The higher the bit depth, the more colors are captured and the more resistant it is to artifacts such as banding on smooth color gradients. How important is it to capture the maximum colors possible? The bit depth or color depth of a scanner controls the number of colors it can capture accurately. If you plan on capturing a boxes of 35mm film, you may want to consider a model that allows for batch scanning. What will you use the scanner for? Do you plan on scanning just 35mm film or do you also plan to capture medium format? If you plan on doing medium format, then make sure you get a scanner that can handle 120mm film. When shopping for the best film scanner for your needs, there are multiple features you should consider.

Photo by Matt Moloney on Unsplash Features to Consider When Buying a Film Scanner And with many of today’s printers equipped with the ability to scan films, slides, prints, and even documents all in one, they can pretty much cover all of your scanning needs. They allow you to go straight to scanning the film, so you can save a digital copy of your negatives onto your computer. If you’re a photographer who wants to convert your slides or negatives into digital format, you need a film scanner in your workflow.įilm scanners save you from the hassle of having to develop your photos and scanning the resulting prints. You can also apply modifications such as precise cropping and choosing different aspect ratios prior to printing.ĭirect film scanning also captures additional dynamic range and more accurate colors than scanning from a photograph.

The intermediate step is completely illuminated with a film scanner. The photographer no longer needs to make a print then scan that print.

What Is a Film Scanner?Ī film scanner is a device that scans film directly into a computer without first having to print it.

However, you do miss out on some of the conveniences of digital photography-like being able to share your images online. If you’re a film photographer, you’ve probably wished to make the process of digitizing them a little easier and more convenient. The beauty of taking photos with a film camera lies not just in the surprise element of not being able to preview your shots or even in the distinct organic look and feel of the results you get, but also in the careful process of developing the film and making your own prints.

Photo and slide scanners for mac