# film scanners? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 7, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-scanners/293277 "2005-03-07T00:53:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-scanners/293277/1 "2005-03-07T00:53:40Z")
I would like to get a 35mm/slide film scanner. I was originally going to hold out for a dedicated scanner to get the resolution but I now see flatbeds with 4,800 X 9,600 optical resolution for $200. The Epsons I looked at had built in backlights. Does a dedicated film scanner do a much better job or are the flatbeds just as good? I already have a flatbed of lesser resolution so I don’t really need the utility of one. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-scanners/293277/2 "2005-03-07T01:30:15Z")
Why don’t you email me? I’ve got an extra film/slide scanner in perfect condition i’d let go _really_ cheap - since I went digital I’ve not touched it all. email’s in my profile. S ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-scanners/293277/3 "2005-03-07T04:42:16Z")
Yes, dedicated negative/slide scanners do a much better job than any flatbed. It’s worth the price to get a good one. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-scanners/293277/4 "2005-03-07T05:00:39Z")
While we’re on this subject. Anyone have any idea about a film scanner that is big enough to take a 4" by 6" microfiche? Id doesn’t have to scan the entire 4" by 6" at once, but it needs to be able to hold the entire fiche. All slide scanners I’ve seen will not do that. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-scanners/293277/5 "2005-03-07T06:51:43Z")
My experience with slide/film adapters for flatbeds has been nothing but terrible, terrible, terrible. Look at [this example](http://www.madaproductions.com/spoofe/pics/example.jpg). This was scanned on HP’s scanjet 4670 w/film adapter… the actual image, printed on film at 8x10, is very crisp and sharp. This one is far, far too dark (and it was B&W film, hence the red color cast… color film is grainy, the colors are faded and sickly)… Unless flatbed adapters have improved drastically in the past year, I’d say go with a dedicated film scanner. I’ve seen the results you can get with, say, a Nikon Coolscan IV (which I believe can be had for around $400), and it’s leagues ahead. ---
**Author:** ![James\_Westphal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9bd4f/32.png) [@James\_Westphal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/James_Westphal)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-scanners/293277/6 "2005-03-07T08:20:50Z")
I agree with SPOOFE. The film scanner accessory that came with my dad’s microtek flatbed scanner is an awkward, useless piece of junk. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-scanners/293277/7 "2005-03-10T00:59:20Z")
Thanks for the info. It sure helps to see an actual scan. It was the 4800 dpi resolution that got me interested again in the cheaper flatbeds. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-scanners/293277/8 "2005-03-10T01:27:57Z")
[Read this thread and the thread linked within for more info.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=300425&highlight=scanner)