Flatbed Scanner Recommendations?

[Ryan Gallagher]

Does anyone have a contemporary (still supported) cheap USB flatbed scanner they like that supports scanning transparencies like film?

I'd be interested in one that is supported in Windows 10/11 as well as OSX. Modern LED light sources and USB powered preferred over the old wall power and tube sources.

Doesn't have to be full 8.5x11 or 8.5x17... though I'm not aware of pint size ones ever being a thing. If it was sized to be tool-bag/travelable that would be a bonus!

Last time I used flatbeds was in the SCSI era... so I'm way out of the loop on what is available/good these days.

Purpose: I'd just like to be able to produce geometrically undistorted scans of print frames for matte sizing and aperture comparisons in our booth one day. Do some reference film comparisons digitally instead of awkwardly stacking and aligning film on the inspection bench etc. I feel like an actual film negative scanner is overkill (and those are priced accordingly).

[Frank Cox]

I have a Canon LIDE 110 that works well but it's several years old and I don't know if it's available any more.

It isn't exactly a speed demon, though. It takes about twenty seconds to do each page.

[Ryan Gallagher]

I have a Canon LIDE 110 that works well but it's several years old and I don't know if it's available any more.

It isn't exactly a speed demon, though. It takes about twenty seconds to do each page.

I did stumble into the LIDE 210 on ebay, while you can certainly still get software, not directly supported by the manufacturer anymore. Are you able to run the 110 model on Win11 without issue?

One potential gotchya with older scanners is I'm reading Win11 doesn't support the 32bit TWAIN drivers anymore if needed for software. I've seen some scanners advertising supporting TWAIN as if it is an alternative to their bundled software. Back in the day you could scan with bundled software or directly using things like photoshop.

[Ed Gordon]

Here is a cheap solution that might be good enough for your requirements:

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https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807525255630.html

[Ryan Gallagher]

Here is a cheap solution that might be good enough for your requirements:

Something like that might make registering two films easier for sure for visual inspection. But it's really just a light box designed to be paired with a digital camera if you want a "scan". It doesn't remove lens distortions although for the purposes of aperture comparing that is probably adequate, but if you wanted to overlay two separate digital "scans" that are separated by time, I feel like the flatbed approach is easier for registration. You'd need some kind of stand or repeatable mount for the camera with this negative/film holder. If you wanted to be able to take "measurements" in the resulting digital file I don't think this approach quite cuts it.

Really this is a thought, by no means required, but nice to have for 70mm prints I don't have plates for yet, and I'm not sure a 4x5 holder is compatible with those perfs.

Since accurate colors is not important, the "film scanning" feature is perhaps not needed, just a regular flatbed scan with reflected light would be enough to compare the sizing/matting.

That guy definitely is more portable than an 8.5x11 scanner though! Without the matte box lids it is also a portable inspection light... probably has at least 10$ value in just that function.

[Frank Cox]

Are you able to run the 110 model on Win11 without issue?

I have no idea.

It works well (and "by magic", with no installation or setup required), with sane 1.0.32. And previous versions too; this is just the version that I'm using right now.

[Ed Gordon]

Something like that might make registering two films easier for sure for visual inspection. But it's really just a light box designed to be paired with a digital camera if you want a "scan". It doesn't remove lens distortions although for the purposes of aperture comparing that is probably adequate, but if you wanted to overlay two separate digital "scans" that are separated by time, I feel like the flatbed approach is easier for registration. You'd need some kind of stand or repeatable mount for the camera with this negative/film holder. If you wanted to be able to take "measurements" in the resulting digital file I don't think this approach quite cuts it.

Really this is a thought, by no means required, but nice to have for 70mm prints I don't have plates for yet, and I'm not sure a 4x5 holder is compatible with those perfs.

Since accurate colors is not important, the "film scanning" feature is perhaps not needed, just a regular flatbed scan with reflected light would be enough to compare the sizing/matting.

That guy definitely is more portable than an 8.5x11 scanner though! Without the matte box lids it is also a portable inspection light... probably has at least 10$ value in just that function.

My inexpensive Brother laserjet printer/scanner worked just fine to scan a film. Quality is poor but good enough to show frame size. You might try any copier to see what kind of results you get. The image below is cropped (could not attach the full sized file).

film scan (cropped).jpg

[Mark Ogden]

The Epson Perfection series scanners are benchmark for photo/transparency scanning. The two cheap ones are fine for your needs, but if you throw down for the V600 you get plastic transparency holders for 35mm.

[Ed Gordon]

The Epson Perfection series scanners are benchmark for photo/transparency scanning. The two cheap ones are fine for your needs, but if you throw down for the V600 you get plastic transparency holders for 35mm.

There is a used Epson Perfection V370 Photo, Slide & Film Scanner on Ebay for $52: https://www.ebay.com/itm/135774898562

[Mike Blakesley]

I have an epdon that does slides and negatives. It works fine, but their software is buggy as hell - crashing or just not working right. I have one of their printers with the same kind of issues.

[Ryan Gallagher]

I have an epdon that does slides and negatives. It works fine, but their software is buggy as hell - crashing or just not working right. I have one of their printers with the same kind of issues.

I assume you meant Epson and was a typo. Interesting feedback. Thanks.

[Scott Norwood]

I've had an Epson V500 for about fifteen years. It's pretty decent and came with the holders for 35mm slides and negatives and 120 negatives. I don't love the 35mm negative holder, but it works. (edit: the software seems OK, but I'm still running it on a Windows 7 VM from the same era, so I can't comment on newer software)

The V850 is the one that you really want, but you don't want to see the price. If mine ever dies, I'd look at used V750s.

[Randy Stankey]

I have no idea.

It works well (and "by magic", with no installation or setup required), with sane 1.0.32. And previous versions too; this is just the version that I'm using right now.

For scanner software, go to: https://www.hamrick.com/

VueScan is a scanning application for Windows, macOS, and Linux that replaces your scanner's software. It works with flatbed, document, and film/slide scanners. Trusted by both home users and large organizations, VueScan is the perfect solution for unsupported scanners or those needing more powerful scanning features.

I have a CannoScan 8800F flatbed. I bought it in 2008. It works, today, on my Mac Studio as well as it did on my old Mac Pro, when it was new, seventeen years ago. I dumped the bundled software and drivers, soon after trying the scanner out, and got Vue Scan. It's been my go-to scanning software ever since.

When I installed it on my new computer, I didn't even bother looking for drivers or installers. I just downloaded VueScan and the scanner worked right off the bat.

Are you fed up with driver issues? Are you using MacOS? Wiindows? Linux? "Version X?" "Version Y.2.4?" VueScan just works. Well worth the price!

[Pete Naples]

2021-07-12-0036.jpg
Depends on the biggest format you want to scan.

I have a Epson V700 which will scan full bed transparency, so I can scan everything I shoot, right up to my 5x4". I use it for 120, 5x4 and to grab a 'contact' scan of multiple 35mm negatives/transparancies

But for 35mm finishing scans I use an ancient Nikon LS30. That's a SCSI interface so not an easy thing to get running with a modern PC. Also the hardware is now very old so needs regular maintenace to keep it working. It's quite slow, hence the worklow I touched on above.

The above image was 35mm, Ilford PanF, scanned on the Nikon.

[Frank Cox]

For scanner software, go to: https://www.hamrick.com/

Looks like that software costs more than I paid for this scanner.

If I was replacing my scanner (which I'm not) I would be more inclined to put that extra cash into upgrading the model I bought, then just continue to use it with sane.