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taksharp · 11-22-2017, 01:06 PM - **2 Likes**

I wrote up my experience with this scanner, which pulls through a whole roll of 35mm at a go and is available at the moment for the insane price of $150 on Amazon US. If you hate scanning, give it a look.

Scanning Film Doesn?t Have to Hurt: The Pacific Image PrimeFilm 7250 Pro3 / Reflecta RPS 7200 / Magical Wondermachine Casual Review ? Peter M. Ferenczi

**boriscleto** · 11-22-2017, 01:41 PM - **1 Like**

For $150 it's worth a look...at least the software works with a 21st century OS...

stevebrot · 11-22-2017, 03:14 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by boriscleto

For $150 it's worth a look...at least the software works with a 21st century OS...

That is a dynamite price for a hokey-looking, but decent performing scanner. I would use the savings to buy a copy of SilverFast.

Steve

LightBug · 11-22-2017, 03:33 PM

Thanks for the write up, I enjoyed reading it. At $150, it seems like a good deal, compared with $500 that a 4000dpi Nikon scanner would cost. Do you think you’re getting 3600 dpi from this scanner?

Last edited by LightBug; 11-22-2017 at 03:43 PM.

ChristianRock · 11-22-2017, 07:55 PM

It seems to give good results at 3600dpi with 16-bit files... Hmm that sounds very interesting! Something like this could make me start shooting some film again...

**twilhelm** · 11-22-2017, 08:26 PM

For that price I may have to try one. I already have the newest version of Silverfast and VueScan. Sounds interesting... and time saving.

Jonathan Mac · 11-22-2017, 11:18 PM

Always good to see scanner reviews. I also hate scanning, but mostly because of how difficult my scanner (V500) is to use.

stevebrot · 11-23-2017, 11:04 AM

Originally posted by twilhelm

I already have the newest version of Silverfast

Do you have the Silverfast version for that scanner? I have not dealt with them for awhile, but the software used to be bundled with the appropriate drivers and was scanner-specific.

Steve

**twilhelm** · 11-23-2017, 01:23 PM

Originally posted by stevebrot

Do you have the Silverfast version for that scanner? I have not dealt with them for awhile, but the software used to be bundled with the appropriate drivers and was scanner-specific.

Steve

My scanner came with Silverfast 6. I updated it to 6.6 to fix some of the bugs but it still crashed on a regular basis. For $60 I was able to use my original serial number and upgrade to version 8.

According to the website, I can use it with most scanners. Tonight I’ll try it with my Epson, which is just an all-in-one.

jcdoss · 11-23-2017, 06:05 PM - **1 Like**

I thoroughly hate scanning. Thanks for the write-up... i'll have a gander and probably drop a buck fifty on the thing if it's as painless as you say.

taksharp · 11-24-2017, 01:10 PM

Originally posted by LightBug

Thanks for the write up, I enjoyed reading it. At $150, it seems like a good deal, compared with $500 that a 4000dpi Nikon scanner would cost. Do you think you’re getting 3600 dpi from this scanner?

My not-very-rigorous testing suggests that 3600 dpi is about the practical resolution for this thing, at least for the films I shoot (mostly iso 400 stuff). I think I read a more rigorous review that pegged it at 3800, but it's in that ballpark. Definitely no need to clog up your system with 7200 dpi scans.

---------- Post added 11-24-17 at 01:11 PM ----------

Originally posted by twilhelm

For that price I may have to try one. I already have the newest version of Silverfast and VueScan. Sounds interesting... and time saving.

The freedom of batch scanning a whole roll really is something.

**boriscleto** · 11-24-2017, 06:19 PM

I don't have any negative strips long enough to run through the scanner (It's recommended you don't run strips of less than 5...)

So I scanned a couple of old slides...

These are done with VueScan, the included SW is pretty worthless...

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**boriscleto** · 11-25-2017, 07:48 AM

My B&W negatives are all 25+ years old and very dirty...I guess I'll have to invest in some film cleaner...

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**gofour3** · 11-25-2017, 11:15 AM

Originally posted by jcdoss

I thoroughly hate scanning.

Yep my pet peeve as well, usually get my lab to do the negative scans at processing time. Don't even bother scanning my E6, unless I post an image.

Phil.

timw4mail · 11-29-2017, 12:24 PM

I have a higher-spec version of this scanner, the Pacific Imaging PrimeFilm XA.

As long as you have a camera with completely consistent frame spacing, and you align the first frame correctly, yes, the full-roll scanning is worry free. (I guess there's a premium version of Silverfast that will account for that, though). The most annoying part of the bulk scanning is that each frame needs to be counted twice -- the roll will procede frame-by-frame through the scanner, to the end of the roll you insert, and back again.

11-22-2017, 01:06 PM - 2 Likes	#1
taksharp New Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 11	Cheap, less-painful scanning while you sleep: the PrimeFilm 7250 Pro3 I wrote up my experience with this scanner, which pulls through a whole roll of 35mm at a go and is available at the moment for the insane price of $150 on Amazon US. If you hate scanning, give it a look. Scanning Film Doesn?t Have to Hurt: The Pacific Image PrimeFilm 7250 Pro3 / Reflecta RPS 7200 / Magical Wondermachine Casual Review ? Peter M. Ferenczi

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11-22-2017, 01:41 PM - 1 Like	#2
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,477	For $150 it's worth a look...at least the software works with a 21st century OS...

11-22-2017, 03:14 PM - 1 Like	#3
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by boriscleto For $150 it's worth a look...at least the software works with a 21st century OS... That is a dynamite price for a hokey-looking, but decent performing scanner. I would use the savings to buy a copy of SilverFast. Steve

11-22-2017, 03:33 PM	#4
LightBug Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: OC, CA, USA Posts: 506	Thanks for the write up, I enjoyed reading it. At $150, it seems like a good deal, compared with $500 that a 4000dpi Nikon scanner would cost. Do you think you’re getting 3600 dpi from this scanner? Last edited by LightBug; 11-22-2017 at 03:43 PM.

11-22-2017, 07:55 PM	#5
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,912	It seems to give good results at 3600dpi with 16-bit files... Hmm that sounds very interesting! Something like this could make me start shooting some film again...

11-22-2017, 08:26 PM	#6
twilhelm Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Florida Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,369	For that price I may have to try one. I already have the newest version of Silverfast and VueScan. Sounds interesting... and time saving.

11-22-2017, 11:18 PM	#7
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,911	Always good to see scanner reviews. I also hate scanning, but mostly because of how difficult my scanner (V500) is to use.

11-23-2017, 11:04 AM	#8
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by twilhelm I already have the newest version of Silverfast Do you have the Silverfast version for that scanner? I have not dealt with them for awhile, but the software used to be bundled with the appropriate drivers and was scanner-specific. Steve

11-23-2017, 01:23 PM	#9
twilhelm Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Florida Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,369	Originally posted by stevebrot Do you have the Silverfast version for that scanner? I have not dealt with them for awhile, but the software used to be bundled with the appropriate drivers and was scanner-specific. Steve My scanner came with Silverfast 6. I updated it to 6.6 to fix some of the bugs but it still crashed on a regular basis. For $60 I was able to use my original serial number and upgrade to version 8. According to the website, I can use it with most scanners. Tonight I’ll try it with my Epson, which is just an all-in-one.

11-23-2017, 06:05 PM - 1 Like	#10
jcdoss Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Ingelheim am Rhein, Germany Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,802	I thoroughly hate scanning. Thanks for the write-up... i'll have a gander and probably drop a buck fifty on the thing if it's as painless as you say.

11-24-2017, 01:10 PM	#11
taksharp New Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 11 Original Poster	Originally posted by LightBug Thanks for the write up, I enjoyed reading it. At $150, it seems like a good deal, compared with $500 that a 4000dpi Nikon scanner would cost. Do you think you’re getting 3600 dpi from this scanner? My not-very-rigorous testing suggests that 3600 dpi is about the practical resolution for this thing, at least for the films I shoot (mostly iso 400 stuff). I think I read a more rigorous review that pegged it at 3800, but it's in that ballpark. Definitely no need to clog up your system with 7200 dpi scans. ---------- Post added 11-24-17 at 01:11 PM ---------- Originally posted by twilhelm For that price I may have to try one. I already have the newest version of Silverfast and VueScan. Sounds interesting... and time saving. The freedom of batch scanning a whole roll really is something.

11-24-2017, 06:19 PM	#12
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,477	I don't have any negative strips long enough to run through the scanner (It's recommended you don't run strips of less than 5...) So I scanned a couple of old slides... These are done with VueScan, the included SW is pretty worthless...

11-25-2017, 07:48 AM	#13
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,477	My B&W negatives are all 25+ years old and very dirty...I guess I'll have to invest in some film cleaner...

11-25-2017, 11:15 AM	#14
gofour3 Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,093	Originally posted by jcdoss I thoroughly hate scanning. Yep my pet peeve as well, usually get my lab to do the negative scans at processing time. Don't even bother scanning my E6, unless I post an image. Phil.

11-29-2017, 12:24 PM	#15
timw4mail Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Driving a Mirage Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,670	I have a higher-spec version of this scanner, the Pacific Imaging PrimeFilm XA. As long as you have a camera with completely consistent frame spacing, and you align the first frame correctly, yes, the full-roll scanning is worry free. (I guess there's a premium version of Silverfast that will account for that, though). The most annoying part of the bulk scanning is that each frame needs to be counted twice -- the roll will procede frame-by-frame through the scanner, to the end of the roll you insert, and back again.

Cheap, less-painful scanning while you sleep: the PrimeFilm 7250 Pro3

Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!