Reflecta ProScan 10T 35mm film scanner totes 10,000 spi resolution
Even with the prevelance of digital cameras and mobile devices, 35 mm film remains a mainstay of photography. But for those who want to bring this traditional medium to the digital age, the Reflecta ProScan 10T might offer the best way to preserve old slides or even just convert newer negatives.
The main attraction of this scanner is its promise of high scanning resolution. In fact, it boasts of a nominal resolution of 10,000 spi. SPI or samples per inch is the unit of measurement used for scanners, as opposed to dpi (dots per inch) for printers and ppi (pixels per inch) for screens, though dpi is sometimes used for all three cases. It refers to the number of individual samples of an image that is taken per linear inch. Naturally, the higher the number of samples, the higher the fidelity of the resulting digital image.
Of course, that advertised resolution is only a nominal one, meaning the actual operating resolution might be lower. The current title holder is Plustek with its OpticFilm 8200i which has a nominal resolution of 7200 spi. In practice, however, it was only capable of 3,251 spi. If the Reflecta ProScan 10T achieved even only half of its nominal resolution, it would still be in the lead.
That said, the ProScan 10T is by no means the ideal 35 mm film scanner. For one, it is quite slow. A single scan at full resolution, including dust and scratch removal, takes about seven minutes. It also doesn't have an automatic feeder and users must advance negatives or slides manually. And finally, it is not exactly compact nor lightweight, measuring 27.5 cm x 16.7 cm x 8 cm and weighing around 1 kg. Compared to other consumer film scanners, however, it could still be the cream of the crop.
The scanner is bundled with software, including Photoshop Elements 12, a 80 EUR or $110 deal based on Amazon pricing. The price tag does feel a bit hefty, at 470 EUR or roughly $650. Currently, it is only available in Germany and there is no word yet on other markets.
VIA: heise, The Phoblographer