plustekOpticFilm 8200i AI - 35mm Film & Slides Scanner. IT 8 Calibration Target + SilverFast Ai Studio 9, 7200 dpi Resolution 64Bit HDRi , Mac/PC

Hi All,I decided to write this review as many of us are looking to scan 35mm film and there is either a lack of reviews for newer scanners; or older scanners are too cost prohibitive.I'll surmise my experience of the Plustek 8200i/SE/AI in this review. ** A quick side note: The differences for each version of the Plustek 8200i is software/Silverfast and Infrared(for SE/AI). For most users the 8200i/SE is more than suitable. I decided to spend a bit more and get the AI version for the IT8 Calibration Target( from SIlverfast this cost roughly ~$100USD)First, what I require from a film scanner:- Fine image quality( for a range of film types: E6, C41 & B&W)- Small footprint, lightweight( it is going on a desk)- Relatively Fast for scanning single frames(I don't need Batch Scanning/Roll Scanning)- Modern connections like USB 2.0/3.0Second, what i want to avoid in a film scanner:- Cost( think Pakon 135/235; Nikon Coolscan 5000/9000)- Manufacture no longer supports the scanner/discontinued( for more than 5 years)- Software Requiring Older Operating System & outdated ports( Like Windows XP & Firewire)Now for my experience:In the past I had a Pakon 135+(a scanner that scans whole rolls of 35mm film and outputs to 6MP). In the week since my purchase of the Plustek 8200i, I've rescaned a few negatives to compare.The Plustek 8200i does a fine job at scanning 35mm Film with the included SIlverfast 8( which can be upgraded to Silverfast 9 for free. Copy & paste this link here: https://www.amazon.com/ask/questions/Tx2C26L6RMP8HAJ/ref=ask_dp_lsw_al_hza?asin=B009724JZY )Image Sharpness/focus is spot on, Color is faithful & true, USB 2.0 allows scanning speeds to be quick( ~1min for a Prescan & 2.5mins for a Final scan @ 225 DPI w/ MutiSample and Dust & Scratch Removal enabled) It meets all my needs & needs of most users. And it definitely rivals/outperforms the Pakon 135.Though i can see where some might not like the Plustek 8200; for instance:-The Plustek 8200i can only scan 1 frame of 35mm film at a time. It is not automated; you must manually advance the included film holder to scan the next frame. I normally do not scan a whole roll of film; i pick and choose the frames I want to edit/share/print. For some, that is a bit too hands on.****-Some people have commented that Silverfast can be a bit complicated. I agree it can be; but there are video tutorials in the program to help teach you about the tools SIlverfast offers. If you take it slow; have a notpad near by to take notes/reminders and be patience with yourself; it is doable. Otherwise, Vuescan would be the next best option. I personally opted for SIlverfast; as the interface just 'flows' better for me; and the colors from Vuescan are not to my liking.I am thoroughly impressed with this scanner. I was very hesitate with going with a modern scanner; as most of the photographers I follow/look up to use a Pakon 135 or a Nikon Coolscan 5000/9000. Those scanners are great and they set a standard for scanning film but raising costs & costly repair are not what I need right now. The Plustek does the job and it does it well.Here are some tips that I have after reading the manual for the scanner :#1- Label the top of the scanner(see pictures). You can slide the scanner in from either the left or right. I decided to only one side "Enter" & the other side "Exit". This is to help with consistency and for TiP #2#2 Label the Film Holder(see pictures). The manual suggests that you lay the film with the Emulsion(dull) side down, with the top of the frame point towards the back of the scanner & the Film Info read from left to right. Plustek explains this on Page 4 of the Quick Guide manual shipped with the printer.These tips have helped speed up my "scanning" workflow and helps with problem solving.****For those who want a scanner a bit more hands free, I recommend : https://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Image-PrimeFilm-Automatic-Scanner/dp/B07K2GCRRY/ref=sr_1_3?crid=7YS3LDA1V2RH&dchild=1&keywords=pacific+image+prime+film+xas+super+edition+film+scanner&qid=1630528170&sprefix=xa+film+scanner%2Caps%2C250&sr=8-3

Plustek OpticFilm 8200i Ai S/N 5A2FAA000693I purchased this unit from Amazon in April 2021. The unit was delivered in seven days, a fantastic delivery time considering that I live in Johannesburg, South Africa. The unit was well-packed and undamaged upon arrival. It was easy to set up and install the unit, and I could start scanning immediately. I bought this unit to archive my extensive 35mm slides and negative film collection. For this purpose, I intended only to scan slides and negatives at a relatively low resolution and archive these on a hard drive. The scanner is easy to use and reasonably fast, and I could quickly scan approximately 60 slides an hour. Scanning at 1200 or 2400 DPI and 24-bit colour was adequate. I experimented with higher DPI ratings but did not find any benefit. I experimented with the included SilverFast software but found it more manageable, in my case, to further process images using Photoshop when this was required.Over several months, I could scan and archive approximately 8500 images, both slides and negatives. Having completed this campaign, I moved on to other work. I restarted the unit to scan the remaining thousand or so slides in mid-December this year. I immediately discovered that the unit had developed a fault: every other slide failed to scan, the unit jamming and emitting a shrill buzzing sound. This could be stopped by pressing the exit button, but the problem would return when scanning the next slide.To assess this problem, the unit's cover was removed (it was already out of warranty), and operated itwithout the cover. The unit's working parts, that is, the part that carries out the scan, move over the transparency controlled by a worm drive actuated by a small electric motor and a pair of gear wheels. The working parts are an elegant piece of engineering and are very well made. But the Achilles heel lies where the gear wheel attached to the motor meets the gear wheel that rotates the worm drive. Observing the action of the scanning unit, I noticed that the pre-scan forward and back movement ran smoothly, but the scanning movement attempted to overrun its limit and was stopped by the buffer at the end of its travel. This caused the motor gear wheel to skip resulting in a high-pitched buzzing noise. This could be ended by clicking exit on the screen. A close examination of the mechanism did not identify any means of adjusting the length of travel of the scanning unit. I concluded that returning the unit to the manufacturers would be necessary to correct this problem. Unfortunately, I live in South Africa, and the shipping and other costs to do this would exceed the unit's value, so I don't believe this is an option. So, this unit will have to join my ever-growing collection of dysfunctional or dead and obsolete electronics that line the shelves of my office.My assessment of the 8200i Ai is that it is a fine piece of engineering and will produce satisfactory results for the home user. Still, buyers should know that its useful working life may not extend beyond seven or 8000 scans; anything beyond that is a bonus. It presents good value for money bearing in mind the above limitations.Updateed on January 2 2023Following interaction with the very prompt and helpful people at Plustek, I uninstalled the original version of the app and replace it with an updated version. This eliminated the problem with the movement of the scanning unit. However, a new problem emerged: the app froze after one scan. Plustek advised that this was due to issues with USB drivers and advised some s/ware adjustments. Acting on this advice did not resolve the problem, which may lie with a possible incompatibility with SilverFast or the new image-handling app that came with the upgrade. A workaround was found: a desktop or laptop with no prior Plustek/Silverfast apps installed was utilized. Only the Plustek Quick Scan app was installed - nothing more. The scanner now works perfectly. This is a possible solution for other scanner users who may encounter similar problems with the Plustek 8200i Ai. Best wishes for 2023 to you all.