Film scanner investment

[lizter]

Just need some advices from the more experienced ones.

I shoot mainly in film, and sometimes find it a waste to develop and print the whole roll of film when i am shooting experimental works.

currently i am developing the first round of prints in 3R, and later blow those that i like and find a corner of my room to store the rest of those dust-collecting photos.

I am thinking of buying a film scanner so that i only need to develope my film into negatives. then i scan them into my pc and only print those i want, it might saved me quite a lot in the long run. i could also use them for archive and web purpose.

Feasible?


But budget is a constrain to me, so i cant get a film scanner that easily cost more than $1k. most probably i will get one flatbed scanner with adapter that allow me to scan both negatives and slides. any good recommendation?

Is there any other better way for me to save money, beside getting a digital camera?
All comments and advices are welcome. Thanks in advance.

 

[kex]

Shooting slides is another way to cut cost..
one roll cost ard $7+developing $5 = $12
u get nicer colors too.

 

[OzOn3]

actually, it all depends on the person.. Scanner let you store photos in PC, slides allow you to enlarge them pictures using a projecter.. haa..

OT: why is lens connoisseurship akin to masturbation?

 

[akane]

that's what i do nowadays...although i am using a ok scanner without "ICE"
but i think i can live with it.


shooting slides to cut cost? hmm..can explain further?

 

[behyx]

hey there,
there's someone selling a Nikon Coolscan IV in the buy/sell forum, for $800, used for 1.5yrs. Quite a good deal. Check it out

 

[hanoman]

But with slide we need to buy projector, light box, or loop (spelling?). Actually I almost buy a film scanner also, but I decided not to. Because I might buy a DSLR within this year, and the scanner will be a waste.

 

[jesser]

Just need some advices from the more experienced ones.

I shoot mainly in film, and sometimes find it a waste to develop and print the whole roll of film when i am shooting experimental works.

currently i am developing the first round of prints in 3R, and later blow those that i like and find a corner of my room to store the rest of those dust-collecting photos.

I am thinking of buying a film scanner so that i only need to develope my film into negatives. then i scan them into my pc and only print those i want, it might saved me quite a lot in the long run. i could also use them for archive and web purpose.

Feasible?


But budget is a constrain to me, so i cant get a film scanner that easily cost more than $1k. most probably i will get one flatbed scanner with adapter that allow me to scan both negatives and slides. any good recommendation?

Is there any other better way for me to save money, beside getting a digital camera?
All comments and advices are welcome. Thanks in advance.

i'm in the same situation as you are right now.
currently, i develope and print my photo from a lab in AMK which cost only
$7/- in 3R size. and i will pick those i want and blow them up to 5R over at Konota. as i won't be going into DSLR.....(gave up after a few months playing with my friend's D100), now also wish to invest on a film scanner so that i can get my photos into my PC.....well anyway i still like photos in hard copy.

 

[StreetShooter]

A secondhand Minolta Dual Scan III will cost $300-$400 and can give you very good scans (higher resolution images than a 6MP DSLR). New is about $600+.

Every now and then someone lets one go, after scanning in all their old negatives. Just watch the B&S section. I waited only about a week after I decided to get one before one of these ads popped up.

After you use it, you can resell it for about the same, if and when you move to a DSLR. Or you can keep it, because there are some situations (like you need a very wide angle) where you still have to use film.

I prefer to scan and crop/adjust in PS before printing.

 

[coke21]

A secondhand Minolta Dual Scan III will cost $300-$400 and can give you very good scans (higher resolution images than a 6MP DSLR). New is about $600+.

Every now and then someone lets one go, after scanning in all their old negatives. Just watch the B&S section. I waited only about a week after I decided to get one before one of these ads popped up.

After you use it, you can resell it for about the same, if and when you move to a DSLR. Or you can keep it, because there are some situations (like you need a very wide angle) where you still have to use film.

I prefer to scan and crop/adjust in PS before printing.

Yup, I use a Minolta Dual Scan III also. its a pretty decent scanner. Only thing is that it does not have ICE but its good enough.

 

[lizter]

Shooting slides is another way to cut cost..
one roll cost ard $7+developing $5 = $12
u get nicer colors too.

but printing from slide cost more than $1 per 3R. that will kill me if i am to print ten 8R photos from slides.

 

[lizter]

A secondhand Minolta Dual Scan III will cost $300-$400 and can give you very good scans (higher resolution images than a 6MP DSLR). New is about $600+.

i might consider getting one then.

what about this brand (Microtek), is it good?
http://202.39.72.2/Singapore/Web/Pr...=1&PHPSESSID=201b6166948fd493fc1c18183003ca05

 

[sequitur]

but printing from slide cost more than $1 per 3R. that will kill me if i am to print ten 8R photos from slides.

well
if those ten 8R photos are really nice and worth keeping
what's wrong with printing them ?

at least it costs less than developing and printing all your c-41 film

 

[West_ray]

A secondhand Minolta Dual Scan III will cost $300-$400 and can give you very good scans (higher resolution images than a 6MP DSLR). New is about $600+.

a new one cost abt $530 without GST, as quoted in Jan.

 

[coke21]

but printing from slide cost more than $1 per 3R. that will kill me if i am to print ten 8R photos from slides.

What I suggest is that you get a dedicated scanner and if you intend to shoot slide, you can still scan it. As for the colours, you can then do the adjustment on photoshop till you are satisfied with the colours. And printing after that is a breeze....

 

[lizter]

What I suggest is that you get a dedicated scanner and if you intend to shoot slide, you can still scan it. As for the colours, you can then do the adjustment on photoshop till you are satisfied with the colours. And printing after that is a breeze....

wouldnt there be a difference in quality if i print directly from slides, compare to scanning into digital format and print as digital photo? let say i blowing it up to more than A4 size.
(presuming no adjusting is needed)

 

[coke21]

wouldnt there be a difference in quality if i print directly from slides, compare to scanning into digital format and print as digital photo? let say i blowing it up to more than A4 size.
(presuming no adjusting is needed)

correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that nowadays, most labs actually scan the negatives into digital and then print from there...at least thats what most Fuji labs do. FDI labs that is.

Also depends on the resolution that the pictures where scanned in. If its high enough res, I believe there is no change in quality. Besides, at A4 size, the picture is around 8R, and don't think there is a significant loss in detail etc. So far I have scan my pictures and printed 8R sizes and have no problems.

And when you say no adjustment, are you referring to colour adjustment?

 

[keithjhee]

me was in similar situation a few mths back..ended up buying a canon 5000 (i think the model is 5Kwat but cant recall now) flatbed scanner to scan all my slides, negatives and old photos..so far think i scan close to 1000frames already..think it worth it..now canon delicated filmscanner price drop fr 1k+ to abt 800 liao..think u can consider that too or other scanner..maybe u can consider..

for developing slides, i sent to Ruby to develop into super 8R at $6 per piece.not sure if it the cheapest (i know other places charge as much as $20) but i am happy with it..i sure the quality might not be the best (i believe u do get better quality if u pay more) but it is fine for me..so far i have developed abt 10 already..

with a scanner too, u can scan and make 'magic' then send to develop ur digi files too..i like the flexibility..hope my personal experience is useful..

 

[theITguy]

Thanks for the info. Is there any scanner website that reviews the various film scanners in the market? Can't seem to find much....

 

[hoppinghippo]

you can check out photographyreview.com

personally I think you should calculate the cost first b4 buying, how many rolls do you shoot a year, if you scan them at the lab, how much would you spend, will buying a scanner for whatever price be justified? cuz if you are a casual shooter, getting a 1K over scanner is very hard to justify. so this helps you decide your scanner budget.

 

[lizter]

And when you say no adjustment, are you referring to colour adjustment?

yup.
what i mean is simply if you wish to compare the quality of the print by different method.

i am just wondering if there will be a difference in direct printing and digital printing when you blow the print really big. since the price difference is so much. printing a digital is around 40cents, while a slide is over a dollar.

of course i am not a pro that prints big photos for exhibitions. but if i am to sacrifies quality for money for those few prints worth putting in my portfolio, then it might not be a good idea after all.