Several years ago I used a Nikon Coolscan IV to digitize a collection of several thousand slides for an Entomology professor I was working for.  The slides were of living specimen that he had photographed in the 60s and 70s, and we both agreed that the resulting digital images were just as good as, if not better than, the originals. 

Using the scanner itself was a breeze: insert the slide, push a button, and it starts scanning.  It takes about 10-20 seconds per slide, depending on your resolution, and is so easy even an underpaid liberal arts student could do it!  I seem to remember there being different size slide trays for formats other than 35mm, but nothing that would accommodate an 8x10 negative.  I think your best bet would be to try scanning those with a flatbed scanner, but I'm really not sure how well that would work.

While doing just a little research, I found the current generation Nikon scanner - the Coolscan V - sells for about $550 and up.  If you look at places like Amazon, eBay, Craigslist, etc., you might be able to find one a little bit cheaper.  Another option would be to go with the older Coolscan IV.  I think there is one on Amazon for $400 right now.

I hope this helps you out.  Have fun scanning!

On 6/19/07, Amanda Thompson Dyer < [log in to unmask] > wrote:
Hello All:

Can anyone recommend a good, basic (i.e. inexpensive) negative scanner? We
have accessioned negatives that range in size from 35mm to 8x10, and when
someone wants to purchase a reproduction image from one of them, we don't
want to send the negatives away to be printed. We don't have plans to print
photographs here on site, but would like to be able to scan the negs ourselves
and either email the digital file to the local photo counter or take it in on a
disk.

I saw that this topic was posted back in 2004, but I'd like some updated
information!

Thanks,
Amanda Dyer
Curator
Bell County Museum

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