Railfan Technology > Plustek Opticfilm 120

Is anyone using this scanner? I have the 8200 SE running via VueScan but am not impessed with the color reproduction with slide film (Kodachrome particularly) recently. Not sure if the scanner is failing or what.  I'm wondering if the color reprodcution is better with the OptiFilm and what the quality of the 120 format scans are? I'm also looking at the Epson V850 Pro, but most reviews indicate that 35 mm scans are not as good as a dedicated film scanner (no image proof to backup the reviews).

TIA

I don't have a Plustek film scanner but I do have a PrimeFilm 7200.  Recently I borrowed a friend's Epson V600 to experiment with.  I was very impressed with the Epson.  It made very good scans with much less post-processing effort than my PrimeFilm.  When I see a really good scan on Trainorders I've often asked the member what scanner they used to make the image.  The answer has almost always been an Epson V550, V600 or V800.  If I had unlimited funds I'd buy one of the now discontinued Nikon slide scanners.  But in practical terms I wouldn't hesitiate to buy an Epson.

Ken Goslett

I've used an Epson V700 for several years now and think it does an excellent job.  Plus I scan a lot of old B&W negs on it of all sizes up to 8x10,  They're hard to beat.

SalamanderSam Wrote:
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> I have the 8200 SE
> running via VueScan but am not impessed with the
> color reproduction with slide film (Kodachrome
> particularly) recently.

So it was fine at one time is now is not? Did something else change (OS update, hardware update, anything)? Vuescan is very, very powerful but its biggest fault is a clunky interface and a difficult learning curve. Sometimes some seemingly unrelated change (such as a system update) can render your previous Vuescan settings useless but figuring out the new setting can be daunting. Have you tried scanning a RAW format image and seeing what you can get out of it. These are usually the most "pure" scans and will tell you if the scanner is functioning properly. They are also immune to other changes, such as OS updates. If you can't get workable RAW scans, you might contact Plustek to see if their service department can troubleshoot the hardware.

trainjunkie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So it was fine at one time is now is not? Did
> something else change (OS update, hardware update,
> anything)? Vuescan is very, very powerful but its
> biggest fault is a clunky interface and a
> difficult learning curve. Sometimes some seemingly
> unrelated change (such as a system update) can
> render your previous Vuescan settings useless but
> figuring out the new setting can be daunting. Have
> you tried scanning a RAW format image and seeing
> what you can get out of it. These are usually the
> most "pure" scans and will tell you if the scanner
> is functioning properly. They are also immune to
> other changes, such as OS updates. If you can't
> get workable RAW scans, you might contact Plustek
> to see if their service department can
> troubleshoot the hardware.

No changes to the server running the scanner with Vuescan other than Win updates. I have the latest version of Vuescan (9.5.7) downloaded on Saturday and have scanned images into .dng RAW and .tiff formats and have the same issue. High contrast and 1/3 f stop dark slides come out horrible with muddy color and a histagram from hell . They project fine with correct colors and exposure when looked at via a projector. Adobe RAW processing does not seem to be able to correct the .dng files and about the only tool I found that somewhat works is the auto smart fix in PSE. This flattens the highs and lows but removes the saturation/vibrance from the image. The ironic thing is I can get some decent color negative scans but not the kodachromes.

I might try scanning one of these slides on my V500 Photo to see what outcome I get. In the past, I've not have much luck with slides on it. The Plustek 8200i SE doesn't have a calibration target like the 8200AI or the Optifilm 120. What I should do is get a Nikon 9000, but they have shot thru the roof on the used market. 3-5k for a used scanner is pretty steep.

If I was in your shoes I would try a new USB cable first. If no change, try running it from a completely different computer to see if you get different results. If so, something is wrong with the settings on your computer. If not, it's probably the scanner hardware, which I'm assuming Plustek can fix. Sounds like it could be a failing LED, or something related.

Your scanner should be able to produce scans far superior to any flatbed. I have two Epson V700s and while they are brilliant for many uses, they are not even in the same league with most dedicated transparency scanners for scanning slides and negatives. I'd try to get the one you have working properly before looking into replacing it, especially with a flatbed. If it worked well at one time, obviously something changed. Figuring out what changed seems to be the challenge here.

I have two Plustex Scanners somewhere in the back of my closet and have been there since I gave up on them a couple of years ago and bought a Nikon Super Coolscan 5000 ED.

Marty Bernard

Wanna' buy another one?  :-)

I have an Epson perfection 3200 flatbed scanner that scans documents, prints, film and slides. Recently traded my Mac G5 for an iMac with Sierra OS v 10.12.2. Epson tells me they do not have upgraded drivers and software for the new operation system.Does anyone know of an app that will allow me to use the scanner with the new operating system? Although I haven't yet queried Epson regarding my Stylus Photo 2200 it may be the same situation. Anyone know what will work with Mac Sierra OS 10.12.2? Several posts up the Epson V600 seems to get a good review. Wondering if that will work with the new OS if I end up having to get a new scanner.

Try Vuescan.  He has built drivers for just about any scanner ever built.  See: http://www.hamrick.com/vuescan/supported-scanners.html

Marty

Thanks, I'll give it a try.