How can I find a 35mm film scanner that outputs minimally processed scans?
Asked 4/10/2016
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I want to scan 35mm slides and negatives without being locked into heavy processing by the scanner’s bundled software. My old Polaroid SprintScan 35 is frustrating because so much of the image handling happens inside the scanner workflow.
With digital cameras I normally work from RAW files, and I’d like the closest equivalent from a film scanner: a minimally processed file I can edit later in software I choose. I’m not necessarily asking for a camera-style RAW format if scanners don’t work that way.
When shopping for scanners, what terms or features should I look for to identify models that can produce this kind of output? Is there a common file format or software support I should prioritize for 35mm slides and negatives?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
10y ago
2 Answers
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I scan negatives and slides to create RAW files. It is largely a matter of scanner resolution limits and software. I use an Epson V700 which has a transparency scanner, film holders and a selection of software. It also can scan natively to 6400 pixels per inch.
The software I use is Silverfast and Vuescan. Scanning film at sufficient resolution can be a slow process and sometimes the use of software such as digital ICE will make for large and slowly acquired files. The majority of my scans are old 4 x 5 inch transparencies so the magnification is quite small and I rarely scan above a resolution of 2400 pixels per inch. 35mm slides would need a higher resolution and take much longer to scan.
Look for any scanner that can scan transparencies and includes some good quality software. Vuescan is a one man operation but is cheap and capable software. A good tutorial on scanning should assist you to get going. Scanned slides will not be as easy to work with as RAW digital image files. There are likely to be many more variables to adjust before creating useable RAW files.
Originally by user50452. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user50452
10y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For film scanners, the closest equivalent to camera RAW usually is not a true camera-style RAW file. Film scanners generally output already separated RGB data (sometimes with an infrared channel), so the practical target is usually a minimally processed linear scan, often saved as TIFF.
What to look for:
- a scanner that explicitly supports transparencies/film
- enough optical resolution for 35mm
- compatibility with serious scanning software such as vuescan or silverfast
- the ability to save high-bit-depth, minimally processed files
In practice, many people treat high-bit TIFF from a good scanner as the “raw-like” workflow for film. Dedicated 35mm scanners can be faster for 35mm, while flatbeds with transparency units can work too, especially for larger film.
So the best search terms are things like “35mm film scanner vuescan,” “silverfast film scanner,” “transparency scanner,” and “high bit depth tiff.” Focus less on the word “RAW” and more on scanner/software combinations that allow low-processing output and flexible post-processing.
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