Now that I once again have a film body and really enjoy using it, I'm beginning to think more seriously about getting a film scanner of my own. Besides being an addition to my film setup now, I've got quite a few older negatives (and a few slides) left over from my pre-digital days that I'd like to scan as well. I've been doing a good bit of reading about the different film scanners out there, but I really haven't settled on a particular model. These questions keep coming to mind:
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Flatbed or dedicated scanner? Everything seems to be pointing towards the dedicated scanners, but they're so pricey. The Nikon Coolscans are definitely out of consideration because I really can't afford to plop down $1,000+ for one. My budget: $300-400 at the absolute most. Another vote in favor of the dedicated scanners is that I don't have a whole lot of room on my desk for a flatbed scanner; I've also got a multifunction printer/scanner/copier, so I really don't need another flatbed scanner.
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Resolution-what do I really need? I'd like the ability to be able to make 8x12 or maybe even 11x14 prints for the really special pics. For the older snapshot type of negatives, I don't need so much resolution.
--Does having
ICE capabilities make that much of a difference?
Currently, I'm running a PC with Vista, so the software would need to be compatible with that.
At any rate, I don't have the funds to buy one just yet, but I'd like to get an idea of how much I should reasonably expect to save up for one.
Thanks!
Heather
