Advice needed re. slide scanner

[Colin J]

I need some advice about choosing a slide scanner. I need a good
workhorse that will help me scan quite large numbers (thousands) of
mounted 35mm slides over the next few weeks and months.

They include many Kodachromes from 1973 to 2005 plus Agfachromes (CT18
and CT21) and many more recent Fuji Provia and Velvia slides.

To make things more complicated, I will need to scan a smaller number
(hundreds) of black and white and colour negatives of various brands.
The black and white films are about two thirds chromogenic (C41
process) and the remainder are traditional emulsions.

This is for my work, so lowest purchase cost is not the primary issue.

I have a BenQ 2720 which is a reasonably good scanner but it is too
slow. I want higher resolution (4000dpi) and probably need a slide
feeder. It seems to me that the most obvious choice is the Nikon
Super Coolscan LS5000ED with the SF-210 Slide Feeder, but I would
welcome some guidance from those with more experience.

Is the LS5000ED the only choice here? If there is anyone with
experience of using the LS5000ED to scan some or all of the mix of
films I listed above, I would be very pleased indeed to hear from you.

Thank you,

Colin

 

[Don]

I need some advice about choosing a slide scanner. I need a good
workhorse that will help me scan quite large numbers (thousands) of
mounted 35mm slides over the next few weeks and months.

They include many Kodachromes from 1973 to 2005 plus Agfachromes (CT18
and CT21) and many more recent Fuji Provia and Velvia slides. ....
Is the LS5000ED the only choice here? If there is anyone with
experience of using the LS5000ED to scan some or all of the mix of
films I listed above, I would be very pleased indeed to hear from you.

LS-5000 is a very good scanner (I have the younger brother the LS-50)
but be forewarned that Nikons don't get along with some Kodachromes!
The result is a dark scan with a notorious blue cast (actually, it's
absence of red). The more you boost exposure the more obnoxious the
cast becomes. That's why Nikon had to implement a special "Kodachrome"
mode but it falls way short for a number of reasons.

For example, there is no one Kodachrome as they have changed
continuously. Can't speak for other vintages but my LS-50 intensely
dislikes 1982 & early 1983 Kodachromes. End of 1983 and beginning of
1984 was a weird period (transition?) but by late 1984 things improve
considerably. My last Kodachrome from 1988 scanned quite well. There's
still a faint blue cast but it's certainly acceptable and nothing like
the 1982 & 1983 monstrosities!

The only alternative to a Nikon may be the Minolta 5400 Mark II. The
important thing is the "II" because that model uses a single white LED
rather than a conventional light bulb. However, some people have
reported that it's not a very well built scanner (plastic cogs) so
they have some reliability issues if used extensively. This is all
second hand so I'll let actual users comment with specific details.

Nikons, on the other hand, are built like a tank! And sound like one
too! ;o)

Finally, you will not be able to use ICE on Kodachromes and
silver-based B&W film. You may be able to apply ICE to some
Kodachromes which are overexposed and most of the silver has been
washed out. But it really depends on how you "picky" you are. If you
examine them at high magnification the ICE artifacts are (to me at
least) still very visible.

Don.

 

[Surfer!]

In message <[email protected]>, Colin J

It seems to me that the most obvious choice is the Nikon
Super Coolscan LS5000ED with the SF-210 Slide Feeder, but I would
welcome some guidance from those with more experience.

The SF-200 works with it as well (and it's what I am using with mine):

http://nikoneurope-en.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/nikoneurope_en.cfg/php/enduser
/std_adp.php?p_sid=WhMNH4qh&p_lva=5161&p_faqid=2123&p_created=1054130576&
p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9ncmlkc29ydD0mcF9yb3dfY250PTI1JnBfc2VhcmNoX3RleHQ9JnBf
c2VhcmNoX3R5cGU9MjpmYXFzLmZhcV9pZCZwX3Byb2RfbHZsMT0yNSZwX3Byb2RfbHZsMj1_Y
W55fiZwX2NhdF9sdmwxPTE1JnBfY2F0X2x2bDI9fmFueX4mcF9wYWdlPTI*&p_li=

or more concisely

http://makeashorterlink.com/?F3AC2205C

The problems with Kodachrome are mentioned but I am pleased with the
results from Ectachrome. The Agfa is horrible but then it always was.

I had to use an old credit card to resolve problems with it sometimes
trying to feed more than one slide - that was only a problem with
thinner plastic mounts not with card ones. I've not got to
bulk-scanning the Kodachrome. However I am brushing any surface dust of
the slides. I'm also taking care to make sure I can easily find the
original slide from any scan, in case I want to rescan it.

You might be able to get an LS4000 on eBay, but I found in the UK that
the only LS5000 that appeared went for not a lot less than the best new
price I could find, so I got a new one complete with guarantee. The
SF-200 was a good buy though - less than 1/2 price.

Scanning my negatives will be tedious by comparison as it's all chopped
up into short lengths - will be sticking to slides in future.