Scanners recommendation(s) for old film, slides and negatives

Is anyone digitizing old film/pics, slides and negatives? If so what are your recommendations?
I just had a hankering to start reliving my past (LOLOL) and sharing some of those pics with my old friends...
Thanks in advance, I look forward to the conversation.

Oh there is a Epson scanner that I heard that is really good. Damn, I can't think of the model. It's not the typical flatbed scanner.

No matter what model scanner it is, Epson does make some good quality equipment.

Highly recommended Nikon Coolscan V ED (bang for your buck)! Has a great light source and can scan 35mm negatives and you can make quality sharp prints w/it's scans up around 24x36" (if you know what you are doing). They are going on ebay for around $550 minimum. I have a Nikon LS 2000 film scanner (that was refurbished w/in the last year ) that i'm looking to get rid of and get the Coolscan V ED . The LS 2000 does a great job and is razor sharp but anything past 12-18" prints, native resolution will suffer.

I'm no pro but have done alot of research on the subject. The biggest thing to look for is the Dynamic Range. The closer the rating to 5, the better. Dynamic range is the scanners ability to pull detail out of dark, contrasty areas on the negative and to be able to recreate that detail. If you are looking to get into professional imaging w/negative scanners, I wouldnt go any lower than a Dynamic Range 4.2 which is what the Coolscan V ED has. Theres alot of them that boast extremely high resolution and sell for cheap (like the Plustek OpticFilm 7200 scanners which boast something absurd like 9700dpi (which is way overkill anyway for a 35mm negative... you've already passed the point of diminishing results w/that resolution)) for like $200 new, but the Dynamic Range is just not there... but if you're just looking to scan some negs for around the house printing and dont plan on making any fine art exibits w/them or even print and sell from home you'll be fine w/lower dynamic range scanners.

If you're serious about your scans, I wouldnt recommend a flatbed scanner either. Their negative film strip holders do a horrible job of holding the negative tight and flattening the film. If your film is not flat w/in the negative holder, it will have a real hard time focusing in on the whole image and you'll see blurry area in the scan usually on the outside sections of the negative or slide. A good dedicated, non flatbed film scanner is the way to go for quality.

www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=...&fp=2c1a79b55cb84054

Thanks a bunch Karl, one more question...

with negatives... how does the Nikon VE D do with the slightly curled ones?

I will soon find a real heavy book and start the process of flattening them... I wonder how long that will take since they have been curled for up to 30 yrs...LOL...

Again, many thanks
Lanse

plufski7 wrote: Thanks a bunch Karl, one more question...

with negatives... how does the Nikon VE D do with the slightly curled ones?

I will soon find a real heavy book and start the process of flattening them... I wonder how long that will take since they have been curled for up to 30 yrs...LOL...

Again, many thanks
Lanse

No problem
It mechanically feeds them into the scanner. (in that dark grey section of the scanner on the page i attached). Once you stick the end of the negative in the little slot, mechanical wheels/gears grab the little holes in the side of the negative (forget the name for the edges of the film) and it pulls it through. It's spaced so it's able to keep th negative perfectly flat. The LS2000 is the same way.. All nikon scanners are that way i believe.
www.adorama.com/Reviews/pwr/product-revi...B-2-0-Interface.html