Konica Minolta Dimâge Scan Dual

I've been wanting a film scanner for years, and ran into a great deal. I know that the color could be a little better (8-bit) but the quality and clarity are remakable. Images are much cleared and more colorful than Kodak CD images, and much better resolution. The fact that there is no Digital ICE is a drawback, and is may be a little slow, but the Minolta name and reputation say a lot about this product. I an exceptionally pleased with its overall imaging abilities.

Scan Quality Easy to use software Easy set up.

Slow No Digital ICE

1800U Cannon Film Scanner ??

I have been using this scanner for over a year. I have scanned in hundreds of old slides and negatives.

It is slow going, but the results are very good.

I don't like the software that comes with it very much. I use vuescan, and that seems to speed things up as well as give you more control over the quality.

For the money, I don't think it can be beaten.

Price, SCSI interface, quality, durability

a little slow, no batch scan

None

None needed

Very good value for the money, if the film is properly exposed, makes great scans - slides are a bit of a problem. Get Vuescan and do 16x mutlipass to reduce noise, which is not that much of it is a good exposure.

- Easy to use
- Vuescan supports it
- Good scans of B&W and Color (with Vuescan)
- Cand do multipass to reduce noise with Vuescan

- Pain in the rear to do a whole strip (no batch scanning)
- Slides not satisfactory, the original software does a much better job.
- SCSI card needed if you do not have one

Microtek slide adapter - not good at all

Good value for money, but realise you it will take you 2 hours to scan and proof a 36 exp film. I would recommend taking a hard look at the number of films you shoot and the value of your time, and compare that to the price of a scanner with ICE and batch scanning. I would only recommend this for less than a roll a week, or if you have heaps of spare time. If you plan to scan old slides, the lack of ICE will cause you endless spotting in PS.

I have shot 63 rolls of film, a mixture of slide, print and B&W, but have stop shooting slides for scanning.

The resulting scans with slides (sensia) have been disappointing, kind of gritty dark grain, and very poor skin tones.

With slow print films and T-max 100/400/ & CN the results are very good. Matched to the Epson 870 it make a fine hobby darkroom. This set up has given my photography a new life.

The scanner seems well matched to 100 ASA color neg film, 400 (superia) gets rather speckled grain (pixels).

If you want control of color you really need to get Vuescan, also not perfect, but better than the Minolta SW (which reboots my computor at the end of a full res scan). Vuscan has an excellent proof sheet function, far better than PS 5.5

Great price. Supported by Vuescan. Over sampling (with Vuescan)

No ICE, no batch scanning, lousy software, low density range. Poor choice for slides.

my first scanner.

No tried.

I've used the Scan Dual for about 3 weeks with good to excellent results on both slides and negatives. I plugged into the chain on my HP Flat bed scanner's SCSI card with no problems. Tried Vuescan that everyone is pitching, but so far I haven't seen any real advantage over the Minolta software. Great buy for anyone who already has SCSI.

Inexpensive. SCSI interface,driver and bundled software(Photoshop LE).

none so far.

Flat bed scanners.

not needed