Scanning negatives

ezra_ · 06-03-2021 4:49pm #1

Hi,

I'm looking ideally to find a 2nd hand scanner for 35mm negs.

I probably don't do enough to justify the price of a new V500/600 or whatever the number is these days, and there doesn't seem to be a market for second hand scanners.

Has anyone gotten any advice?

Heebie · 06-03-2021 11:26pm

ezra_ wrote:

I probably don't do enough to justify the price of a new V500/600 or whatever the number is these days, and there doesn't seem to be a market for second hand scanners.

I think most people who get them keep them until they die, then upgrade.
The v500/600 etc... don't tend to be super expensive, especially not considering the quality vs "truly" cheap scanners.

If you're going to find one, it'll likely be on eBay.

Good luck

ezra_ · 07-03-2021 11:21am

Heebie wrote: »

I think most people who get them keep them until they die, then upgrade.
The v500/600 etc... don't tend to be super expensive, especially not considering the quality vs "truly" cheap scanners.

If you're going to find one, it'll likely be on eBay.

Good luck

The current model, the v850 is going for over a grand as far as I can see.

I can't seem to find sites that sell the v550/600 and have them in stock.

Hens teeth!

07-03-2021 11:24am

I have a USB one that does the job for me.

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/2-36-TFT-LCD-Screen-5MP-10MP-USB-135-35mm-Negative-Film-Scanner-to-Digital-SLS/164239141482?hash=item263d6a6a6a:g:t9sAAOSwUQle4NZR

magicbastarder · 07-03-2021 11:29am

they have a very poor reputation as regards quality.

OU812 · 07-03-2021 11:32am

65535 wrote: »

I have a USB one that does the job for me.

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/2-36-TFT-LCD-Screen-5MP-10MP-USB-135-35mm-Negative-Film-Scanner-to-Digital-SLS/164239141482?hash=item263d6a6a6a:g:t9sAAOSwUQle4NZR

You’ll be laughed at for posting that but I bought a similar one for €30 from Aldi recently. Produced about a 2-3mb image.

Nowhere near the original resolution but ideal to digitise ohr family snaps over the years that haven’t been viewed for close to a decade at this point.

Was also able to do some negatives that my parents had where no photos exist any more. The prints were lost in a house fire in a relatives house back in the 60s.

Got back the only photo that existed of my dad as a teenager and one of my grandfather in uniform that nobody remembered ever seeing.

Cameraman · 07-03-2021 12:00pm

ezra_ wrote: »

The current model, the v850 is going for over a grand as far as I can see.

I can't seem to find sites that sell the v550/600 and have them in stock.

Hens teeth!

Keep watching Amazon - they appear from time to time.
They had 16 V600s in stock on Friday - now sold out again.
Normal price range is £238-£268 or so - was actually £238 on Friday.

(As you can guess, I was also in the market for one !)

Heebie · 07-03-2021 3:47pm

magicbastarder wrote:

they have a very poor reputation as regards quality.

Which ones do?

Heebie · 07-03-2021 3:48pm

That's several models higher in the line.

magicbastarder · 07-03-2021 5:09pm

Heebie wrote: »

Which ones do?

The sort on that ebay link.

07-03-2021 5:11pm

I'm sure there are better quality USB ones but I just wanted to save old family snaps.

DekkoD3 · 07-03-2021 8:35pm

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0074H6NLC?tag=forsalecouk-21&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1

Brilliant unit, have had one for years.

NicoleDel · 07-03-2021 8:48pm

I've been scanning in negatives using the photo negative scanner app. You can download it to your phone. Free to try then 4.99. I used ipad on highest brightness and white background for back light but pixels cause a bit of an issue so bought huion back light.

Cameraman · 12-03-2021 12:02pm

ezra_ wrote: »

The current model, the v850 is going for over a grand as far as I can see.

I can't seem to find sites that sell the v550/600 and have them in stock.

Hens teeth!

V600 in stock on Amazon UK today (12/3/2021) - will probably be gone by tonight !

ezra_ · 12-03-2021 12:58pm

Cameraman wrote: »

V600 in stock on Amazon UK today (12/3/2021) - will probably be gone by tonight !

Bought!

Heebie · 12-03-2021 6:26pm

ezra_ wrote:

Bought!

Sweet! Enjoy!

ezra_ · 12-03-2021 6:28pm

All sold out now, I think there were 11 left when I pulled the trigger.

The J Stands for Jay · 13-03-2021 3:19pm

65535 wrote: »

I have a USB one that does the job for me.

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/2-36-TFT-LCD-Screen-5MP-10MP-USB-135-35mm-Negative-Film-Scanner-to-Digital-SLS/164239141482?hash=item263d6a6a6a:g:t9sAAOSwUQle4NZR

I have an Aldi/Lidl one that I must throw up on eBay. It wasn't the worst quality, but I got an Epson V550 not too long afterwards.

ezra_ · 19-03-2021 10:42am

And now to the next question (as I await delivery)

What software?!
The internet seems to throw up either VueScan or SilverFast and the discussions of the two are... tribal.

magicbastarder · 19-03-2021 10:49am

does it come bundled with a trial?
i got a full version of silverfast with mine, but as it was the V750, i'd have expected no less.

The J Stands for Jay · 19-03-2021 11:18am

magicbastarder wrote: »

does it come bundled with a trial?
i got a full version of silverfast with mine, but as it was the V750, i'd have expected no less.

My V550 made no mention of silver fast, but a couple of months ago I went to the silver fast website and out in my scanner's serial number, and it gave me a download. I installed it and have it a whirl, but the results were mediocre. I suspect there's some stuff to be tweaked in the settings, but I haven't taken the time to look, as I'm happy enough with the Epson software for now.

That said, if anyone could point me towards a simple guide to silverfast, I might give it another go.

DaireQuinlan · 19-03-2021 12:41pm

I've used vuescan for years. Never took to silverfast, in part because they're a little ... predatory ... when it comes to licensing i.e. having to have two different licenses if you have two scanners on the machine, plus I don't know what their upgrade path is like WRT licensing. Vuescan you buy the pro license once and you can use it on any amount of scanners and you get all the updates. Plus Ed Hamrick, the vuescan guy, is pretty responsive to support issues and queries (or at least was the couple of times I had to get in touch a while back).

It is true that vuescan takes a little getting used to, I don't know how that compares to silverfast. Plus getting good colour balance from vuescan from dodgy negatives can be a bit of a black art sometimes.

Cameraman · 19-03-2021 12:54pm

ezra_ wrote: »

And now to the next question (as I await delivery)

What software?!
The internet seems to throw up either VueScan or SilverFast and the discussions of the two are... tribal.

I just used the software that came with the scanner. Then Lightroom (and very occasionally Photoshop) to finish.

ezra_ · 12-04-2021 8:18pm

Scanner has arrived!

I actually had to cancel the UK order and get it in from amazon.de, as it never arrived in the UK.

Seems also that Epson don't make software for the new version of mac, so I got a free Silverfast licence with it.

Scanning negatives

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