Nikon Coolscan 9000 or Epson V850

Tom Kershaw · Feb 23, 2019

BMbikerider said:
I used to have it but no longer. However if you speak to Gray's of Westminster telephone 020-7828 4925, they are the ones who gave me the contact details. They are based in London. SE11, somewhere around Kennington if I remember correctly. It cost me £125 plus post and packing.

UPDATE To save you the bother, I spoke to Gray's and the company is called Fixation and they are in Kennington Lane. Their phone number is 020 7582 3294. They are closed today but give them a call for the full address. The turn around time is about 10 working days (or it was when I had mine done.)

That is useful thanks. The scanner is fine at the moment, but I'll keep this in mind for the future. I had been under the impression repairs and servicing for the Nikon scanners was now very limited.

Tom Kershaw · Feb 23, 2019

Noticed this statement on their website: http://www.fixationuk.com/nikon-repair/

Parts for ALL Nikon scanners are becoming scarce and we will not be able to repair these for much longer. We are unable to repair the LS-4500 multi-format scanner.

BMbikerider · Feb 23, 2019

Your scanner is working OK so are you only looking for a service/clean? If so there should be no problem. On the other hand I have never heard of a LS-4500 what is it? I thought you had a 9000!

The service clean was all I had done.

Tom Kershaw · Feb 23, 2019

I do have the LS-9000 (and a 4000). I've not heard of the LS-4500 either. EDIT: Appears to be a scanner that will do 5"x4" film. https://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/scanner/ls-4500af/

Ko.Fe. · Feb 23, 2019

BMbikerider said:
The Nikon Coolscan V, or the 9000 or even the 8000 models are very definitely NOT obsolete. They may be old, they may not have the original ease of access but they are shed loads better than any cheap flat bed scanner such as the v600. Read my original post about focussing, scanning format (RAW), and absolute build quality, non of which is available in a flatbed.

I could if I wanted to, download Silverfast or Vuescan and use Windows 10, but the Windows XP in my Dell Laptop serves the purpose perfectly. The scans are automatically sent into the 'pictures' folder and then transferred onto a memory stick and then worked on using my desk top and the Adobe CC. It isn't the operating system that is used to receive the scans, it is where the actual after work is performed.

I have seen results from a Plustec scanner and to be honest they seemed to be little better than a flatbed. Optical corrections a poor in comparison with a Nikon and showed quite pronounced fringing. The absolute resolution is more than a Nikon but it cannot be used because of the optical deficiencies.

FYI.

Equipment becomes obsolete then original manufacturer doesn't support it anymore. Support means service and parts, plus OS drivers.
All Nikon scanners are obsolete. No new parts are manufactured. No service, no sw drivers, no fw upgrades.

Any software, including OS, becomes obsolete once it isn't supported any more. Windows XP is obsolete. No upgrades, no drivers. It means if you will need to install new card to interface your scanner, where is no OS driver for this card.

I have seen direct comparison between Epson flatded, Plustek and Nikon. I see no reason to deal with obsolete Nikon equipment.

Tom Kershaw · Feb 23, 2019

Ko.Fe. said:
FYI.

Equipment becomes obsolete then original manufacturer doesn't support it anymore. Support means service and parts, plus OS drivers.
All Nikon scanners are obsolete. No new parts are manufactured. No service, no sw drivers, no fw upgrades.

Any software, including OS, becomes obsolete once it isn't supported any more. Windows XP is obsolete. No upgrades, no drivers. It means if you will need to install new card to interface your scanner, where is no OS driver for this card.

I have seen direct comparison between Epson flatded, Plustek and Nikon. I see no reason to deal with obsolete Nikon equipment.

I use the Nikon LS-9000 because I've had it from new, it works, and provides good image quality. In addition with VueScan it is usable on more modern operating systems.

jkf · Feb 23, 2019

Ko.Fe. said:
Windows XP is obsolete. No upgrades, no drivers. It means if you will need to install new card to interface your scanner, where is no OS driver for this card.

The Nikon software runs fine on Win10, not sure what your point is with this?

Ko.Fe. said:
I have seen direct comparison between Epson flatded, Plustek and Nikon. I see no reason to deal with obsolete Nikon equipment.

This is flat wrong -- even a highly obsolete 2000 dpi MF scanner (Minolta Multi-II) makes scans which are obviously better in DR if not resolution than the Epsons. Perhaps if your negatives are soft to start with the additional doubling of resolution will not be noticeable to you, but otherwise this is crazy-talk.

BMbikerider · Feb 23, 2019

Ko.Fe. said:
FYI.

Equipment becomes obsolete then original manufacturer doesn't support it anymore. Support means service and parts, plus OS drivers.
All Nikon scanners are obsolete. No new parts are manufactured. No service, no sw drivers, no fw upgrades.

Any software, including OS, becomes obsolete once it isn't supported any more. Windows XP is obsolete. No upgrades, no drivers. It means if you will need to install new card to interface your scanner, where is no OS driver for this card.

I have seen direct comparison between Epson flatded, Plustek and Nikon. I see no reason to deal with obsolete Nikon equipment.

By your reasoning the model T Ford is obsolete! Mine and every one else's film cameras are obsolete! Digital cameras, as soon as they are superseded by other models they are obsolete. What a weird and errrrrr 'obsolete' way of thinking! The Ford if well looked after will still work. The film cameras so long as there is film to feed them and they do not fail will still work.

You could say the B52 bomber being made for at least 50 years is obsolete but they are still operational.

As for Nikon scanners not being serviced you are so very wrong! (in UK anyway) If something breaks of fails due to long term use and it cannot be repaired that does no make the others obsolete. That applies to everything made by man and later versions are made.

Back in 2003 I bought a Nikon D100 but sold it a few years later to a friend when I went back to film use, that is still working well. Yes it is old, yes later models will have more up to date processors but that does not make them obsolete.

There are non so blind who cannot see! Think about it!

Kodachromeguy · Feb 23, 2019

Ko.Fe. said:
FYI.

Equipment becomes obsolete then original manufacturer doesn't support it anymore. Support means service and parts, plus OS drivers.
All Nikon scanners are obsolete. No new parts are manufactured. No service, no sw drivers, no fw upgrades.

Any software, including OS, becomes obsolete once it isn't supported any more. Windows XP is obsolete. No upgrades, no drivers. It means if you will need to install new card to interface your scanner, where is no OS driver for this card.

Where are you going with this, or why are you going with this? Of course the Nikon scanner is obsolete. So are film cameras. But that does not mean that both could not be used for many years and provide satisfactory service. I agree that repair could be an issue away from UK, USA, or, maybe Japan. The software and driver problems are manageable. Help the OP with some encouragement.

Ko.Fe. · Feb 23, 2019

Kodachromeguy said:
Where are you going with this, or why are you going with this? Of course the Nikon scanner is obsolete. So are film cameras. But that does not mean that both could not be used for many years and provide satisfactory service. I agree that repair could be an issue away from UK, USA, or, maybe Japan. The software and driver problems are manageable. Help the OP with some encouragement.

Here we go again... Please, do read my post about what obsolete is. I work at one of the few remaining in NA companies, which still have full cycle not outsourced. Including manufacturing.

And, please, do not call scanners as obsolete. Epson and Plustek are sold as new. And they are supported in Win 10.

I'm encouraging OP not to play Mad Max scenario, but to buy two very capable and new scanners at the price of of some single obsolete.

Ko.Fe. · Feb 23, 2019

BMbikerider said:
...

There are non so blind who cannot see! Think about it!

Good remark about blind. And who. Did you read OP and understand? He is virgin. Lab developing and scan. He googled something and some old threads come out.

Please, think about. OP why OP needs to buy some obsolete equipment and obsolete PC. What for?

BMbikerider · Feb 24, 2019

He did ask about the Epson and Nikon scanners and that is what I responded with giving my experience with Nikon. Nikon scanners are not ob-sol-ete (3 syllables). Have you ever used a Nikon scanner or for that matter any scanner? Or are you reiterating 3rd party gossip? You certainly come across like that.

I have used both quite extensively. If you have, you will realise that a flat bed is really a non starter, when it comes to absolute quality. The Nikon scanner may be old and can still be repaired (in UK anyway) but it is better in all respects. The only scanner that will out perform a Nikon scanner of whatever the age is a drum scanner and they are horrendously expensive. Certainly not what a person just starting out would be prepared to pay for.

Les Sarile · Feb 24, 2019

Ko.Fe. said:
All Nikon scanners are obsolete. No new parts are manufactured. No service, no sw drivers, no fw upgrades.

I have seen direct comparison between Epson flatded, Plustek and Nikon. I see no reason to deal with obsolete Nikon equipment.

Two basic definitions of obsolete - no longer produced or used. I can attest to the fact that my Coolscans are fully functional and still in use.

If you can share the direct comparisons you saw, that could be interesting as I personally have done it myself including DSLR "scanning" with a Nikon D800.

I will be trying out a Nikon D850 for resolution comparison but especially for it's built-in color negative conversion. Of course color negative conversion and dust & scratch removal eliminates the speed advantage of DSLR "scanning".

Andre Noble · Mar 19, 2019

BMbikerider said:
The Nikon Scanner is old technology...Nikon software will only use Windows XP but it will work as well if not better if you install Silverfast.

There is a patch out there that let's you use Windows 8.1 with the last version of Nikon Scan

EdSawyer · Mar 20, 2019

I have Nikonscan running on windows 10 on a Mac using Boot Camp. Just an FYI.

jtk · Mar 20, 2019

I use Nikon V 50ED with Vuescan. Back when I was using Win7 I compared Nikonscan and Vuescan and found them equal. I continue to use Vuescan (which is regularly updated) with Win 10 without any issues. It appears that Vuescan activates Nikon's Digital Ice because my prints from negatives old and new are dust-free...and of course grain sharp.

I have kept a fine old Win 7 machine specifically to be able to use various customized professional applications.that didn't update to 10, as well as Nikonscan which works beautifully with Win7....but I don't need those applications and Vuescan is great.

Nikon Coolscan 9000 or Epson V850

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