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Plustek OpticFilm Reviews
OpticFilm 7300 Reviews: kickstartnews || ComputerActive
OpticFilm 7200i Reviews: Amateur Photographer || ePHOTOzine || f2
OpticFilm 7200 Reviews: Amateur Photograher || Practical Photography || f2 || Digital Photo || ComputerActive || Personal Computer World || Computer Shopper || Digital Photography Made Easy
Buy
Plustek OpticFilm 7200 / 7200i / 7200iSE & Accessories
Plustek OpticFilm 7300 Reviews
The OpticFilm 7300 is easy to install ... Scanning with it is as easy as ever and the slide viewer embedded in the top of the unit is truly a pleasure to work with... Scanned detail in highlights and shadows was not blown out due to the multiple exposure feature, a big improvement over the 7200i. Highly Recommended. more.
ComputerActive (14th Feb 2008)
gives good results ... Silverfast software is comprehensive and allows a wide range of adjustments and fixes. more.
Plustek OpticFilm 7200i Reviews
Amateur Photographer (April 2006)
8th April 2006 - 4 page Review
"overall I'm very impressed with the performance of the OpticFilm 7200i"
"it produces a good result at A1 print size and it deals with smaller enlargements very well indeed"
"its a "thumbs up" for the Plustek OpticFilm 7200i"
"if you are after a dedicated 35mm film scanner and dont want to spend a lot of money, there's nothing on the market that comes close - except perhaps the original OpticFilm 7200.
"However the extra £100 extra you pay for OpticFilm 7200i gets you SilverFast Ai and infrared dust and scratch removal. For me thats a reasonable price to pay"
Four page Amateur Photographer - Full Review (pdf)
OpticFilm 7200
"I reviewed the original OpticFilm 7200 here - a dedicated 35mm film scanner combining a groundbreaking 7200dpi optical resolution, a fast operating speed, high end software and a price of £170 that looks like a misprint"
Performance
"after the OpticFilm 7200, the OpticFilm 7200i is the second incarnation - not so much revolutionary as evolutionary - but the changes promise even higher results with much less effort for the 35mm photographer"
"the price is stil on the right side of 'affordable'"
"unlike the OpticFilm 7200, its predecessor: 1) the OpticFilm 7200i gives the option to making an infrared pass to detect surface defects such as dust and scratches - the reason for the "i" suffix in the name. 2) In conjunction with the supplied SilverFast Ai 6 scanner software these defects can be removed automatically"
"resolution remains a class leading 7200 x 7200dpi"
SilverFast Ai 6 Software
"thanks to SilverFast Ai 6 both 24bit and 48bit scans can be made 'out of the box'"
"SilverFast Ai 6 is quite easy to get to grips with"
"video tutorials are a user-friendly touch"
"features on offer are incredibly versatile"
"NegaFix comes highly recommended if you scan negatives, supporting individual film types"
"provides colour management & IT8 target calibration"
Handling & Scan Times
"simplified film loading process means there is no waiting for the scanner to position your desired frame"
"delivers a preview frame in less than 15 seconds, while some other scanners would still be automatically positioning the frame"
"scan speeds are equally quick with a 35mm frame enlarged to A4 print size in 45 seconds and A3 enlargement takes a few seconds more. Again other scanners would still be warming up by the time the 7200i has finished and is ready to be moved on to the next image"
"what is more impressive though is at 7200dpi the scan time is still only 90 seconds - this is a remarkable achievement"
InfraRed Dust & Scratch Removal
"the InfraRed Smart Removal of Defects (iSRD) system precisely identifies and 'intelligently' removes any dust and scratch defects"
BUY Plustek OpticFilm 7200 / 7200i
"produces images quickly"
"compared to Jessops Primefilm 3600 Pro scanner, you can see just how good value this scanner is. The OpticFilm shows better detail, better dynamic range, more accurate colours and sharper detail"
"The sharpness of the image is uniform across all of the image"
"absolutely no noise visible in the image - fantastic for a scanner of this price"
"With iSRD infrared dust and scratch removal images retain sharpness much better"
"performance is excellent"
"produces detailed scans and accurate colours with results you would expect from a scanner twice the price"
"When compared to similarly priced opposition OpticFilm really shines"
"very good value for money"
BUY Plustek OpticFilm 7200i / 7200
Compares OpticFilm 7200i to Minolta Scan Multipro. Plustek OpticFilm 7200i:
"It is grain sharp, and reveals every defect in your shooting technique.
"appears to focus perfectly and does not produce
streaks, noise or spurious grain"
"clearly a bargain, and now very much better than its ancestors"
"takes quality up to and beyond the camera make scanners (Nikon) still remaining"
Plustek OpticFilm 7200 Reviews
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9th October 2004
Nominated by Amateur Photographer 'Scanner of the Year 2005'
>> Full 3 page AP Review (pdf)
Chris Gatcum, Technical Editor of Amateur Photographer 'AP' magazine, undertook the most comprehensive UK review of Plustek OpticFilm 7200 (9th October 2004) saying:-
Summary Highlights
'boasting an optical resolution exceeding that of any other product on the consumer market at a price that undercuts most of the 'major manufacturers' by several hundred pounds'
'a groundbreaking 7200dpi optical resolution capable of transforming a 35mm frame into a 300ppi image measuring 34'x22.5' (86x57cm) - A1 in paper sizes - or a small section enlarged to fit an A3 print'
Speed of Scanning
'the ease & speed with which the OpticFilm 7200 produces a scan is appealing'
'in use the OpticFilm 7200 is very fast especially given the maximum (7200dpi) available'
'a preview of your frame takes about 20 seconds to appear on screen'
'I was most impressed that a full frame scan at the maximum 7200dpi resolution only takes four minutes to complete'
'a full frame scan at a more modest 2100dpi (to provide a 9.5' x 6.5' print at 300dpi) is completed in a little over 60 seconds'
'to speed up scanning process, the 7200 has a pair of 'one touch' buttons that immediately open up the scanner driver to perform a 'scan on the fly' '
Software
'the SilverFast Ai option provides true 48-bit output and advanced colour management tools along with other lesser used tools'
'the SilverFast SE option .. (gives) 8 bit image output (which) won't allow LAB or CMYK scans but saves £50'
Build
'very quiet unit when scanning'
'the film holders are actually better than some I've seen with the strip holder particularly well designed.. perfectly adequate for ensuring the film is held flat'
Image Quality
'with shots (slides, negatives, b/w) that could be described as 'average' in terms of exposure or contrast, the OpticFilm 7200 consistently delivers a full range of tones, sometimes exceeding my expectations'
'OpticFilm 7200 delivered enough information in a 8-bit scan to prevent highlights from 'burning out' despite heavy manipulation of the contrast. As a result I could extract far more detail than I anticipated being able to and achieve the result I was after'
'With a DMax of 3.4, OpticFilm 7200 shouldn't have too much trouble dealing with most negatives. With average exposed transparency film (for exposure and contrast) the 7200 consistently delivers a full range of tones.'
Amateur Photographer Verdict
'I am very pleased indeed with the results I have achieved'
'I have to confess that the OpticFilm 7200 has not so much exceeded my expectations as shattered them'
'Whether you are looking for a quick way of producing massive prints from 35mm film or an economical dedicated film scanner, Plustek has achieved this with OpticFilm 7200'
'For perhaps the first time we are seeing an eminently usable scanner at a price that the consumer can genuinely afford, and for this, Plustek should receive a standing ovation'
>> Full 3 page AP Review (pdf)
BUY Plustek OpticFilm 7200 / 7200i
Practical Photographer April 2005
'has one of the best features you could think of for a film scanner - a 35mm frame lightbox on the top of the scanner. It's a genius idea.'
'Printing scans to A4 .. it is hard to tell the difference between them and results from other scanners'
'Quality is more than suitable for most amateur usage and with a price this low the value for money is excellent.'
'Plain and simple - OpticFilm 7200 provides a good solution for the minimum of cash'
'the easiest choice to make in this test is the obvious decision on the Best Buy. At a mere £170 and providing good quality scans, the Plustek OpticFilm 7200 is hard to beat on value for money'
BUY Plustek OpticFilm 7200 / 7200i
Practical Photography October 2004
'The results are impressive. For those on a budget it is a good choice.'
Practical Photography (October 2004) tested Plustek OpticFilm 7200 versus latest Nikon, Canon, Konica Minolta, HP & Epson film scanners.
'PP Review Summary' || 'PP Review Summary' (pdf, 0.9MB) || Full PP Report (10 pg, 1.5MB)
>> Full Review: Plustek OpticFilm 7200 v Nikon, Canon, Konica Minolta, HP, Epson film scanners
BUY Plustek OpticFilm 7200 / 7200i
David Kilpatrick @ f2 magazine (5th Dec 2004, Icon Publications Ltd) spent 8 hrs testing OpticFilm
Resolution
'the highest resolution of any 35mm scanner on the market and strictly Windows PC only .. fully XP compliant'
Good Value
'it's such a bargain a Mac based photographer might even buy a PC just to be able to use it'
'How does it do it so cheaply? Easy. Most scanners have a static CCD and light source, and transport the film carrier, which makes automated scanning of four to six shots possible. The Plustek relies on manual insertion of a carrier, and positioning of each frame by pushing it home to the next notch – no batch scanning. The film stays still, and the light/lens/CCD carriage does all the moving'
Software
'It comes with the excellent SilverFast LE, worth almost as much as the scanner itself, and the Wizard-aided installation went completely smoothly'
Results
'As for the result, it was very sharp. It did not have any trouble with the maximum density of a typical Sensia or Provia 100 slide; it could see right into the shadows'
'Do you need a Plustek 7200? If you have half-frame (18 x 24mm eg Minox) negs, APS slides mounted in 35mm frames, 16mm or 8mm film which you manage to mount up, or ever want to blow up a tiny detail from a neg – maybe yes. If you want monster files from fine-grain negatives, definitely yes. The Plustek at full resolution, combined with grain reduction software and subsequent downsizing of the image to a workable 50MB or so, provides a way to get useful scans from 35mm negs.'
'It is much better than I expected and there is no trace of noise, streaking or any particular failings to punch through dense negs - usually difficult with scanning C41' (private comm.)
'the image was grain-sharp, clean and noise free'
>> Full 1 page f2 Review (pdf)
BUY Plustek OpticFilm 7200 / 7200i
November 2004
'7200dpi is a staggeringly high resolution for a 35mm dedicated film scannner'
'SilverFast is an excellent interface that should satisfy all'
'represents great value as a budget buy'
'A top 5 film scanner'
'5/5 for Value for Money'
>> Full Digital Photo Reviews: OpticFilm v Nikon v Konica Minolta v Epson
BUY Plustek OpticFilm 7200 / 7200i
Luke
Peters & Anthony Dhanendran at ComputerActive tested OpticFilm.
19th August
2004
'incredibly good value'
'great for digitally restoring or printing some of those treasured pictures'
'Overall 4 Stars'
BUY Plustek OpticFilm 7200 / 7200i
Rob
Jones, Editor PCW tested OpticFilm & gave it a 'Recommended'
award.
December 2004
'..it's surprisingly cheap. While a low price often translates to poor quality, we're pleased to say that isn't the case here.'
'in tests, the unit almost always produced better results than our test flatbed Epson Perfection 2400 Photo scanner'
'good quality scans & price'
>> Full Personal Computer World Review
BUY Plustek OpticFilm 7200 / 7200i
Computer Shopper, Paul Sanders (Editor), November
2004 Review by Simon Handby
'Competitively priced, high resolution 35mm film scanner'
>> Full Computer Shopper Review
BUY Plustek OpticFilm 7200 / 7200i
Issue 43 - October 2004
'to give you some idea of its power it can blow up a 35mm slide to A1 size - thats roughly 3 feet long by 2 feet wide'
the illuminated panel on top is a nice addition enabling you to view colour slides with ease'
'film holders provided make short work of feeding film through the device'
'reasonably priced film scanner that offers users high resolution, accurate reproductions of your film slides and photos'
'overall we were impressed with the results; images are predictably clear and sharp, the film feed is smooth and the ease of use is second to none'
<< Full Digital Photography Made Easy Review
BUY Plustek OpticFilm 7200 / 7200i
Plustek OpticFilm 7200i Reviews
" this scanner turns out scans at an acceptable rate"
For scans with no dust and scratch removal, the scanner produces images quickly right up to the maximum resolution of 7200dpi"
"If you compare the OpticFilm to the similarly priced Jessops Primefilm 3600 Pro scanner, you can see just how good value this scanner is. The OpticFilm not only shows better detail, but better dynamic range, more accurate colours and sharper detail"
"The sharpness of the image is uniform across all of the image, also there is absolutely no noise visible in the image which is fantastic for a scanner of this price"
"With the iSRD infrared dust and scratch removal activated the image retains its sharpness much better"
"The performance of the Plustek OpticFilm 7200i is excellent, especially for its price. It produces detailed scans and accurate colours that aren't too different from the results you would expect from a scanner twice the price"
"When compared to similarly priced opposition the OpticFilm really shines, in fact I find it really hard not to compare it to much more expensive 'professional' scanners, it really is that good"
"The high resolution and overall quality of the scans really does make this very good value for money, especially for someone who may only scan film occasionally, or who can live with its few limitations"
BUY Plustek OpticFilm 7200 / 7200i
