Film and photo scanners turn negatives, slides and printed photographs into digital files, which suits anyone digitising a family archive as well as keen photographers. Our range includes dedicated film scanners and photo scanners from IRIS, ROLLEI, EPSON, KODAK and PLUSTEK.
The selection runs from simpler devices for a home archive to models for more demanding work.
How to choose a film and photo scanner
Type of original. Decide first what you will scan: 35 mm negatives and slides, printed photos or both. Negatives and slides need holders or a dedicated film module, and a scanner made only for prints will not read film. Check which formats the manufacturer lists as supported before you buy.
Optical resolution. A 35 mm frame is tiny, so a large print from it needs high resolution. Our range runs from 600 x 600 DPI up to 7200 x 7200 DPI. For printed photos 600 DPI is often enough, while negatives and slides are worth scanning at several times that. Look at optical resolution, not interpolated.
Sensor and colour depth. Our range includes models with both CCD and CIS sensors. CCD usually resolves more detail and offers greater depth of field, while CIS allows thinner, cheaper scanners. A higher input colour depth, such as 48 bit, keeps more tones in shadows and highlights, which makes faded old photos easier to correct.
Connection and software. Most scanners connect over USB: you will find USB 2.0 and USB 3.2 Gen 1 models, plus one device with Wireless LAN. A faster connection shortens the transfer of large files to your computer. It is worth checking whether the supplied software can correct colours and remove dust marks.
Brands in our range
- IRIS: a company founded in Belgium and known for portable scanners and optical character recognition (OCR) software; it has the most products in this category.
- ROLLEI: a German photography brand famous for Rolleiflex cameras, so its scanners are aimed at photos and film.
- EPSON: known for its Perfection series of flatbed scanners, some of which can also scan film.
- PLUSTEK: makes dedicated film scanners, such as the OpticFilm series for 35 mm negatives and slides.
- KODAK: associated with photographic film for over a century, so a natural choice for people scanning old rolls.
Also in our range: ZEBRA.
Frequently asked questions
How does a film scanner differ from an ordinary document scanner?
A film scanner is built for very small originals such as negatives and slides, so it has higher optical resolution and holders for film strips. A document scanner cannot bring out detail in such a small frame, because it is designed for speed and paper handling.
What resolution do I need to scan negatives?
For negatives and slides, aim for at least several thousand DPI, because the original is so small. The highest optical resolution in our range is 7200 x 7200 DPI. For printed photos, 600 DPI is often enough.
What is the difference between CCD and CIS sensors?
CCD sensors usually capture more detail and cope better with uneven originals, such as slides in mounts. CIS sensors are cheaper and allow a thinner scanner, but their depth of field is generally shallower. CCD is usually the better fit for film, while CIS is enough for printed photos.
Does colour depth matter when scanning old photos?
Yes, because a higher colour depth keeps more tones and leaves more room for editing later. Our range includes models with 48 bit input and output. For ordinary photos 24 bit is enough, but faded prints are easier to restore from 48 bit files.
