Possible to get a good negative (120 and 35mm) scanner for less than $200?

777funk · Oct 16, 2011

I've looked a bit and I really don't know what I'm looking for. I'd like to find something that will produce good results scanning 120 and 35mm negatives and slides but I don't want to spend even say $300 in doing it.

Is there a scanner that will give quality results in that price range? My first find was an Epson V300 but I found out that it doesn't do negatives bigger than 35.

thanks for any tips!

Seems like from what I've read, Ken Rockwell on his site seems to like Costco for good cheap scans. I don't have a Costco but I wonder if they do mail in.

johnnywalker · Oct 16, 2011

I have a Canon 9000F that does both 35mm and 120 that I'm very satisfied with (for my purposes) and is in your price range. A lot depends on what you need the scans for however. Pretty much you get what you pay for.

Aristophanes · Oct 17, 2011

Epson V500 or 600. That's pretty much it in your price range.

777funk · Oct 17, 2011

I just tried out a V300 (35mm version of the V500) and man was I disappointed. I ran a scan of a print and the quality was OK. I wouldn't call it anything to write home about but not bad either.

Then I scanned a BW neg. Not bad again but dust was quite an issue.

Then the bad... I scanned a color neg. Everything about it was bad. The color was off, there was once again lots of dust... oh well on that. But the picture lacked detail and the color was horrendous with a horrible blue cast to it (should have been a gray brick wall with white lettering). I tried a few different color settings 24 and 16 bit and high resolutions. Not good at all.

I don't think these are the negative scanners I'm after. I attached the color negative scan. This is the first negative I could find. Nothing good by any means (my freshman year college floor graphic on the wall). But man was I disappointed with the scan quality.

pschwart · Oct 17, 2011

I don't want to spend even say $300 in doing it

This is a pretty severe limitation, but I have to say that I had an Epson 2450 that could do a good job as long as the neg was flat and the final enlargement was 4x or less, and you should be able to find a more recent used Epson that will be more capable for < $300. The problems you describe with scanning the color neg are related to the software, not the hardware. Check the web for some tutorials on scanning.

pellicle · Oct 17, 2011

777funk said:
I just tried out a V300 (35mm version of the V500) and man was I disappointed. I ran a scan of a print and the quality was OK. I wouldn't call it anything to write home about but not bad either.

Then I scanned a BW neg. Not bad again but dust was quite an issue.

Then the bad... I scanned a color neg. Everything about it was bad. The color was off, there was once again lots of dust... oh well on that. But the picture lacked detail and the color was horrendous with a horrible blue cast to it (should have been a gray brick wall with white lettering). I tried a few different color settings 24 and 16 bit and high resolutions. Not good at all.

I don't think these are the negative scanners I'm after. I attached the color negative scan. This is the first negative I could find. Nothing good by any means (my freshman year college floor graphic on the wall). But man was I disappointed with the scan quality.

nothing wrong with that scanner, I suspect your technique.

I recommend you read this page of mine. Please note that while that is focused on Nikon scanners you can do exactly the same with Epson software (and I do). Check the links at the bottom of the post for other helpful tutes on scanning other film types and related stuff.

Aristophanes · Oct 17, 2011

Use Vuescan

bdial · Oct 19, 2011

My local camera shop has been selling these "Pana-View" scanners for a while; Pana-Vue Pana-Scan APA121 Portable Stand-Alone Slide APA121 B&H
There are many similar products, some of these can take 120, though this particular one cannot.

They showed me a couple of 3x5 sample prints that looked reasonably good. They tell me the customers using them have been pleased.
For web and computer display, or snapshot size prints, it's probably just fine. For large prints, etc. probably not so good, but the price is well in your ballpark.

A flatbed like some of the Epsons, Canons, and even HP will work as well, or perhaps better, for modest print sizes, and let you scan other stuff too.
As stated, you get what you pay for. I like my Coolscan, but even though I got it for a bargain price it was well above your target $'s.

lenny · Oct 19, 2011

It depends on what you mean by "good". At that price, certainly not to go past an 8x10 print size....

Lenny
EigerStudios
Museum Quality Drum Scanning and Printing

Alan Klein · Oct 20, 2011

I use a V600 which you can get under $200. It does both 35mm and 120. You can see some of my samples if you click the link below. I always have to adjust after the scans. I messed around with yours using Elements. I used Levels, contrast, white balance, etc. I'll see if I can post it. It's a tough picture because it's hard to tell what the actual colors are. An outdoor shot would have been easier to play with. Good luck on whatever you decide to do.

jeffreyg · Oct 21, 2011

Perhaps 777 can find an Epson 4870 for very little. I've been using one with SilverFast Ai Studio for 120, 4x5 and occasionally 35 and get excellent scans. I have printed up to 13X19 full frame and cropped as well. I have also made 11X14 enlarged negatives for pt/pd with no problems and all are extremely sharp. Scanning b&w is certainly easier than color negatives which frequently need some color correction. I don't often do color but have gotten good results even with those taken with a point and shoot. Using a tripod whenever possible is always a good idea. I think dust would be a technique issue.

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Possible to get a good negative (120 and 35mm) scanner for less than $200?

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