Super CoolScan 8000ED R.I.P.

rawhead · Sep 30, 2011

Late last year, I bought a used CoolScan 8000ED from a member in one of the forums I belong to. It required some repair work, but after a few hundred bucks dropped on that, it worked fine.... for about 2 months, when it started acting up again. I couldn't get it off to another repair since I had to be out of the country for several months, and I finally got around to it a few weeks ago.

Then yesterday, I get a package from Nikon; the scanner came back un-repaired, due to "parts not in stock".

Which means I have a 20 pound doorstop. I did some calculations and I think I spent around $65 per roll of MF film on scanning with the 8000ED

So, just a cautionary tale; if you buy one of these that have been discontinued for a while, there's always a chance something like this could happen.

Quite depressed. It's more depressing because now I don't have a good choice any more. No way I'm going to drop money on an 8000ED, and no way I can afford a 9000ED. Sigh.

Take2 · Sep 30, 2011

Wow that's pretty depressing, I'm sorry to hear about your woes! Considering the similarity between the 8000 & 9000, I'm wondering how long it will be before the 9000 suffers a similar fate!?

gmikol · Sep 30, 2011

Well, one can be foolishly optimistic, and hope that Nikon pulled the 9000ED off the market while they still had sufficient supplies of EOL'd (end-of-life) parts to service them for quite some time. The 8000ED has been off the market for at least 7(?) years.

--Greg

PS--How is the scanner misbehaving?

rawhead · Oct 1, 2011

gmikol said:
PS--How is the scanner misbehaving?

Definitely one thing I'm going to do is to ask exactly which part they're talking about.

Anyway, what happens is this, often times when I turn it on, it doesn't go through the usual "booting sequence" (for the lack of a better phrase), where you hear the sounds inside while the green lamp is slowly blinking and then stops when it's ready. Instead the green lamp will continue to blink. In this case the computer doesn't even recognize the scanner.

Then if I take the power cord off and let it cool for a night and reconnect it the next morning, it'll often get back to at least being recognized by the computer. Then I'll try to use it with any one of the scanning software (NikonScan 4, VueScan, SilverFast), and then the software just won't connect to it. What usually happens is that if the scanner is on, the software will stall during the boot process. I can turn the scanner off, boot the scanning software, and then turn on the scanner, and sometimes that will work so that the scanning software will recognize the scanner. Then, I can actually start to get a preview. But then the scanner will stall during the acquisition. So after fooling around like this for an hour or more, I won't be able to get even a decent preview, let alone a scan.

Because of this erraticness in its behavior, I'm lead to believe that the issue has something to do with the "brains" of the scanner; something on the circuit board, rather than mechanical parts, scan head, etc. *sigh*

If I knew what "part" they need, perhaps I could look around for a junk 8000ED that has that part intact. I can't afford a 9000ED and I really don't want to go back to relying on my V700 for medium format.

gmikol · Oct 1, 2011

Well, if it were my scanner, I would probably open it up, check all the internal cables and connections, make sure the power supply components looked OK (bulging capacitors), etc. But I've been taking apart electronics and putting them back together since I was a teenager, so I'm pretty comfortable with that. It's not something I would recommend for the faint-of-heart.

Good luck finding a solution.

--Greg

toadhall · Oct 5, 2011

There are (if I recall correctly from when I just cleaned mine) only two boards in the 8000: one logic, one power supply. I'm guessing that if it was the logic board, you'd have consistent behavior therefore it may be the power supply board, which won't have any proprietary parts on it - typically transistors, resistors & caps.
Pull the cover and take a look at the ps board (horizontal at the read, without shielding and where the switch connects) and look for anything obvious - cooked resistor etc. If this is apparent, then you should be confident in getting a scrap board from somewhere or going to some local electronic repair shop (120v in, probably 5 & 12 v dc out - not rocket science to someone in the trade)

Diapositivo · Nov 6, 2011

Even if the culprit is the logic board, the most common problem, for any board, is a worn capacitor. A geek friend should be able to find an identical capacitor and solder it to the board in place of the current one. Capacitors are the weak point of any board, after batteries. For DIY maniacs it is easy to find an equivalent capacitor and do the soldering. It's the kind of "artisanal" repair that the manufacturer would not do but the mechanic down the road would do cheaper and better than the maker.

Ali · Feb 26, 2013

working through the exact same problem with LS-8000ED

hello everyone,
i'm having the exact same problem as rawhead, infact when i read this post i thought that maybe i had sleepwalked or something and written it myself. i also made the mistake of sending it to nikon only to get it sent back with their generic "we don't make the part blah blah blah". what a frustrating situation! got the thing off of ebay and didn't even get to enjoy it....
anyways, i'd been trying to find a fix for a month now, perusing the internet and reading similar experiences. this thread was kind of the most illuminating. took the scanner to my super capable geek friend, he switched up the capacitors and the problem persisted and he diagnosed the problem as being with the BGA (Ball grid array) of the main processor of the scanner. he suggested that he could try to do a DIY reflow of the BGA (involving a toaster oven) but it ran the risk of frying the chip all together. hoping that the problem is not the chip but its connections and knowing that it's not a part i can get easily (LS-8000s for parts are going for $400 these days) i decided to send it to a professional place to get the BGA reballed. fingers crossed...
i'm wondering if rawhead has had any luck with getting his fixed and i'll make sure to report to this forum what happens when i get the board back with the reballed BGA.

rawhead · Feb 26, 2013

Hey Ali,

Thanks for the input. No, my 8000ED has been sitting sadly in my closet ever since. Hearing that they're going for that kind of price "for parts" I might decide to just sell it, along with the glass holder and all the other film holders that came with it, and maybe get myself half way to purchasing the Plustek 120. It doesn't sound like the Plustek it going to trump the 8000ED (let alone the 9000ED, despite it costing as much as the 9000ED did when it first came out friggin 8 years ago), when the alternative(s) are long or soon-to-be discontinued/supported machines that cost even more used, it seems I have little choice.

I will, however, definitely wait to hear back from you and how your repair efforts went!

CGW · Feb 26, 2013

The 8000ED(2001) and 9000ED(2004) appear to be off Nikon's repair radar globally now. A friend in Toronto tried to get his ailing 9000ED fixed last fall by Nikon.ca and got the same line. Seems odd since the 9000ED wasn't cut till 2010, though he was told the last "new" models were likely made in 2006 and sat in inventory. They weren't exactly flying off the shelves during the last few years before discontinuation. Not sure whether the dreamers now trying sell 9000EDs for close to 4 grand realize what's up.

I'm losing faith in Nikon after this issue and the current denial of problems with dirt and oil on new D600 and D800 sensors.

rawhead · Feb 26, 2013

CGW said:
Not sure whether the dreamers now trying sell 9000EDs for close to 4 grand realize what's up.

I'd certainly hope that potential buyers at least do... that'd suck donkey balls if you spent close to 4 grand to receive something that could die the next day (if not DOA) and not being able to get Nikon to repair it

CGW · Feb 26, 2013

rawhead said:
I'd certainly hope that potential buyers at least do... that'd suck donkey balls if you spent close to 4 grand to receive something that could die the next day (if not DOA) and not being able to get Nikon to repair it

Caveat emptor, as usual. Those bloated prices probably figured in Plustek's decision to launch the OpticFilm 120, though I'm thinking hi-end Coolscan prices will tank now that Nikon's ended service/support.

rbultman · Feb 27, 2013

What alternatives exist?

What alternatives exist? Is the Plustek up to snuff?

xtolsniffer · Feb 27, 2013

rbultman said:
What alternatives exist? Is the Plustek up to snuff?

I guess that's what I'm interested in too. I have an Epson V700 which is just about passable for 35mm. I could drop a lot of cash on a used Coolscan or opt for a new Plustek or Reflecta. I had a couple of Coolscan III (LS-30's) a few years ago, output was ok, but the stepper motors went in both of them in the end, so I'm a little wary of long-term reliability, especially if parts for newer models are not around. Coolscans are not cheap secondhand and I'm not too happy about spending the same on a secondhand unit when for the same amount I can get a new Plustek or Reflecta. I wonder how many people kept the transit screws in when moving them around as well.

CGW · Feb 27, 2013

Film use takes a hit every time it becomes less convenient to use. I'm still thinking 16-24 mp DSLRs connected to some yet-to-be produced multi-format neg/slide holder+light source thingie will save us. Fanciful? Maybe. I hope Plustek debugs the OpticFilm 120 but it's still expensive. Since my local lab dropped scan/print services from film, I've been piling up negs and slides with no way to get old school proofs(or prints direct) from my 120 C-41 and b&w negs.

IMHO, Coolscans are pretty much finished after Nikon ended parts+service support.

rbultman · Feb 27, 2013

Questioning Film

This thread is making me second guess my use of film. I got (back) into it because it was cheaper to buy used pro MF equipment than a pro DSLR body and lenses. Scanning that big negative is what appeals to me. If I have to use a DSLR to 'scan' that negative, why not just use a DSLR to take the original image? If my LS-8000 dies, I hope the Plustek is debugged AND it is as good or better than the LS-8000. I certainly can't justify an Imacon unless those hit the dustbin like the rest of the pro photo equipment. I feel like I need to learn how to darkroom/enlarger print so that I have a degree of independence from the current state of the scanner market. I could probably set up a killer darkroom for the cost of the Plustek.

glhs116 · Feb 27, 2013

That is why I have such high hopes for the Plustek. It is a problem that won't go away on its own. Somebody needs to make a good modern scanner if the film market is going to keep going. An improving film market should improve the market for decent scanners. Someone has to get out there first and move the ball forward. If they do a decent job they deserve to succeed.

In the meantime, as the owner of a fully functional 9000 my biggest problem is scanning my sheet film.

Sam

OzJohn · Feb 27, 2013

Strangely Nikon Australia still list the 9000 scanner as being available but try to find a price or where to buy it and you come up empty handed. I saw one being offered for sale new at a Nikon dealer in Sydney while visiting that city Xmas 2011. There must be some level of service still available for at least the 5000 and 9000 if for no other reason than to provide for statutory warranty and parts availability.

This whole idea of scanning negatives in order to print digitally is, I feel, going to come unstuck eventually with the inexorable demise of affordable film scanners owing to falling demand. They are precision machines and they fail as people have pointed out in this thread. It looks though there is really only one affordable brand available right now and it evidently has unresolved issues. If it fails in the marketplace is anyone going to make another?

Flatbeds do a passably good job on larger negs but 35mm is the problem. The method of photographing the neg with a DSLR may be the way to go but as someone else has said if you are going to copy your negs with a 25 megapixel camera why not just take the photo with it in the first place - saves money, time and image quality. OzJohn

glhs116 · Feb 27, 2013

Admittedly, a full frame DSLR is out of my price range. However, are people here genuinely shooting film purely out of poverty? If you were to be scanning your negs with a D800 it would certainly not be a duplicate of what you would get pointing the D800 at the same scene. Is there really no one here shooting film for the look of film or the shooting experience of shooting film cameras or for the sake of exploiting the image making possibilities inherent with pushing the envelope of that chemical response curve?

Or do I smell some justification going on here?

I will be shooting film until they come and take it away from me. It is how I prefer to make images. Do I want easy and good quality choices for getting digital output from my film photography? Yes, certainly! But I am not just slumming it with film until I can afford to move out of the ghetto, so to speak. My Coolscan 9000 is out of warranty and may fail some day. I will deal with that issue when it comes. I would love the Plustek 120 to be the 9000 replacement it wants to be. Time will tell. But if not there will always be options whether cast-off commercial scanners or monkeying with macro lenses and my D80. One thing is sure. If the Plustek overcomes the early concerns about QC that some have complained about and proves itself capable of the kind of scan quality I have seen in a few scans from it and people DON'T buy it no one else will step into that part of the market.

rbultman · Feb 28, 2013

glhs116 said:
Or do I smell some justification going on here?

I think you hear people contemplating options should the consumer scanner market disappear. And, maybe a little whining, myself included. Most people are probably not 'slumming it' as you state but use film for a host of other reasons. I don't think the issue is necessarily the price of one scanner, but rather the cost of several if the ones we have fail and cannot be serviced.

glhs116 said:
...people DON'T buy it no one else will step into that part of the market.

This is what is driving the fear. I choose to use film, but if scanners go away I am not excited about the options in the marketplace. Perhaps with things like Arduinos and Raspberry Pi's, Maker Bots, etc, we will print our next scanner. There is already at least 1 thread on either A or DPUG regarding printing a camera. And, of course, people have been building their own LF and ULF cameras so the examples are out there.

If/when my scanner dies I will have some choices to make. It might push me into LF instead of into digital capture with a DSLR. Won't that be an adventure!

analoguey · Nov 10, 2013

rbultman said:
This thread is making me second guess my use of film. I got (back) into it because it was cheaper to buy used pro MF equipment than a pro DSLR body and lenses. Scanning that big negative is what appeals to me. If I have to use a DSLR to 'scan' that negative, why not just use a DSLR to take the original image? .

This is exactly what I was thinking of today. If the investment in MF for bigger negatives is gonna send me back to 35mm dslr scanning, might as well buy and use digital backs or DSLRs

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk

CGW · Nov 10, 2013

analoguey said:
This is exactly what I was thinking of today. If the investment in MF for bigger negatives is gonna send me back to 35mm dslr scanning, might as well buy and use digital backs or DSLRs

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk

Problem is, dedicated film scanner choices for 120 aren't exactly expanding, and scanner technical advance generally is at a standstill. Can the same be said for APS-C and FF sensors? Digital backs are unlikely ever to fit into most people's definition of "affordable" relative to prosumer DSLRs. Besides there's no "investment" potential in buying MF gear. Just Google "DSLR scanning" and see what turns up.

analoguey · Nov 11, 2013

CGW said:
Problem is, dedicated film scanner choices for 120 aren't exactly expanding, and scanner technical advance generally is at a standstill. Can the same be said for APS-C and FF sensors? Digital backs are unlikely ever to fit into most people's definition of "affordable" relative to prosumer DSLRs. Besides there's no "investment" potential in buying MF gear. Just Google "DSLR scanning" and see what turns up.

Oh but MFDBs hold their value pretty well. And letters face it they'll never be mainstream because what consumer would look at a MF camera and say ' heyy it's portable, let me buy that'! Given how many people I know have bought DSLRs and lived to regret it!

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk

CGW · Nov 11, 2013

analoguey said:
Oh but MFDBs hold their value pretty well. And letters face it they'll never be mainstream because what consumer would look at a MF camera and say ' heyy it's portable, let me buy that'! Given how many people I know have bought DSLRs and lived to regret it!

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk

Tell me about "affordable" digital backs for MF that are still serviceable, OK? Seems with the exception of the Hasselblad H system that there's not a huge choice among current backs.

What's the point of going on about "how many people I know have bought DSLRs and lived to regret it" here?

razshepard · Mar 18, 2014

Nikon Coolscan 8000 ED

Can anyone refer me to someone who may be able to repair my film scanner? I didn't use it for a long time because with Mac OS x upgrades the softwear didn't work anymore, then I was waiting for a new computer to buy the softwear. Now I have a brand new Apple (finally), plugged my scanner in, installed VueScan softwear, and the scanner will not take the film holder all the way inside and so the program thinks I do not have film in my scanner.....
I cannot find anyone, even through Nikon, to repair this scanner. I'd appreciate any sources, thank you!

Super CoolScan 8000ED R.I.P.

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