[SpittingKitty]

Hi! I'm looking for some scanner recommendations. I need something that not only scans prints well, but also works well with negatives and slides. All of the reviews I've come up with on MacWorld and CNET are either not particularly good or are from 2005 or earlier.
Thanks!

[dougster]

-Hi,
If I were in the market for a new scanner I'd do what you did. Post on the boards here and Google 'scanners review 2006'. [Scanner Reviews] I'm very pleased w/ our Epson Perfection 2400-->35mm slide-->negs also. Canon is suppose to make a great scanner also. My neighbor has a 2 yr old HP (don't know the model) but the negs/slides is a joke. And they're imported into Photoshop automatically like ours. Just darn right sad. If money is no factor maybe look into the firewire flavor. Anyway...I'm sure folks will add to your post. Good luck..

[mdawson]

Well, I have never used it for film scanning, but I am very happy with my Canon CanoScan 9950F. The model has been around for awhile, but it is a Macworld top pick for good reason. I have an iTunes collection full of color-correct album art for a reason.

[Devachjai]

Using an Epson 4490 Photo with great results.

[Nobody]

Quote:

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Hi! I'm looking for some scanner recommendations . . .
. . . All of the reviews I've come up with on MacWorld and CNET are either not particularly good or are from 2005 or earlier.

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How about that. . . . . . . . . . . . /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Macworld editors/contributors?
Bjorn

[Martian]

I doubt if your slides are Kodachrome, but if some are, I remember once reading that to do justice to Kodachrome, the scanner must be specifically designed to scan slides. This has to do with Kodachrome's much thicker image left on the film substrate.

[Nobody]

Quote:

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Hi! I'm looking for some scanner recommendations. I need something that not only scans prints well, but also works well with negatives and slides.

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Forum poster DarthMac gave some good words about the 'Epson Perfection V750 M Pro'. The sister unit is the 'Epson Perfection V700 Photo' (cheaper and with a couple of less features you may not even need). They are both a year old now, and something else may be in the pipeline from Epson since they are on sale from Epson now.
Keep in mind, however, that Epson's flatbed scanners - and all other flatbed scanner brands - give you 'softer' (not so sharp) images when scanning negatives or transparencies.
No flatbed scanner is capable of scanning negs and transparencies like a dedicated film scanner. You may be able to sharpen the images to a degree with e.g. Photoshop, but don't hold your breath for excellent results. Of the Epson scanners the V series probably has the better film scanning features.
My flatbed scanner - Epson Perfection 2450 Photo - produces very soft images scanning negatives and transparencies. Albeit it being a few years old, the flatbed technology still has not come up to par vs dedicated film scanners. Flatbeds are also slow scanning negs and trans.
However, like most Epson scanners, the V series probably scans great reflective/printed art. It also features a good density range (Dmax).
Bjorn

[Philbert]

Here's a real-world example of what you can expect from a decent flatbed scanner.
From a 6x7 transparency with a 3 year old, $400 Epson 4990 Pro - (raw scan except for a bit of post sharpening):
100% Crop

Full Image
No doubt if money were no object, I could wring out a better image with a more expensive scanner but IMO, this example is far from the abysmal results some would have you believe all flatbed scanners will produce. In no way whatsoever does this image look "soft" when printed - even at 13"x19". (Actually, it makes a fairly gorgeous print.)
On a side note - there's something you need to know about some photographers when they get together and discuss digital image quality. They like to take an image and view it on-screen at 100% (and beyond) sizes and pick apart the tiniest flaws - flaws that will NEVER-EVER show in actual use (i.e., a print or web). There's even a name for it - "pixel-peeping". It's even worse when a "comparison" is made (like between scanners). While one may crowned "better" because it produces a minutely sharper scan evident at 100% on-screen, the reality is that in many cases, in real-world usage, there's absolutely no perceivable difference! It makes for an interesting discussion and may provide ammunition for bragging rights, but IMO, they'd be better off spending the time creating images or making prints or something.
And yes, I admit I'm guilty of it at times. "Hi, I'm Phil and I'm a pixel peeper". /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Good luck with your search.

[tango101]

I recently purchased a V700 epson scanner and I find it to be about the best
flatbed scanner around. It will scan negatives from 35, medium format, 4x5
and 8x10. Epson's software is pretty good but I also have vuescan pro
which gives you more features. Prints are as good as the prints you scan.
I would recommend this scanner anytime.
tango101

[bjmckee]

I agree with the CanoScan 9950f. It is superb! I've made thousands of scans with it and haven't had one single problem.

[snoopy]

Slighty off topic a bit. What is a good scanner that does just neagtives, slides, etc?