Plustek 8200 AI 35mm Film Scanner

braxus · May 24, 2021

A local store sells these. My Minolta ScanDual 4 has crapped out on me (this is my 3rd copy of this scanner) and Im tired of getting another copy. So Im now looking at new and the Plustek seems to be the only dedicated film scanner left for sale. Its 7200 dpi. Is this thing decent enough compared to my old Minolta? Are the scans as sharp or colors as good? How is the DMAX? What is the file size in rez at the highest?

Radost · May 24, 2021

Pacific Image XAS has autofocus and better performance. Use silver Fast

Kodachromeguy · May 24, 2021

I am using the predecessor, the Plustek 7600i. I am not sure what the true optical resolution is. I usually scan 24x36 frames at 3600 dpi. 7200 dpi provides a tiny bit of more information, but I am not sure if it is really higher resolution or interpolated data. At 7200 dpi, a B&W TIFF is 130mb in size. Years ago, I used a Nikon 4000 at the office, and it did better with dense Kodachrome frames. But the Nikon died and they surplussed it. It is a shame Nikon does not reintroduce scanners.

Radost said:
Pacific Image XAS has autofocus and better performance. Use silver Fast

Based on what data or comparative tests?

Radost · May 24, 2021

Kodachromeguy said:
Based on what data or comparative tests?

My own.
Purchased the Plustek first no focus adjustments. Worthless for slides and old "not streight" film. Got the Pacific image at the same time to compare. Just the auto and manual focus alone makes a giant difference in quality. But when compared how both rendered colors, dynamic range and micro contrast "with the same Silver Fast version" XAS is level ahead of the Plustek especially on slide positives.. Dmax is I believe 4.2

gone · May 25, 2021

A Dmax of 4.2 is impressive. I had a number of the Scan Duals die back when I was scanning film for printing. They're great scanners, but getting along in age. If it were me, I'd look at some of the more upscale used Nikon film scanners. Never had any issues w/ those, and the scans were top quality.

albireo · May 25, 2021

The Plustek is brilliant. I have the 7500i. I also have a Minolta Scan Dual IV. Great scans from both. I use Vuescan. The Minolta is faster because it's motorised. If you want a motorised Plustek go for the new model, the 135. Here's a review

https://www.35mmc.com/04/05/2021/plustek-opticfilm-135i-35mm-film-scanner/

Plustek are not the only film scanners still being produced. There are the Reflecta, which are just as good.

Radost · May 25, 2021

albireo said:
The Plustek is brilliant. I have the 7500i. I also have a Minolta Scan Dual IV. Great scans from both. I use Vuescan. The Minolta is faster because it's motorised. If you want a motorised Plustek go for the new model, the 135. Here's a review

https://www.35mmc.com/04/05/2021/plustek-opticfilm-135i-35mm-film-scanner/

Plustek are not the only film scanners still being produced. There are the Reflecta, which are just as good.

No focus adjustments mean soft scans. Thus Pacific image XAS is a better option

Alan Johnson · May 25, 2021

Radost said:
No focus adjustments mean soft scans.

Misinformation. See the reviews at Scandig,org.
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/resolution-of-the-plustek-8100.156680/

Radost · May 25, 2021

Even here he is talking about it.
https://www.35mmc.com/04/05/2021/plustek-opticfilm-135i-35mm-film-scanner/

"In case the true plane of focus was slightly above the negative, I tried a shim to raise it. My attempts did not seem to improve things, if anything quality dropped slightly.

It might be that the point of ideal focus is actually below the tray on my copy. Without carrying out some potentially harmful modifications to what is a very fine negative holder I can’t say for certain. Manufacturing tolerances could put the ideal focus point above or below the tray on other examples of the 135i. Others might get improvements to their focus through shims.

Plustek may have designed the optics in the Opticfilm 135i to maximize depth of focus and avoid the complexity of AF. The downside of that might be a general slight softness that is not improved by shimming."

Again I tried plustek for slides and old curled film it was worthless.
From personal experience I rather be in control of focus.
That goes for all scanner with fixed focus.
You do whatever you want.

Radost · May 25, 2021

Alan Johnson said:
Misinformation. See the reviews at Scandig,org.
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/resolution-of-the-plustek-8100.156680/

what is the misinformation? That the scanner has fixed focus?

Radost · May 25, 2021

Kodachromeguy said:
Demonstrate this. You are blurting out statements as if they are some sort of verified facts.

It is common sense and common knowledge that was confirmed in my tests and the tests of others. Unless you want to shim each slide or "not perfectly flat" frame.
I myself rather focus correctly and get the maximized sharp scan.

chriscrawfordphoto · May 25, 2021

braxus said:
A local store sells these. My Minolta ScanDual 4 has crapped out on me (this is my 3rd copy of this scanner) and Im tired of getting another copy. So Im now looking at new and the Plustek seems to be the only dedicated film scanner left for sale. Its 7200 dpi. Is this thing decent enough compared to my old Minolta? Are the scans as sharp or colors as good? How is the DMAX? What is the file size in rez at the highest?

After my old Nikon died, I bought and returned five of the Plusteks, finally giving up on ever getting one that wasn't pure garbage. Every single one had decentered optics that made the scans soft on one side and sharp on the other. Ended up buying a used Nikon that cost me $1000, and it was worth every cent to get sharp scans.

albireo · May 25, 2021

I do not own the new Opticfilm 135 so I can't comment on its performance regarding focus. Also, of course, one cannot exclude sample variation.

I however still own an older Plustek model, the 7500i. I have compared its scans to those of two other scanners I own which do have focus adjustments, the Minolta Scan Dual IV and the Nikon Coolscan 8000.

The results of the Plustek are so close to those of the Minolta and of the Nikon as to be practically indistinguishable. My null hypothesis is nobody would be able to tell the scans apart in a blind test. This suggests to me that the focus plane of the Plustek is perfectly calibrated towards the plane of the negative suspended in the included holder (which is excellent at keeping the film flat).

The only reason I've set aside the Plustek, settling for the Minolta for my 35mm scanning is that the Minolta is motorized and considerably faster in scanning.

Overall, my experience with the Plustek matches with the one this guy had

(he tested an 8100, which is an 8200 without ICE)

Plustek 8200 AI 35mm Film Scanner

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