7 Best Negative Scanners in 2023: Plustek, Epson are top picks

There are many different types of negative film scanners, and they each have their own strengths. We will discuss the best negative scanner for 2023 and how it can help you get the most out of your negatives.

The best negative film scanner for 2023 is the Epson Perfection V850 Pro Photo Scanner. This device has a high-speed auto document feeder that allows it to scan up to 30 images per minute, which makes it one of the fastest in its class. The V850 Pro also features an improved color restoration algorithm that makes sure that your negatives look as good as possible when you scan them with this machine.

Best Film Scanners & How to Select the Best One for Your Needs

This article will discuss how to use a negative film scanner, why you should use one, and which are some of the best options on the market for those who want to purchase one in 2023.

Most of you might not know about negative film scanners and their use. Before we take you there, you must learn about negative photography and how it differs from digital photography in practice today.

Negative photography has a special place in the world’s photographic history. If you are a millennial, your childhood photos were likely taken using a 35mm film camera. Unlike today’s digital cameras, a film camera uses a transparent plastic film called a “photo negative” to capture an image. One side of these photo films is covered with a light-sensitive material called emulsion. When you try to take a picture, you expose this side to light, which leaves a negative image on the film.

These negative films are then processed chemically in a commercial photo lab to produce a final positive image. However, after the advent of digital photography, people have ardently moved to it, completely jilting negative photography. As a result, since there isn’t much demand for commercial photo labs, they, too, have gone into extinction.

Digital Film & Slide Scanners: What is the Best Negative Scanner in 2023?

Even today, you can still find people enthusiastic about negative photography. If you are one of them or have a bunch of old-school negative films or slides lying around and want to convert them into beautiful images, you don’t need a commercial photo lab today. All you need is a good negative film scanner.

This guide will help you understand different technologies in film scanners and give you the knowledge required to pick the best one that best suits your needs. Because you deserve the best!

Best Negative Film Scanners in 2023- Our Top Picks

1. Epson Perfection V850 Pro – Best Dual Lens Film Scanner

2. Plustek OpticFilm 8200i SE – Best Dedicated Negative Film Scanner [Editor Choice]

3. Wolverine Titan 8-in-1 – Negative Film Converter with 4.3″ Screen

4. Kodak SCANZA Digital Film & Slide Scans – Best for 8 mm Films Scanner

5. Magnasonic All-in-One High- Resolution 22MP Film Scanner – Cheap Option

6. Plustek OpticFilm 8100 – The Professionals Choice

With the help of AI, digital film scanners are able to scan negatives efficiently and accurately.

The top negative film scanner in 2023 will be a digital device that can scan negatives in an accurate and efficient manner. It is designed to work with a variety of types of film, including 35mm, 8mm, and 16mm. The device has a built-in LED light that helps the user get a clear image of the negative. It also has an automatic document feeder that lets you scan multiple sheets at once.

Negative film scanners are becoming more popular with each passing year due to their efficiency and accuracy. They can be used by photographers for archiving old photographs or by people who want to digitize their own photos for personal use.

#1. Epson Perfection V850 Pro – Best Dual Lens Film Scanner

Epson Perfection V850 Pro Review – Unboxing and Package Contents

Surprisingly, the Epson Perfection V850 Pro came in a simple, brown-colored cardboard box, ditching the Epson’s blue and white themed packaging. Inside, we have the usual paperwork and a full-sized CD-ROM drive with all the necessary setup software and drivers. There is also another CD loaded with the SilverFast SE Plus software. Furthermore, you also get to see an adapter and a cable for powering up the device.

Epson also included a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 cable in the box. Besides these, eight film holders for different sizes and a film area guide. You also get to see the X-Rite i1Scanner with reflective and transparent IT8 targets.

Device Overview and Build Quality

The device feels sturdy and promises to last. Unlike other film scanners we have tested, the film holders that came with it are also made of high-quality material and don’t feel cheap. Weighing in at about 14.6 lbs, the Epson Perfection V850 Pro isn’t the lightest we have tested.

Functions and Features

The Epson Perfection V850 Pro is a high-end scanner that can scan film negatives and film slides. It has the ability to convert old negatives into digital photos.

This scanner also comes with advanced features like auto-focus, auto-exposure, auto-white balance, color management system (CMS), and slide duplication software that helps you save your slides in digital format.

Come With Dual Lens

The Epson Perfection V850 Pro boasts a dual-lens, with one lens capable of producing an optical resolution of 4800 dpi while the other can produce 6400 dpi. Depending on what you put into the scanner, it cleverly changes between the two lenses to get the best possible scan.

Resolution – Great Numbers

The device can produce a hardware resolution of 6400 x 9600 dpi while it has a maximum resolution of 12,800 x 12,800 dpi. As such, it will ensure exceptional quality and details in your scanned photos.

Versatility

The Epson Perfection V850 Pro photo scanner can scan a variety of film sizes. 35mm slides and 35mm film strips, medium format film, 4”x5” film, and you name it, it covers you with everything you might typically need to scan.

Color Bit Depth, Optical Density, and Tonal Range

It has a color depth of 48 bits per pixel and a perfect optical density of 4.0 Dmax. This means that the photos it takes will have a wide range of tones and smooth transitions between them.

Digital ICE Technology and Bundled Software Tool

The Epson V850 boasts Digital ICE Technology, claiming to remove dust and scratches from the film surface. It also comes bundled with SilverFast SE software, making hue and tonal adjustments easier.

#2. Plustek OpticFilm 8200i SE – Best Dedicated Film Scanner

Plustek OpticFilm 8200i SE is a film scanner that helps you scan your negatives, slides, and other films into digital files. It has a high-resolution scanning resolution of 4000 dpi.

The Plustek OpticFilm 8200i SE scanner is perfect for photographers who want to digitize their negatives and slides into digital files. It has a high-resolution scanning resolution of 4000 dpi and can be used with both 35mm film and negative films. It is one of the best 35mm film scanners too.

Plustek OpticFilm 8200i SE – Unboxing and Package Contents

Unlike the Epson V850 Pro, this device came packed inside a fancy-looking, colorful cardboard box with many graphics printed on it. For opening, we have a CD with all the necessary drivers and software. Furthermore, we also have a quick start guide, a film side holder, a USB cable, a filmstrip holder, a power adapter, and the actual scanner itself.

Device Overview and Build Quality

The device feels extremely sturdy and occupies less boot space than the Epson V850 Pro. This makes it an ideal choice for desks with space constraints. The body of this scanner is made of good quality rigid plastic and has an impressive overall finish and quality. At the front, we have a power button accompanied by Quickscan and IntelliScan buttons.

Functions and Features

The Plustek OpticFilm 8200i SE film scanner is a versatile and easy-to-use scanning machine. It has a number of functions and features that make it an ideal option for anyone looking for a quality scanner.

Come with an Infrared Channel

The Plustek Opticfilm 8200i SE has an infrared channel built in that has been shown to find dust and scratches on the surface of the film.

7200 dpi High-resolution sensor, High-dynamic Range, and Color Depth

It has a CCD sensor capable of scanning negative slides at a resolution of 7200 dpi and has a 48-bit color depth and a high dynamic range of 3.6 D. This makes it a beast in its lineup.

Software Tools

The device comes bundled with the widely used SilverFast SE Plus for enhancing the output image. It supports both Mac and Windows PCs.

Scanned Image Quality

The Plustek 8200i SE OpticFilm gives the best results, thanks to its dynamic range and resolution. However, the scanning speeds on this device are comparatively low.

#3. Wolverine Titan 8-in-1 – Negative Film Converter with Screen and HDMI Output

The Wolverine Titan 8-in-1 is a film scanner that is able to scan negatives with a resolution of up to 2400 dpi. It comes with a screen and HDMI output, so you can convert your negatives into digital files and watch them on your TV or computer.

Wolverine Titan 8-in-1 – Unboxing and Package Contents

The Wolverine Titan Film Negatives to Digital Converter came neatly packed inside a simple cardboard box. I’m greeted with a user manual, a USB cable, a cleaning stick, an AC power adapter, and other accessories to help hold the input films. They include a 35 mm slide adapter, a 35 mm negatives adapter, 110 negatives insert, a 110-slide insert, and an 8 mm/Super8 adapter.

Device Overview and Build Quality

Unlike the dedicated film scanner we reviewed earlier, the Wolverine Titan Negative/Slide scanner is made entirely of average-quality plastic. Weighing about 1 pound, it is one of the lightest film scanners I’ve had my hands on.

On the front side of the scanner, we have a 4.3-inch color LCD with reasonably decent display quality. We have an SD card slot, a USB port, and an HDMI port towards the back.

Functions and Features

The Wolverine Titan 8-in-1 is an 8-in-1 film converter that can process negatives with a resolution of up to 2400 dpi. It has an HDMI port and a screen, so you can view the content on your TV or computer. The Wolverine Titan 8-in-1 comes with a USB 3.0 port for fast file transfer, which makes it easy to use at home or in the office.

Resolution

The Wolverine Titan has a resolution of 5472×3648 Pixels (20 MegaPixels), enabling it to produce high-quality digital positives even from your ages-old negatives.

LCD and HDMI Output

It has a 4.3-inch color touchscreen for viewing your scanned photos without connecting it to an external computer. Besides this, you can also connect this film scanner to an external display using an HDMI cable.

Speed, Exposure, and Color Balance

Scanning films have never been this fun. The Wolverine Titan 8-in-1 comes with speed-load adapters, which makes loading slides and negatives hassle-free. It automatically adjusts the exposure and the color balance according to external conditions.

Stand-alone Operation and External Storage Option

The Wolverine Titan 8-in-1 digital film negatives converter has external SD card support to store scanned digital files. You don’t need a computer to scan negatives.

#4. Kodak SCANZA Digital Film & Slide Scanner – Best for 8 mm Films

Kodak SCANZA Digital Film & Slide Scanner is a portable device that lets you digitize your family’s old 8mm film negatives. It is easy to use and has several features that make it stand out from other scanners.

Kodak SCANZA Digital Film & Slide Scanner is the perfect tool for anyone who has old family photos that they want to convert into digital photos. It also works great for people who are looking for a scanner to digitize their own personal photos.

Kodak SCANZA Digital Film Scanner – Unboxing and Package Contents

Surprisingly, I was offered same-day delivery on Amazon, thanks to their super quick delivery. The size of the package further surprised me. It is much smaller than what we were expecting it to be. The device shipped inside a dual-colored fancy box packaging with Kodak’s branding.

Cracking the box open, we are greeted with a USB power cable, a TV cable, the Scanza scanner unit, an HDMI cable, different power plug adapters to let you use the device in different regions, a cleaning brush to clean the unit, and three film holders.

Device Overview and Build Quality

The device feels lighter in the hands and comes with a 3.5-inch LCD mounted on the top. It is entirely made of plastic and has a mediocre overall quality. Setting up this negative film scanner and running it for the first time is easy. All you have to do is plug in the device and slide in the films, and it does the rest.

To the back, we have an SD card slot, a TV out, and an HDMI out port. The film holders provided in the box are of decent quality and serve the purpose.

Functions and Features

The Kodak SCANZA Digital Film & Slide Scanner is a versatile digital camera that can be used for various purposes. It has functions such as on-the-go scanning and a tilt-up 3.5″ LCD screen that makes it easier to scan your old 8mm film, 126, 110, Super 8 and 8mm slides.

It also has an automatic on/off switch which saves battery life by turning off the scanner when not in use or when you are done scanning the photos or slides in it.

Ease of Use

Setting up the device for the first time shouldn’t take more than five minutes. Everything about the device is self-explanatory and can be operated by anyone without prior knowledge about negative film scanners. The navigation buttons are tactile and help navigate through the different functions of this slide scanner.

Onboard Display and TV Out Functionality

The device boasts a 3.5-inch TFT LCD with decent display picture quality and viewing angles. Besides, you also get to see a TV out and an HDMI port to the back of the device that lets you connect the device to a large screen for convenient viewing.

Scanning Quality

The device does well for those looking to produce photo prints up to 4×6 inches. One cannot, however, expect this device to do wonders if you are planning to convert your old photos into larger photo prints.

Smaller Footprints and Stand-alone Operation

Though the device is not entirely portable, you can use a power bank to power it up, as it doesn’t require much power. Be it for using it on your work desk or carrying it along, the Kodak Scanza digital film scanner is a perfect fit, thanks to its smaller footprint design. Besides, you don’t need an external computer to perform scanning operations. Everything can be done on the device itself.

#5. Magnasonic All-in-One High-Resolution 22MP Film Scanning Device – Cheapest Film Scanners

The Magnasonic All-in-One High Resolution 22MP Film Scanner is a digital camera that can scan and digitize film negatives and slides. It can also convert 35mm negatives, slide films, and photos into digital files.

The scanner has a high resolution of 22MP with the ability to scan up to 3200 x 4800 dpi. It has an integrated USB 3.0 port for direct connectivity to computers or external hard drives.

Magnasonic All-in-One High Resolution 22MP Film Scanner – Unboxing and Package Contents

The device came inside a generic plain cardboard box packaging with the Magnasonic label stuck at the top. Inside the box is what looks like a film scanner, a USB cable, a TV out cable, an AC/DC adapter, different-sized film holders, a brush for cleaning the lens, a user’s manual, and documents about the warranty.

Device Overview and Build Quality

The Magnasonic All-In-One Film Scanner has somewhat acceptable build quality. It is made of cheap quality plastic and gives a cheap vibe. However, you cannot expect more for the price you put on it.

It has an onboard 2.4-inch LCD screen for an instant viewing experience. The display on this device does its job. However, the viewing angles aren’t great. Like most other film scanners in this line-up, the Magnasonic All-In-One Negative Film Scanner also ships with TV-Out functionality. They have also included a cable in the box.

The device has 128 MB of built-in storage for storing digital files on the device. However, there is a provision for expanding the storage, thanks to the SD card slot. It supports SD cards up to 32 GB.

Functions and Features

The Magnasonic All-in-One High Resolution 22MP Film Scanner is a versatile and powerful device that can be used for a wide range of purposes. It can scan 35mm/126KPK/110 films and Super 8 films, has 128MB of built-in memory, and has a 2.4″ vibrant LCD screen.

LCD and TV-Out

The Magnasonic All-In-One Scanner is a stand-alone film scanner. That means you don’t need to connect the device to an external computer to scan your slides and films, thanks to the onboard 2.4-inch LED screen. Besides this, there is also a provision for connecting the device to a TV screen.

Scan Quality

Like any digital film scanner, the Magnasonic AIO is unsuitable for those expecting exceptional image quality. However, if you are a hobbyist and barely scan your films for the purpose of posting them on social media, you cannot go wrong with choosing the Magnasonic All-In-One film scanner.

Ease of Use

The device is simple, and the scanning process is relatively simple, even for a person without prior knowledge about negative film scanners, thanks to the onboard LED screen. Besides, the buttons are very tactile to press, making the experience better.

Small and Easy-to-carry

The device measures about 3.4 x 3.4 x 4.0 inches and weighs about 0.66 pounds. Being one of the lightest negative film scanners on the market, it is effortless to carry and operate on the go if you have a portable power source.

#6. Plustek OpticFilm 8100 – The Professionals Choice

Plustek OpticFilm 8100 is a film scanner that can scan negatives and slides. It can also be used with other film formats like 35mm, 120, 620, and APS.

The Plustek OpticFilm 8100 has everything you need to take pictures, edit them, and share them from any angle, from the ground to the sky. It can capture up to 20 images per second in RAW or JPEG format and offers a wide range of different shooting modes for different types of photography.

Plustek OpticFilm 8100 – Unboxing and Package Contents

The device came inside a fancy, colorful cardboard box with the Plustek branding printed on top. It is appropriately sealed and padded with protective material to prevent damage during shipping. Though the box is significant, the scanner surprisingly has a smaller footprint and can comfortably sit in tighter workspaces.

Besides the scanner, the box also has a carrying bag for the scanner. The quality of the bag provided is phenomenal. Plustek also sent a negative film holder, a negative slide holder, a USB cable, a power adapter, a user manual, and papers about the warranty.

Device Overview and Build Quality

The Plustek 8100 is identical to the Plustek 8200i SE we reviewed earlier. But the only difference is that the negatives and films have a hardware part that cleans off dust.

It is a solidly built device, made of high-quality hard plastic material, and is built to last. Due to the smaller footprints on the devices, they can comfortably fit most desk setups with limited space. The device’s front side has three buttons: IntelliScan, QucikScan, and Power buttons, respectively. At the back, we have a DC socket for plugging in power and a USB port to connect the device to a computer.

Functions and Features

The Plustek OpticFilm 8100 is a high-quality, medium-format, low-cost scanner. It has a dynamic range of over 12 stops, which means that it can scan a scene with very dark and light areas.

The Plustek OpticFilm 8100 is a high-resolution slide scanner that can scan up to 4,800 x 2,400 dpi. It has a dynamic range of up to 3,000:1 and an ISO range of 100–12800.

Ease of Use

The Plustek OpticFilm 8100 is easy to operate. Setting up the device for the first scan shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes. Install the right software tool on your computer, connect the scanner to it using the provided USB cable, connect the power to the device, and you are good to go.

Scanning Resolution

This device can scan your negative films at an incredible resolution of 7,200 ppi. The scanning quality on this device is unparalleled, with the right amount of dynamic range. With the software that comes with the scanner, you can use SilverFast Multi-Exposure to improve the quality of scanned images.

Scanning Speeds

This dedicated 35mm film scanner took less than a minute to scan a film at 1800 ppi, completing the scanning process, while it took a little over 4 minutes to scan the same at 7,200 dpi.

best 35mm film scanner

Film scanners are devices that help in scanning negatives, slides, and slides. It is a device that is used to convert analog film into digital images. The best 35mm film scanner will have the ability to scan all types of films without any distortion or loss of quality.

Some of the best 35mm film scanners available on the market include: The Epson Perfection V850 Pro Photo Scanner, The Plustek OpticFilm 8200i SE Film Scanner, The Magnasonic All-in-One High-Resolution 22MP 35mm Film Scanner

Understanding Film Scanners

Most of you might not know about negative film scanners and their use. Before we take you there, you must learn about negative photography and how it differs from digital photography in practice today.

Negative photography has a special chapter in the World’s photography history. If you are a Millennial, your childhood photos are likely taken using a 35 mm film camera. Unlike the modern-day’s digital camera, a film camera uses a transparent plastic film called a photo negative to capture an image. One side of these photo films is covered with a light-sensitive material called emulsion. This side is exposed to light when one tries to capture an image, thus, imprinting a negative image onto the film.

These negative films are then processed chemically in a commercial photo lab to produce a final positive image. However, after the advent of digital photography, people have ardently moved to it, completely jilting negative photography. As a result, since there isn’t much demand for commercial photo labs, they, too, have gone into extinction.

What Is a Film Scanner? | Different Types of Negative Film Scanners.

To put it simply, a negative film scanner is an electronic device that lets you convert photo negatives into digital format photos. Once converted, you can use a good photo printer to print them with stunning quality and detail. This way, you don’t need to visit a lab to get the photos from your old negatives developed into photo positives. 

Different Types of Film Scanners

Based on the scanning technology, film scanners are mainly classified into two types: dedicated negative film scanners and flatbed scanners. More about these at the end of this article. However, there is another type called drum scanners. These are very expensive and are meant strictly for professional use. Since they are not commonly available and require professional expertise to operate, we haven’t talked about them here.

Which Is the Best Negative Film Scanner for My Use Case?

To put it straight, a decent flatbed scanner should be good enough if you only want to save or share the photos from your old negatives online on social platforms. Besides scanning your negatives, flatbed scanners can also help scan other document types too, making them a decent addition to your home.

However, if you aim for professional-quality prints, you should opt for a dedicated film scanner. The dedicated film scanners can produce digital images with impeccable details and quality thanks to their high-resolution photo sensors.

What is the best way to scan old negatives?

A film and slide scanner is a device that can scan negatives, slides, and photographic prints. These scanners come in all shapes and sizes; some are designed to be used at home, while others are designed for professional use.

When scanning old negatives, it is important to know the type of scanner you’re using as well as the type of negatives you’re scanning.

Best Film Scanners 2023 – Buying Guide

You must understand the following considerations before buying a decent negative film scanner from the market:

Different Types of Film Scanners

Based on the scanning technology, film scanners are mainly classified into two types, dedicated negative film scanners, and flatbed scanners.

Dedicated Negative Film Scanners

A dedicated negative film scanner uses a narrow, focused beam of light from a unique light source to scan an uncut film fed into it. The image data is captured by a CCD sensor employed in the device, while a motor scrolls the negatives automatically.

The dedicated negative film scanners are ideal if you expect your scans to be professional and of higher quality.

Flatbed Scanners

A flatbed scanner scans an image by reading its intensity and color while shining a white light from a strong light source through the glass. These are not specifically made to scan negative films. However, some vendors include an additional accessory called a transparency unit that lets you scan slides and films.

This is the most versatile option, as you can use your flatbed scanner to scan negatives and positives, including your photos and documents. It offers good image quality; however, as with a dedicated negative film scanner, you cannot expect professional results.

Things to Look for While Buying the Best Scanner for Old Films: Best Photo Scanner Specifications

The following are some things you need to consider while buying a negative film scanner.

Price, color depth, and resolution are the three most important things to think about when buying a film scanner. Price is probably the most significant factor when choosing a scanner. Color depth and Dmax also play an important role in selecting the best model of scanner for your needs.

Price

It is not always true that the costlier ones are the best. You can find a decent film scanner at every price bracket possible. In the above section, we have listed a few film scanners at different price ranges. Choose the one that best fits your needs.

Color Depth and Dmax

Color depth is the data the scanner can collect for each color. Dmax, commonly known as optical density or dynamic range, is the amount of detail the scanner can read in the highlights and shadows. You should always go for a device with a 3 Dmax value and above.

Resolution

It refers to the amount of detail a scanner can capture per inch. The higher the resolution, the greater is going to be the quality of the scanned image. Anything above 3000 ppi should be good for scanning negative films.

Onboard Storage and Expandability

Let’s say you want a film scanner that works well on its own and can produce good images. In that case, you should go with the one with both onboard storage and storage expandability provisions for storing digital files.