Negative scanner

JimmyL

Thinking of buying a negative scanner such as the Epson Prefection 3590 (€151 at pixmania) or 4490 (€272).

Any opinions? How do they compare to typical lab scanning service (just tried one but waiting for results - anyone know a good lab around Stillorgan).

Can I get a dedicated negative scanner (newish) for that kind of price? Any recommendations?

Can the 3590 handle medium format - the spec doesn't say.

Main concern is quality. So is the 4490 that much better than the 3590?

Thanks

JimmyL

Just noticed the 4180 for €149. The specs look good. Why is it so cheap? Is it an older model? More importantly what is the quality like and why don't they put samples on their web sites?

Merrion

why don't they put samples on their web sites?

Because the quality of your monitor is much much lower than the quality of even their cheapest scanner.
Get a computer magazine or digital photographer magazine for a proper impartial comparison.

For what it's worth I have an older model Epson Perfection and am more than happy with it but the negative tray only holds 35mm negatives. This may not be the case with newer versions.

Benster

The main requirement of quality will, of course, be dictated by what you want to use the scanner output for. Are you selling your pics, or are they just for putting on the wall, giving to family, etc?

I have a Perfection, can't remember the model, but it looks like the 3490. It has negative holders that can take 35mm strips, mounted slides and 120 film. I am very happy with the results from it. I have scanned in negs that have been sent to printing bureaus and the results are very good. You usually get some edition of Photoshop (possibly Elements) with it, for touch-ups and the like, and my pics look all the better for it.

I'd say you can't go wrong with the Perfection for the cost of it.

B.

whyulittle

Saw this on QVC recently, looked the business. hp ScanJet 5530

JimmyL

Merrion wrote:

Because the quality of your monitor is much much lower than the quality of even their cheapest scanner.

Ah, yes but they could still include the actual file output.

Anyway, thank you all for the advice.

Just have to figure out which one to get - must do more research.

rob1891

Get the 4490, I've no experience of it, but it claims to have digital ICE, and I have experience of scanners that dont have this feature! You end up spending 20 boring minutes removing bits of dirt from the scan with the heal brush. Even with slides coming direct from the lab (maybe I should change to one that doesn't leave dirt on my slides).

Rob