QUOTE(yuhi @ Aug 10 2011, 05:57 PM)
yoong: how about those dedicated drum film scanners instead of backlit ones since most of us probably shoot 35mm film anyways, could you give us some advice on some good ones to choose?
Drum scanners? They work by photomultiplier tubes rather than the CCD/CIS the usual scanners have. Drum scanners are really high end machines, they render images about 8000-10,000 (some even 24,000dpi) dpi. Usually the pros use it for exhibitions or commercial jobs for e.g billboards, posters etc. I doubt you need so much resolution, unless you plan to print billboard size. The only lab I know that offer drum scanning is PhotoMedia at SS2. The last I checked, the rates were RM 1= 1MB. And the size of each image is at least 100MB. Usually more.
The dedicated film scanners are like Nikon Coolscan. Small, portable and gives good output. The problem is they are still expensive and the lower end models only take 35mm. And I think they are discontinued ever since digital become more popular. So if you want, you need to either ask Nikon to ship one here or buy from eBay.
The problem is they are still expensive and the lower end models only take 35mm. So,if you plan to use 120mm or 4x5 in the future, you need to upgrade scanner. That's why I usually recommend the Epson V700. Quality is at par with the Coolscans and much cheaper. It takes 35mm, 120mm, 4x5 and 8x10 films.
If you want the scanner just for web presentations or small prints (up to 8x10), the Canon 8800F (or similar models) are good enough. Most of my stuff are scanned using that.
If you are serious about archiving your negatives and print larger than 8x10, go for the V700.
For a hobbyist, I won't recommend getting a drum scanner. Not only it's expensive, you need maintenance, etc.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you need anything!