jak86094

I have used VueScan software for many years with several scanners and I agree that it is very capable and avoids many problems that manufacturers' software seems to have. Great suggestion. I have no experience with SilverFast, however.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

There are still a lot of models. From under $100 to Oh! My God!
Google "best film scanners and you will get lots of reviews, lists etc., set a time limit of within the last year or you will get a lot of models that aren't made anymore.
The lower price ones are less capable, often lower resolution and slow. Usually they are manual load or advance so take a lot of time. They make them for everything from 8 mm to medium format and when you throw in the flatbeds you can go up to 8x10 sheet film. The vast majority are for 35 mm film or slides with a fair number also doing medium format. Then there are the commercial drum models that will do huge sizes and come at a huge price.
I just ordered a "Pacific Image Prime Film XAs super edition Film Scanner" from B&H, on sale at $449.99 free shipping, normally $599.99. It takes 35 mm film and slides only - Have about 10 file boxes of negatives and 1 1/2 of slides (I brought home 3000+ from Vietnam and they have been stored in light proof boxes.) For the medium format and 4x5 I only have a bit over 1 file box full and I can do those plus the old prints from family members on my flatbed.

Here is the review/recommendation site that started me on my search last week: https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/buying-guides/the-best-film-scanners?fbclid=IwAR3JKQ_I86GnQxWSP_gd99-UHpR2wl_CwBI0qLrEQV43SF2jRxdXLk_bGbE

When I need something other than what came with the scanner I use Vuescan Professional Edition (under $100).

The scanner I ordered I found out about from one of the reviews that popped up. It is a small company from Taiwan but has a good rep and getting better.
http://www.scanace.com/scan_pd_1.php?id=53 Their site has fairly good English but there are a few little surprises.

In most of the detailed reviews of slide and film scanners I found that most of them really only produce a faction of the claimed resolution in the real world.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I had a similar problem with a different brand of scanner. Your best bet is to download and install Silverfast software.
--Bob

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

You just need the right driver for your scanner. Take a look at Windows 7: Getting your Nikon Coolscan to work on W7 x64 I have been successfully using it for years.

Silverfast for the Coolscan will cost you an arm and a leg although it's not as expensive for Epson scanners works nicely.

I could never warm up to ViewScan with either scanner.

It's hard to beat the software originally provided by the manufacturer whether it's Nikon or Epson. The know their own equipment and can get the most out of it.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

I have one by Plustek that works almost as well as my Nikon LS-2000.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

I believe he is the one who sold the Nikon LS-2000 to me. He told me that if I gave up on the XP machine I am using to control my LS-2000, my best choice would be to use a Linux machine to run it.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

Although nothing affordable quite matches the Coolscan 9000, the Plustek and several other film scanners come close.

See Film scanner test-reports: complete overview of all the models.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

Or follow my earlier post to install the Windows Vista driver in your Windows 7 64-bit operating system. That might also work under Window 10.

Jack 13088 Loc: Central NY

Viewscan works just fine with that scanner and I now use it with all my other scanners. It is a 1970s style distribution just a executable file with no install. Just turn on your scanner first and launch Viewscan. Itwill find you scanner and run.