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Slide scanner suggestion
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Mar 19, 2018 10:39:59   #
Keldon Loc: Yukon, B.C.
 
I have several thousand slides that I'd like to digitize. Who has what scanner? - how fast/slow is it? How convenient to operate?
Would it be better just to send them out somewhere to have it done instead? I do have time on my hands.
Thanks for any suggestions offered.

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Mar 19, 2018 10:59:42   #
Paladin48 Loc: Orlando
 
Keldon wrote:
I have several thousand slides that I'd like to digitize. Who has what scanner? - how fast/slow is it? How convenient to operate?
Would it be better just to send them out somewhere to have it done instead? I do have time on my hands.
Thanks for any suggestions offered.


If you had a computer running Windows XP you could hook up an HP S20 scanner. It scanned Slides, Negatives AND prints (up to 4x6) at a resolution of 2400. HP in it's infinite wisdom has orphaned the unit providing ZERO drivers for any newer versions of Windows. Perhaps an old laptop with XP would help you out.

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Mar 19, 2018 11:00:01   #
pounder35 Loc: "Southeast of Disorder"
 
Keldon wrote:
I have several thousand slides that I'd like to digitize. Who has what scanner? - how fast/slow is it? How convenient to operate?
Would it be better just to send them out somewhere to have it done instead? I do have time on my hands.
Thanks for any suggestions offered.


I have the Epson V-500. I'm not sure if the model is still available. It's done a great job on my old Kodachrome slides. I've also used in on old photos (up to 8x10)and negatives. When scanning at the highest quality levels it is slow. For scanning the number of slides you mentioned it might be best to use a large commercial lab.

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Mar 19, 2018 11:10:10   #
rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA
 
I have a Nikon LS-2000 I purchased on eBay from a guy who refurbishes them {Nikon no longer makes scanners} and l'm maintaining a Win XP computer to run it - the guy who sold it to me tells me any version of Linux also works. It takes around 7 minutes to scan a slide, because it scans each line 16 times and then uses parallax to eliminate most surface defects. I also have a Plustek that I purchased when I thought I'd have to retire the Nikon, and an Epson I got first. The Epson does the worst job, but the Plustek is OK if the Nikon isn't available.

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Mar 19, 2018 11:25:01   #
tmack
 
I have not had a lot of experience with a number of different slide scanners. But over the years I had a couple of different Nikon Coolscan devices and a couple of Epson. I just finished scanning a group of 800 or so slides that I took in Europe in 1969. These slides were of Agfa and Kodachrome and some color fading had occurred as well as some dust on the slides. I had tried a Nikon Coolscan with a bulk loader, but just was unable to get it to work satisfactorily. Nikon no longer supported the drivers for the loader. A friend suggested an Epson Perfection V550 Photo Scanner. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/985630-REG/epson_b11b210201_perfection_v550_photo_scanner.html This worked very well and I will say I was surprised at how well given the price. Its a rather large flatbed type scanner with a transparency component in the lid. There is a plastic framework that is laid upon the flatbed and holds the slides in place. It will scan 4 slides at a time and produce the scans into 4 separate files, one for each slide. The software included with the scanner I think is very nice and gives a couple of levels of complexity based upon your needs. In the professional mode. Digital ICE processing is included. This was included in the later Nikon units and is very good at removing dust spots. Epson also has a color restoring mode included and the default settings do a very acceptable job of renewing faded colors. The down side, if there is one is having to load the slides 4 at a time by hand. Also, you will have to scan each individually if you want to set different parameters to each individual slide. For me I did most in groups of four with the default settings in professional mode and turned out a very good result. I suggest reading the manual before you start as the software gives you a lot of control on the outcome. You can chose fast and easy or get as involved as you would like. There is an amazing range of control if you choose to use it. Higher resolutions and more processing will increase the scan time but I think the result was well worth the effort. I hope you find this to be some help. I still have a few thousand more slides to scan myself but I won't be looking for another scanner. I'm happy with this one.

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Mar 19, 2018 11:49:46   #
chevman Loc: Matthews, North Carolina
 
I have an Epson Perfection V600 that does a nice job, but 6000 slides just might take the rest of your life because to scan with decent resolution it is very slow. Then you are going to want to edit the slides in a decent editor like photoshop, or elements to do some clean up and enhancing.

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Mar 19, 2018 12:00:20   #
RichJ207 Loc: Sammamish, WA
 
I went through this same thought process for about a thousand slides and bought one of the best out-of-production Nikon scanners that gave high resolution. Then I bought and learned scanning software that worked with an iMac. Then it became a big time sink to go through the process of meticulously cleaning each slide, mounting them in a scanner carrier and scanning them. And after all of that, I have never looked at any of the scanned images of those slides.

Bottom line thought after having all this fun is:
1. What will you do with the scanned images?
2. Do you want to spend that much time to do it yourself? (It will take longer than you think.)
3. What is your time worth?

I would spend a little time to vet an outside service, send the slides out and get back to enjoying the outside world.

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Mar 19, 2018 13:11:55   #
robertjerl Loc: Corona, California
 
Paladin48 wrote:
If you had a computer running Windows XP you could hook up an HP S20 scanner. It scanned Slides, Negatives AND prints (up to 4x6) at a resolution of 2400. HP in it's infinite wisdom has orphaned the unit providing ZERO drivers for any newer versions of Windows. Perhaps an old laptop with XP would help you out.


Vuescan software has drivers for it as part of their software.

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Mar 19, 2018 13:18:55   #
Keldon Loc: Yukon, B.C.
 
I'm beginning to think that I'll send them out to be scanned. I think it'll probably be easier in the long run. (I run Windows 10 on an HP Pavilion)

Thank you to all who responded. Much appreciated.

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Mar 19, 2018 13:22:42   #
bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA
 
I too can vouch for the Epson scanners. I like the result but are slow.

My wish list includes the "Pacific Image PowerSlide X Automated 35mm Slide Scanner" because it will batch 50 at a time.

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Mar 19, 2018 13:38:56   #
Keldon Loc: Yukon, B.C.
 
Yeah, that one's a little out of my budget for a one-time use device. Thanks for the suggestion though.


bsprague wrote:
I too can vouch for the Epson scanners. I like the result but are slow.

My wish list includes the "Pacific Image PowerSlide X Automated 35mm Slide Scanner" because it will batch 50 at a time.

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Mar 19, 2018 13:46:29   #
bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA
 
Keldon wrote:
Yeah, that one's a little out of my budget for a one-time use device. Thanks for the suggestion though.

You said you have several thousand slides!

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Mar 19, 2018 14:25:03   #
Keldon Loc: Yukon, B.C.
 
Yes I do have several thousand slides but spending $1600+ (CDN) on a unit I'll only use once is a little much when there are alternatives available.

bsprague wrote:
You said you have several thousand slides!

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Mar 19, 2018 14:32:53   #
pounder35 Loc: "Southeast of Disorder"
 
Keldon wrote:
Yes I do have several thousand slides but spending $1600+ (CDN) on a unit I'll only use once is a little much when there are alternatives available.


Smart move. I use my Epson on a limited basis but plan to start scanning old family photos. It's time consuming but something to keep me busy at night and out of trouble.

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Mar 19, 2018 18:11:30   #
MT Shooter Loc: Montana
 
Keldon wrote:
I have several thousand slides that I'd like to digitize. Who has what scanner? - how fast/slow is it? How convenient to operate?
Would it be better just to send them out somewhere to have it done instead? I do have time on my hands.
Thanks for any suggestions offered.


I have 3 Epson Photo scanners and scan slides and negatives commercially. I use the V550, V600 and V800 units. I do hundreds of scans a week with them and the quality is unsurpassed by anything near their price ranges.

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