entry level 35mm film scanner?

[je2a3]

Since I started processing B&W film this year I developed at least 40 rolls. I still am a firm believer in a wet darkroom but since my bathroom serves as a part-time darkrooom I am now considering an entry level 35mm scanner for quick assessment or upload of my negatives and occasional digital printing to hand out 4" x 6" prints. I'll still use the wet method for larger prints. I've seen Canon and Epson film scanners at Best Buy or Circuit City for under $200. Will these units and software that comes along be effcient enough for my purpose? I only shoot 35mm and don't envision acquiring gear using other formats.

Thanks for any tips or suggestions!

Regards,

Joseph

[dmr]

You might want to look at this thread as it discusses film scanners in some depth:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10996

[skipc]

The Konica/Minolta Scan Dual IV is $229 @ B&H and offers a far better solution for entry and beyond . I am getting as good of results as the more expensive Dimage SE 5400 that preceeded it. best...skip

[Roman]

Well, I have a Canon 8400F, and for your purposes something like this would be quite sufficient. For scanning for printing out, I#d rather go the dedicated film scanner route, though...

Roman

[jaypolaski]

Check out the PlusTek OpticFilm 7200. They've been getting better reviews than the KM IV in Europe, and you can pick one up for about $189. With an optic resolution of 7200 DPi, I don't see that being surpassed in the sub $200 for quite a while, and the results are excellent. If you want proof, click on my gallery link in my signature, and look at the B&W work. It was all Ilford HP5, scanned with that scanner, and a bunch of it was processed at home in my bathroom as well. :)

[je2a3]

Thanks for the tips and the link to a recent discussion of scanners. I've researched a little bit on scanning and it seems like tit takes about 5 minutes to scan a frame to get decent resolution, is this true?

[jaypolaski]

With mine, I can get a 3600 DPI scan in under a minute...the 7200 is roughly two.

[Poptart]

I have an attachment that works on flatbed scanners; made by Microtek. I bought it used but I'd guess they're cheap. It does a strip of negs or a slide.

[RJBender]

I usually research Cnet or PC Magazine, particularly the user opinions.

I use an old HP film scanner (that was sitting around gathering dust until I found XP software for it last week) to scan 35mm negative film. I have a HP Scan Jet 5370C with a transparency adapter that I use for 120 negative films.

For the attached image, I used a Rapid Omega with a 90mm, scanned the negative with the 5370 and joined it to a mirror image. I used the Cumulus plug in for the fog. I make 11X14 prints from a 2175 X 1623 digital image with 605 pixels per inch. I have also attached a 607 X 532 selection from the image I use for 11 X 14 prints.


Here are the links to Cnet and PC Mag:

http://shopper.cnet.com/Plustek_OpticFilm_7200_Film_Scanner/4014-3136_9-31243829.html?rvwtp=4852-3136_9-31243829&tag=nav.user&orderby=90&sort=

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1765491,00.asp

R.J.