I am looking to upgrade my scanner to enable me to print from 35mm negs/slides. Don't need to print the size of a wall mostly 7x5 and occasional 10x8. Will a 1200dpi do or should I pay extra to gain 2400dpi/42 bit? Looking at HP5370 or 5470 at mom but open to suggestions (flatbed only).
Thanks,
Tom.
To print from a neg or slide, you'll need rather more dpi than that. The sums are simple.
If you want to print, say 10" wide from a 35mm exposure, at Ndpi (in the print), then the print will be 10xN pixels wide. The scan must provide those pixels from the exposure, which is 1.417" wide (36mm). So you have to scan the exposure at 10xN/1.417dpi. To get say, 250dpi in the print, you'll need to scan the exposure at 2500/1.417=1764dpi.
I'd not settle for less than 2400dpi.
Alan,
Many thanks for your helpful reply. I don't expect to produce prints as good as those from by digital cam but do want the best I can afford so 2400dpi it is.
Best regards,
Tom.
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TomB
Let us know how you get on.
Alan,
Sorry for taking so long to respond but I only got it last Thursday (HP 5470c 2400dpi). Works very well scanning docs but the jury definitely still out with 35mm slides. Not produced anything yet I would print as 7x5. Using 2400 really clogs up my pc - a prob not encountered with any other task. Perhaps I was too optimistic and should just project them on a screen and point my C-3030 at them! Still persevering.
Tom.
Tom
If you seriously want to obtain good results from scanning 35mm trannies or negs I think you will have to invest in a dedicated film scanner.
I see the cheapest one is a Microtek Filmscan 35 at £102+VAT+carriage at www.digitalfirst.co.uk.
USB, 36 bits, 1800dpi and dedicated 35mm only. Mac and PC.
Any good anyone?
[This message has been edited by mooblie (edited 23 October 2001).]
I think 1800 dpi max would tend to be a bit restrictive. I know the original post said mostly 7x5 but personal experience says that once you have the ability to produce larger you will want to do so. As Alan Roberts has already pointed out 10x8 would be the extreme limit at 1800 dpi. This would not permit cropping and decent quality printing. I use the Acer Scanwit 2720S which cost £300 and runs at up to 2700 dpi.
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Regards
Keith
I use a HP film scanner, about £400 from Jessops. It does 2400 in it's stride and has not yet produced a result I'm not happy with. Does mounted slides, 35mm strip film, and reflective prints up to 7x5.
quote:Originally posted by mooblie:
I see the cheapest one is a Microtek Filmscan 35 at £102+VAT+carriage at www.digitalfirst.co.uk.
USB, 36 bits, 1800dpi and dedicated 35mm only. Mac and PC.Any good anyone?
Just to update this - I went for one of these, as I only really want it for web use, and 1800 dpi I felt was plenty for that. However, I have just taken Microtek's own advice and scrapped the driver software they supply in the box, and bought SilverFast SE (downloaded for $49USD) and the results are immeasurably better. Highly recommended - this software-only upgrade.
Get it here http://www.silverfast.com/product/Microtek/189/en.html
[This message has been edited by mooblie (edited 02 April 2002).]
Anyone tried the UMAX 270 35mm scanner?
Looks quite good - £350 with Silverfast 5.5!
I'd considered getting a digital camera but have yet to see anything to convince me that any digital camera beats a good 35mm SLR!
I think that once you have tried a 'proper' film scanner then you will wish you had saved your pennies for longer. I got a Nikon CoolScan IV and it is truly wonderful. Not only does it work well with the scanning mechanics, but it has the magical software that uses an extra infra-red scan to repair scratches and dirt marks. I found some old half-frame slides I took 30 years ago, and they still offered really nice quality.
FWIW you can see some low res versions of raw scans of recent 35mm pictures at: http://www.btinternet.com/~perrybits/WebPics/PicIndex.html
(Click the index picture to see a larger version)
I paid extra and got the APS adaptor, but for the same total money you can now buy a Canon with a higher res and the APS included.
Either way I think these will be streets ahead of a flat-bed solution, where if nothing else there is a danger of Newton's Rings.
[This message has been edited by PerryMitchell (edited 15 April 2002).]