In need of a good scanner.

I must have thousands of 4x6 pictures from the 70's, 80's, 90's, etc. I want to digitalize them before they get too old, not to mention I enjoy looking at pictures on my computer than going through 400 albums.

I don't care if the scanner is noisy, expensive, slow, big....whatever. My only concern is to have a scanner that will make my 4x6's look exactly as they do on film, except on the computer. I need excellent resolution, clarity, etc. Everything else means nothing. But I don't know where to start looking! Help!:o

Do you have the negatives? If so, using a film/slide scanner is a far superior way to digitize the images as compared to scanning prints.

My old Canon FS4000US film/slide scanner, for example, has a method of detecting and "removing" dust particles from the scan. Its resolution is good enough that I see the grain in the film when I use the maximum settings. I can usually see detail in the scans that cannot be seen in prints, even with high magnification.

I just bought an Epson Perfection 4490. It's not very expensive, but it's very good.

I am also considering upgrading my visioneer scanner so that I can scan negatives. When you scan negatives with your epson, what size is the digital image? Also, is the quality good enough that you can edit the scanned image in PS?

rent a high quality one, you'll spend less and get a better product. Our local shop rents it friday and it isn't due till monday and only charge $45. Just have all your stuff ready to go and make a weekend of it.

You really get what you pay for in scanners, and the good ones are really pricey.

coreypolis wrote in post #2369606
rent a high quality one, you'll spend less and get a better product. Our local shop rents it friday and it isn't due till monday and only charge $45. Just have all your stuff ready to go and make a weekend of it.

You really get what you pay for in scanners, and the good ones are really pricey.

What kind of scanner? And how fast does it scan? I have been doing this for over a year now and am finally getting to the newer pics for which I have negatives. I have been scanning the prints, 4 to 6 at a time depending on how many I can fit in the bed and a high quality scan takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Then post processing another 20-30 minutes for the batch or a throughput of about a picture every 7-10 minutes. Unless the scanner is real fast, one weekend isn't going to get them all.

unfortunately all the negatives are lost. i have all these photos in albums, none of which have any of the negatives. just a ship load of 4x6 prints! i dont mind spending a few extra pennies if it means high quality scans.

Epson V700

Mike V wrote in post #2374642
Epson V700

Why Espon v700, and not Epson v750 ? and, why not even Epson 4990, or 4490 ?
What about the time vested in Scanning / Post-Processing per PIC ?
Any clues on how to save the time spent per PIC ?

roli_bark wrote in post #2375521
...
What about the time vested in Scanning / Post-Processing per PIC ?
Any clues on how to save the time spent per PIC ?

I have found that if I group photos together of like color and contrast and surface material, I can scan a group together and that at least cuts down scanning time. But using the scanner software to make color/contrast changes just isn't as good as PS. Also, I probably scan at a much higher resolution than I need to and save all files in tif which leads to large files, but I want to do this once and who knows what the printer technology will be like in 5/10 years.

thanks guys...i think its between the epson 4490 and the canon 9550. the canons another 100 bucks but with scanners u get the quality u pay for am i right?

roli_bark wrote in post #2375521
Why Espon v700, and not Epson v750 ? and, why not even Epson 4990, or 4490 ?

They're all fairly similar actually. The film holders are better on the newer ones.

epson are releasing new models with Sony like regularity.


Get whatever model you can get a good deal on.

ive heard problems of the epson 4490's glass "falling" due to cheaply made design. and on the other hand i havent heard anyone say anything about the canon 9950's photograph scan quality. when people say "slides" do they mean photographs? thats confusing me as well.

Im looking to get myself a V750 or an i900 or the new Microtek M1 when it comes out.

ive narrowed it down to 3, which is best for 4x6's?

1.Canon Canoscan 9950f
2. Epson Perfection 4490
3. Epson v700