Film Scanning negatives and slides

Before you go spending money on gear to scan with a digital camera, consider the more practical less clunky alternative.

I bought an OpticFilm 8100 from B&H photo for hardly any money. You have to manually push the film holder to the next frame, but other than that there are no compromises.

The quality is insanely good, if you get everything right in camera and development you can produce 20+ megapixel images from 35mm film. No good if you shoot medium format unfortunately :/
First of all thanks for the tip!. The 8200I SE looks even more interesting and it doesn't cost a lot more over here.
I've had a look at some of your scans in the meantime and I like what I see, they're some of the best 135 scans I've seen so far. Most of my B&W negatives are Tri-X as well - good to know what to expect from going that route.
Scanning medium format film would be a different challenge but nothing that couldn't be solved just as well I guess.

Any experiences with scanning medium format film anyone?
 
Yep, if you go for the 8200I SE you get infra red for dust and scratch removal. I believe that works better for colour film than it does in black and white, which is all I can process myself anyway.

Other than that, i believe I am correct in saying the image quality is the same.

I am stuck though, because now I can't step up to medium format without buying another scanner. I have been getting that itch lately
 
Yep, if you go for the 8200I SE you get infra red for dust and scratch removal. I believe that works better for colour film than it does in black and white, which is all I can process myself anyway.

Other than that, i believe I am correct in saying the image quality is the same.

I am stuck though, because now I can't step up to medium format without buying another scanner. I have been getting that itch lately
Understandable. As much as I like the experience of shooting 135 film with a manual camera, at the moment it doesn't make much sense (onboard luggage restriction - 10kg. max, X-Ray risks, ...). Returning to MF for my serious stuff is a different story though since it's pretty much restricted to indoor series on a heavy tripod and the use of a good number of stationary props anyway. I currently own a Fujica GL690 but I'm seriously considering getting an RZ67 for my contextual portraits these days, even though I could easily afford a digital FF kit, but naaah. Gotta get rid of the same bl..dy itch. I really feel like making some space in the fridge for some fresh rolls.
 
I have been scanning with an Epson v550... I like the quality i have been getting out of it and it does MF to boot! Got a deal on it on ebay for $100... Can't beat that.. I think eventually i will move up to the v700 or 800 series if this film affair continues.. boy my m43s are pissed at me!
 
I have been scanning with an Epson v550... I like the quality i have been getting out of it and it does MF to boot! Got a deal on it on ebay for $100... Can't beat that.. I think eventually i will move up to the v700 or 800 series if this film affair continues.. boy my m43s are pissed at me!
Sounds familiar, lol. As to those scan jobs ahead, the main reason to move 'back' to MF would be huge prints - read A0, digitally processed (a 'must') but after some research on the web it all doesn't look too easy. I'd be looking forward to something around 50MP, give or take, so that would be a 6000*8000 pixel scan of a 6*8cm negative or in other words a real scan resolution of about 2500dpi. Printing this file at AO height (118,4cm / 46,6 inches) would give me something about 172dpi -more than acceptable for that size. So how to get those real 2500dpi scan resolution? I've heard of a dedicated Nikon MF scanner but phew, these rigs are pricey.
 
[Qedwardconde
I have been scanning with an Epson v550... I like the quality i have been getting out of it and it does MF to boot! Got a deal on it on ebay for $100... Can't beat that.. I think eventually i will move up to the v700 or 800 series if this film affair continues.. boy my m43s are pissed at me!
I'm glad you like your Epson V550, I just picked one up today. I feel better about my purchase now.
 
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