srt101fan

I have an old HP scanner that I've been using for photos and documents. I also have an old, long discontinued, Minolta film scanner. I've been looking forward to large scale scanning of my old films and slides in my "post-retirement retirement". But I wonder how long this hardware will continue to work and how long I can get it to play with the ever-changing Windows operating system. Also, we are moving to much smaller quarters and space is a problem.

What would you all consider to be a good scanner that does both photos AND film? I've seen the Epson V600 mentioned a lot in topics on film scanning; is it also good for photos and documents?

Have there been sufficient advances in scanning hardware/software that I could expect better scanning results with new gear?

I'm interested in your thoughts/experience and thank you in advance.

Hereford Loc: Palm Coast, FL

Nothing out there will equal your old Minolta slide and film scanner. I have both the Minolta Scan Elite 2850 and Scan Elite 5400 scanners and I still use the original software from Minolta to do it. I have kept my old 24" iMac running Mac OS 10.6.4 (Snow Leopard) as that was the last combo that would function with the old Minolta software apps. I have scanned more than 7,000 slides with these Minolta scanners.

You can use third party software such as ViewScan and others to run the old Minolta scanners, but I found the results visibly not as good as the Minolta software. I can only speak for the Mac community, but if you take your computer to a Mac store they will install old operating systems for you that can run old apps. I can't speak to the PC community.

If that sounds like more trouble than it's worth, most UHH members seem happy using a flatbed scanner such as the Epson V-600 Photo to do the job. Alternatively you could set up a rig to use your DSLR or mirrorless camera to photograph each photo on filmstrip or slide for the highest quality of all.

StanMac Loc: Tennessee

I have the V500, an earlier iteration of the V600 scanner model. It will scan documents, film and slides ( when using the supplied holders), and photographs. I do like mine for what I use it exclusively for photographic scanning, although I did use it to scan my entire HS senior yearbook to have my senior classmate images for use in reunion programs and presentations.

Stan

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

The Epson V600 would probably be a fine scanner for you. I own both an Epson V500 Photo and a V850 Pro. I don't think scanning technology has changed much but the drivers may become obsolete for really old peripherals. I am still using some Vista era peripherals with Win 10.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I use the Epson V600. Very happy with it. It’s native driver and software is good but get VueScan for a bit more flexibility.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I have an Epson Perfection 3200 that worked for me for some 20 years. I recently upgraded to an Epson V850. My choice of those scanners was driven by the need to scan 4x5 negatives. The Epson V600 is also a good choice but again my choices were driven by the need to scan 4x5 negatives. My upgrade was simply a want to not a need to. My personal choice for the software to drive the scanner was Silverfast.
--Bob

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

Unless it came free with the scanner, Silverfast is a waste of money.

Epson Scan and Viewscan are better and easier to use with the Epson.

Nikon Scan and Viewscan are also easier and better for the Coolscan.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

You generally get what you pay for when buying a scanner. The Epson V600 is very good as a print scanner. It is good to very good for scanning *medium format* film — 645 format, 6x6, 6x7, 6x8, 6x9, etc. But it is just okay for scanning 35mm slides and negatives. The FOCUS just isn't there. Effective resolution isn't very high on 35mm and smaller formats. For larger format film, the V850 is very good.

The best part of the V600, I found, was the Digital ICE feature. That's now obsolete software, because it was written as 32-bit code and won't run on MacOS 10.15 or later. However, the HARDWARE for Digital ICE can be used by SilverFast SE, which Epson provides as a free download when you buy the scanner and enter its serial number on their download site.

I'd buy the V600 or V850 for print scanning and for scanning medium format film. Better deals can be had on all-in-one printer/copier/scan/fax units with EcoTank bottled ink, if you just need office features.

A better choice, for me, anyway, is to "camera scan" my media. I already had the camera and a macro lens. If you have a dSLR or MILC and a macro lens, you have most of the things you need.

I built my own copy stand for prints, using two decent-quality video lights ($50 each with AC adapters), two light weight table top light stands ($25 total), and some PVC plumbing parts, shelving, rubber feet, super glue, and 1/4"-20 TPI hardware (about $90 total). I've "scanned" thousands of prints with dSLR and MILC setups like this — professionally — since 1980. The advantage is that raw capture gives you the ability to do some amazing image adjustments to old prints using the same tools and knowledge you probably already use for digital image processing. But you can also record great JPEGs if you meter and white balance off a photographic gray card and use a new manual exposure setting for every different magnification. (Reciprocity effects occur at macro distances of 1:10 and smaller.)

The copy stand doubles as support for my film duplicator rig, described in my attached 20-page, illustrated PDF. That uses one of my copy stand lights, Velcro, black foam-core board, and the Essential Film Holder, the ingenious gadget that makes it possible to get really high quality camera scans from slides and negatives up to 6x9 cm.

I'm currently scanning old film from my teens as a high school candid yearbook photographer. Attached is a photo from a May 5, 1973 Jethro Tull concert at Clemson University. It was "camera scanned" from about a third of a 35mm Kodak Tri-X negative I push-processed in Acufine developer. More samples are in the PDF attached directly below this. Read it in your browser by double-clicking on it.

Attached file:
(Download)

Martin Barre and Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull ©1971, ©2021, Bill Burkholder

(Download)

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I disagree with your assessment of Silverfast. I've used both Viewscan and Silverfast. Silverfast is, by far, superior.
--Bob

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

If your Epson scanner supported Digital ICE, SilverFast SE can use the hardware. Epson makes it free for owners of certain scanners such as the V600.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

I got Silverfast free with my Epson V750. For B&W 4x5 scans Epson Scan was much easier to use.

I recently considered trying Silverfast for the Coolscan but the $399 price tag made me do some research. You need to buy it again if you get a different scanner.

It's not just my personal opinion.

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/comparison-review-can-vuescan-or-silverfast-archive-your-film-better
https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/silverfast-vs-espon-vs-vuescan.5505222/
http://www.35one20.com/2020/11/12/vuescan-vs-silverfast/
https://www.reddit.com/r/AnalogCommunity/comments/fsx00v/vuescan_or_silverfast/

Viewscan is easier to use than Silverfast but not easier than the software from Epson or Nikon.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

It does but I don't use it because it only applies to color or chromogenic B&W film. It can't be used for silver based B&W or Kodachrome.

cactuspic Loc: Dallas, TX

Bill, thank you for your detailed and thoughtful guide. VERY helpful.

Irwin

P.S. Was that the "Aqualung" tour? Also, why the two copyright dates? Does a subsequent reiteration/edit get a new additional date?

BebuLamar

I think I am in the same boat as you. I have the Minolta dimage dual scan IV (what a name?) and I think you have the same. I can use it with Windows 10 if I install the free version of Vuescan then I use the Minolta software. Some how the Minolta software can make use of the Vuescan driver. The only thing is that I have to use the Minolta as a stand alone and save the scan as TIFF for further editing in PS. With Windows XP I would be able to scan directly into PS without having to save the file as TIFF.
I also have a couple old flat bed scanner. One is very old but I like it was the Scanjet 4C with the SCSI interface. The other is the Scanjet 6300. Neither will work with Windows 10 (or Windows 7 for that matter). I have to have an old HP XW6000 workstation running Windows XP to use them. The XW6000 has scsi ultra 320 so it can connect to the Scanjet 4C. I also have to install the Windows XP version that came from HP in order to have the drive for the 4C.
I am thinking of buying the Epson V600 to replace all 3 scanners. I don't know how long it will work as Windows 11 is coming.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

We both have 4x5" films. I even have a few 8x10" films.