Film and photo scanners digitise 35mm negatives, slides and printed photographs, and suit families archiving old albums as well as hobbyists working with analogue film. Our range of over 20 models includes dedicated film scanners and portable photo scanners from IRIS, Reflecta, Plustek and Kodak, with Rollei and Technaxx also available.
How to choose a film or photo scanner
Material you want to scan. Dedicated film scanners are built for 35mm negatives and slides, and some also take medium-format film or Super 8 frames. Portable photo scanners are designed for prints and often feed them through a slot or pass over them by hand. Check the supported formats before comparing anything else, because a scanner cannot handle what its holders do not fit.
Optical resolution. Resolution is quoted in dpi, and a 35mm frame is small, so it needs far more than a document scanner provides. About 3600 dpi gives roughly 17 megapixels from a 35mm frame, which is enough for screen viewing and typical prints. Higher figures such as 7200 dpi help with large enlargements or fine-grained film. Look for optical resolution rather than interpolated values.
Speed and workflow. Scanning a few hundred slides one at a time becomes tedious on a slow device. Models with multi-frame holders or a slide magazine let you load several frames at once, and a standalone unit that saves to an SD card can work without a computer. If you only have a small album to digitise, a simple handheld or sheet-fed photo scanner is usually quicker to set up.
Image quality and software. Colour depth and dynamic range decide how well a scanner copes with dense slides and faded negatives. Dust and scratch removal, colour restoration and support for TIFF or RAW output save a lot of editing time. Check that the bundled software works with your operating system and whether it includes OCR or photo-editing tools.
Brands we carry
- IRIS: known for compact scanners and the Readiris OCR software, and part of the Canon group.
- Reflecta: a European brand focused on film and slide digitising, including scanners for 35mm film and slides.
- Plustek: a Taiwanese scanner maker whose OpticFilm series is widely used for dedicated 35mm negative and slide scanning.
- Kodak: a long-established photography name that offers simple scanners for converting film and prints to digital files.
- Rollei: a German photography brand with film scanners aimed at home archiving of negatives and slides.
Also in our range: Technaxx.
Frequently asked questions about film and photo scanners
What is the difference between a film scanner and a photo scanner?
A film scanner passes light through a negative or slide, while a photo scanner reads the surface of a print using reflected light. Film scanners achieve much higher resolution because the originals are tiny. Photo scanners are better for albums and loose prints.
What resolution do I need for scanning 35mm negatives?
For most uses, 3600 dpi is enough, giving about 17 megapixels per frame. Choose 5000 dpi or more if you plan large enlargements or crops. The real detail also depends on the film grain and the quality of the scanner optics.
Can I scan photo prints with a film scanner?
Generally no, because film scanners rely on light passing through transparent material. Prints are opaque and need a photo scanner or a flatbed scanner. Some flatbeds include a transparency adapter, which lets them handle both prints and film, usually at lower quality for film.
How should I prepare slides and negatives before scanning?
Remove dust with a soft brush or an air blower and handle the film by its edges. Load the frames into the correct holder and scan at a resolution suited to your final use. Save important images as TIFF or high-quality JPEG files and keep a backup copy.
