, 2009

ACER ScanWit 2740S

Well I know this has been a vigorous discussion about scanners so I can't add much to what has already been posted but I will point out that perhaps one of the most over looked dedicated scanners for 35 mm film is the Acer ScanWit 2740s.

If you can find one used you can probably pick it up cheap. It's not a perfect machine but it does produce great IQ. Maximum scan is 2750 dpi optical. It does require a SCSI interface.

I purchased one new many years ago, finally sold it to a friend of mine for peanuts. But if you are looking for an inexpensive high quality dedicated 35mm scanner the ScanWit 2740s or the 2720 is a great bargain.

Don Bryant

sanking · Nov 18, 2009

pellicle said:
Hi

a quick search gave this thread

perhaps Sandy may clear up anything not obvious in that thread...

I was simply attempting to show some objective test comparisons using a high resolution target. Resolution is not the only important quality of a film scanner, but without good resolution the other qualities are relatively useless.

Sandy King

cooltouch · Nov 20, 2009

sanking said:
I was simply attempting to show some objective test comparisons using a high resolution target. Resolution is not the only important quality of a film scanner, but without good resolution the other qualities are relatively useless.

Well, I for one found your approach very useful. It helped me evaluate my 4990 better, and answered a number of questions I had regarding its output.

Despite its relatively low resolution levels, I still find that it can produce beautiful scans of my medium format slides and negs -- so it's a keeper for this reason if nothing else.

I finally have put together a rather simple setup for duplicating 35mm slides using my DSLR and a macro setup, and this is providing me with the best images from 35mm slides I've been able to produce to date.

nsouto · Nov 20, 2009

PeterAM said:
I just read something in the December issue of SHUTTERBUG that states: "Nikon scanners are no longer in production and to my knowledge will be unsupported after the current stock are sold out". The comment is in the "Digital Help" section, written by David Brooks. He's responding to a question about scanning 35mm;the Nikon mentioned by the person asking the question is the 5000 ED, so I can't tell if his response is specifically about that scanner or the MF scanner also.

Anyone know if Nikon is going out of the scanner business?

Nothing like mis-information from some second rate reporter looking for another "end of film" sensationalistic c**p article...

This:
http://www.nikon-image.com/jpn/products/discontinue/digital/index.htm

has been up for ages and indicates what is and what is not discontinued as far as digital equipment goes, for Nikon. Direct from the authority: the maker itself.

But strangely, although it is a public link and well advertised, it never seems to make it as a source of information for these so-called reporters.

I wonder why?

The Coolscan V has been discontinued for nearly a year now. It still can be found new in quite a few places and I'd recommend anyone interested to get one: they don't break easy.

The Coolscan 5000 has been discontinued for nearly 10 months now. It of course can be found new in quite a few places as Nikon sells stock: it is not a volume item and never was, what is the point of mentioning "volume sold" as an indicator of anything? Again, if you get a chance to own one, grab it: it is much better than anything else made by Nikon before.

The Coolscan 9000ED is still made and sold by Nikon, as confirmed by not being included in the list of discontinued equipment. Anyone claiming otherwise is, quite simply, a liar.

BTW: I am not doubting your post. I am doubting the honesty and correctness of that reporter in claiming Nikon has stopped making film scanners. It is, simply, a lie.

HTH

Loris Medici · Nov 20, 2009

nsouto said:
...
The Coolscan 9000ED is still made and sold by Nikon, as confirmed by not being included in the list of discontinued equipment. Anyone claiming otherwise is, quite simply, a liar.
...

Have you noticed BHPhoto's Coolscan 9000ED product page?
(http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/310478-REG/Nikon_9237_Super_Coolscan_9000_ED.html)

It says:
"...This item is backordered by the mfr. We have no delivery date at this time..."

So, yes, it's not officially discontinued as you say. But I guess it may be considered as practically discontinued.

nsouto · Nov 21, 2009

Loris Medici said:
Have you noticed BHPhoto's Coolscan 9000ED product page?
(http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/310478-REG/Nikon_9237_Super_Coolscan_9000_ED.html)

It says:
"...This item is backordered by the mfr. We have no delivery date at this time..."

So, yes, it's not officially discontinued as you say. But I guess it may be considered as practically discontinued.

And since when is B&H stock status a definer of an item being discontinued?

I guess when I got my MV-1 from them, in stock - and it was discontinued by then - there was no issue with back ordering?

Please! B&H does NOT define the availability or not of a product from a maker.
OK?

Let's inject some sense into all this "discontinued" bull!

donbga · Nov 21, 2009

nsouto said:
And since when is B&H stock status a definer of an item being discontinued?

I guess when I got my MV-1 from them, in stock - and it was discontinued by then - there was no issue with back ordering?

Please! B&H does NOT define the availability or not of a product from a maker.
OK?

Let's inject some sense into all this "discontinued" bull!

I've heard from a couple of sources that the future of the Nikon 9000 is uncertain.

I don't know if this means they are discontinued but the B&H listing points to the possibility that it could be discontinued.

Don Bryant

sanking · Nov 22, 2009

I did a search at some dozen stores that list the LS-9000 for sale. None of them had the scanner in stock for immediate shipment.

That should tell you something.

Sandy King

donbga · Nov 22, 2009

nsouto said:
And since when is B&H stock status a definer of an item being discontinued?

I guess when I got my MV-1 from them, in stock - and it was discontinued by then - there was no issue with back ordering?

Please! B&H does NOT define the availability or not of a product from a maker.
OK?

Let's inject some sense into all this "discontinued" bull!

Well what ever we say here or else where the future of the 9000 is in Nikon's hands. Time will tell the true story.

Don

slumry · Nov 23, 2009

I own a Nikon 5000ED, a Nikon 9000 and an Epson 4990. I would scan everything on the 9000 if I could. The 5000 was bought just because it has a USB inteface and will be usable a lot longer than the SCSII inteface of the 9000. When I first tried to buy the 9000, almost two years ago, it was nearly impossible to get and still is. I finally had to go to ebay to get a used one. If you think that this is still an available product good luck. You can find them but it will take an effort and then you have to get all the accessories. 35mm and 120 on a 4990 while good do not match the 9000. What I really would like is something that is optimized for 4X5 and 8X10.

donbga · Nov 23, 2009

slumry said:
The 5000 was bought just because it has a USB inteface and will be usable a lot longer than the SCSII inteface of the 9000.

A Ratoc adapter can be used to convert SCSI to USB or Firewire.

http://www.ratocsystems.com/english/products/index.html#P_UltraSCSIConverter

Don

slumry · Nov 23, 2009

The SCSI adapter that comes with the 9000 works, my experince is that the 9000 interface is problematic and may or may not work with future hardware regardless of what adapters are available. I figure I will put the 5000 in storage and either use it when the 9000 fails or sell it. It is my version of a hedge fund.

cupcake_ham · Nov 25, 2009

Has anyone emailed Nikon to see if it is still being made?

DanielStone · Nov 26, 2009

well, according to Nikon USA

the 5000ed is still being made, no discontinuance that I can see. I used to sell these, along with their 9000 brethren, and I have to say, I was selling on average 2-3 a month OF EACH. this was at a store here in LA, so a bigger market after all. ohh btw, this was up until the beginning of THIS YEAR(2009).

http://nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Product/Film-Scanners/9238/Super-COOLSCAN-5000-ED.html

http://nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Product/Film-Scanners/9237/Super-COOLSCAN-9000-ED.html

the problem that I have seen is this: the market goes UP and DOWN. a supplier(such as B&H) will list something as " Temporarily unavailable " until they have more IN STOCK. this DOES NOT mean that it is discontinued. I would wait for a press-release from Nikon to get the final word.

Yes, there are less film scanners being sold these days, especially with the economy. Moreover, there are more people getting into film-based photography, but many of them aren't darkroom people, so analog printing is a no-go for them, so they buy scanners. Nikon DOES have a NICHE MARKET here, because the next best thing is from Kodak(IqSmart series) and those command bookoo bucks ($15-20k IIRC). there's always the Hasselblad X1 and X5 as well, those being in the same price range. and don't even think of getting started with the drum scanner topic.....

I think that Nikon will make how many the market needs, and they will keep them in the product line-up for a while. It might not get a lot of hoorah in the marketing, but most scanners are sold via word-of-mouth referrals anyhow, or talking to someone in a camera store(like me )

but then again, this is soley MY OPINION. this is what I would do if I were them.

-Dan

donbga · Nov 29, 2009

David Luttmann said:
Has anyone emailed Nikon to see if it is still being made?

How about yourself, have you contacted them? Maybe start with Nikon USA.

It's much more fun to speculate about the status of the scanner rather than deal with facts.

For what it is worth the 9000 is still listed on the Nikon USA website.

http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/ProductDetail.page?pid=9237

Don

nsouto · Dec 5, 2009

and still listed in Australia's site as well:
http://www.nikon.com.au/products.php?categoryid=15
and still not listed in the "discontinued" site:
http://www.nikon-image.com/jpn/products/discontinue/digital/index.htm

If it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, looks like a duck, then maybe, mind you just maybe, it is a duck?

Suggestion:
next time someone genuinely wants to buy a 9000 and faces up to the "it's been discontinued" bullshit, do what I did to get mine:
- threaten them that you want to hear them call Nikon and confirm it is indeed discontinued, right there.

Not surprisingly when I said that, the supplier "found one" in less than a week.

I've had that work perfectly to get accessories for my F6 - all "discontinued" at first approach - and for all sorts of other "discontinued" gear.

Quite frankly: as "end of film" arguments go, the "9000 is discontinued" is starting to show its age. Particularly in view of the simple FACT that Nikon has not discontinued it from any confirmed call to them!

OF COURSE it is not a volume item, so you will need to force the supplier to go and do their work and get you one. It's their job, not yours: that's why you're paying them a margin! Make them earn it!

sanking · Dec 6, 2009

nsouto said:
Suggestion:
next time someone genuinely wants to buy a 9000 and faces up to the "it's been discontinued" bullshit, do what I did to get mine:
- threaten them that you want to hear them call Nikon and confirm it is indeed discontinued, right there.

OK, but here are some facts. The LS-9000 replaced the LS-8000 in the Nikon line in late 2003, and from that time up until about six months ago it could have been purchased from all of the major suppliers of this type of equipment in the US with prompt delivery. At this time it is not in stock at any store in the US, so far as I was able to determine with a fairly thorough search.

So whether the LS-9000 has, or has not, been discontinued is irrelevant since the lack of stock indicates that there has been no production of the unit for quite some time. I would speculate that Nikon would not officially announce that the scanner was discontinued so long as a few units remain for sale in the system, even if a decision had already been made to not resume production.

Sandy King

fatboy22 · Dec 9, 2009

I recently purchased a 9000 from adorama in October. I was watching B&H and adorama for a few months with it being listed as on back order when one day in early October it was in stock. I imediately ordered it. It arrived at my house a week later. What a lot of people don't understand is back in early March (major recession impact) Nikon did like a lot of other companys did. They sent a lot of there work force home, they emptyed there warehouses of inventory and they did not order paarts to make new camers, scanners, etc.
Basically shut there manufacturing palnts down. When you do this type of thing it takes a while to get plants up and runnig again. We will see more 9000 scanners in the pipe line. I got this info from the Nikon rep that supplys my local camera store. I work in manufacturing and this is what has been going on in many companys.

sanking · Dec 9, 2009

fatboy22 said:
Basically shut there manufacturing palnts down. When you do this type of thing it takes a while to get plants up and runnig again. We will see more 9000 scanners in the pipe line. I got this info from the Nikon rep that supplys my local camera store. I work in manufacturing and this is what has been going on in many companys.

I sure hope this is the case. Most of my work these days is done in MF, and although I don't own or use a Nikon LS-9000, it would be hard to justify a MF hybrid workflow to others if there were not a good high quality MF scanner on the market.

Anyway, congratulations on your perseverance. Patience and perseverance are good virtues.

Sandy

RMD · Dec 10, 2009

One left at amazon uk at $4224 - supplier ships to U.S.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikon-Cools...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1260467411&sr=8-1

PeterAM · Dec 10, 2009

Boy, talk about paying a premium! The price at B&H is about $2,200.00;unfortunately the product is not available.

donbga · Jan 16, 2010

JBrunner said:
both those still shooting film and those needing to digitize past work. I think most of the past work has now been digitized, and fewer pros shooting film. Hopefully it is model specific.

One such scanner is up for bid on e-bay now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-Super-Coo...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4a9dd2f951

shortguy · Jul 27, 2010

In Vietnam, very hard to scan film, except you must go twice time to the lab to leave and pick up. I want to have my own 5000D, someone wants to sell ?

glhs116 · Jul 27, 2010

Just thought I might add that I very happily took delivery of my brand new Coolscan 9000 ED two days ago. Threads like this had me scared but I believe that Nikon are no stranger to producing on-demand slow selling high value items. A lot of their best lenses were sold this way. Never in stock but always available if ordered.

gmikol · Jul 27, 2010

Same here. I just got my LS-9000 from Adorama last week. Works like a charm. Took about 12 weeks to get the order fulfilled. And I didn't have to pay the $200 to $500 premium on the auction site.

--Greg

Nikon scanners discontinued?

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