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Slide and Negative scanners are a great way to preserve old memories and digitize all those images that were stored all those years in boxes or slides. It’s not necessary to buy the most expensive scanner out there. Due to the advanced technology those devices share, you will most like get excellent digital images of your films and negatives with any of the scanners in our list.
Best Film Scanners
| Image | Product | Our Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | KODAK Mini Digital Film & Slide Scanner | 9.7 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | KODAK SCANZA Digital Film & Slide Scanner | 9.5 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | Magnasonic All-in-One High Resolution 22MP Film Scanner | 9.1 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | Wolverine Titan 8-in-1 High Resolution Film to Digital Converter | 8.8 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | KODAK Mobile Film Scanner | 8.6 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | DIGITNOW Film Scanners with 22MP | 8.2 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | 135 Film Scanner High Resolution Slide to Digital JPEG Save | 8 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | zonoz FS-5 Digital Film & Slide Scanner | 7.7 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | KODAK Slide N SCAN Film and Slide Scanner with Large 5” LCD Screen | 7.4 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | DIGITNOW 22MP All-in-1 Film & Slide Scanner | 7.2 | Check Price on Amazon |
Last update on 21st March 2023 / Affiliate Links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Our recommended scanners:
KODAK Mini Digital Film & Slide Scanner – Converts 35mm, 126, 110, Super 8 & 8mm Film Negatives
- AMAZING MINIATURE FILM SCANNER – All-in-One Device Lets You Scan, View, Edit, Convert & Save Old 135, 126, 110, Super 8 & Monochrome Negatives & Slides; Turn Your Old Pictures Into Sharp, Clear, Detailed Color or Black & White JPEG Files
- MULTIPLE ADAPTERS FOR FAST LOADING – Enjoy Maximum Compatibility & Ease of Conversion w/ a Variety of Adapters Designed for Fast, Continuous Loading; Improve Quality Up to 14/22MP w/ Adjustable Brightness, Color & Reverse/Flip
- UPDATED USER INTERFACE WITH 2.4” LCD – Dedicated Scan & Home Buttons Provide Easy One-Press Scanning & Quicker Menu Navigation; View & Edit Current Slide or Gallery Pictures on the Color Display [Internal Memory Holds Up to 128MB]
- MEMORIES FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM – Use Any SD Card Up to 32GB [Not Included] Perfect for Enhancing & Printing Old Photos & Sharing Old Film Formats on Social Media
- 3-IN-1 INTERNATIONAL ADAPTER & MORE – Extended Accessories Pack Includes Universal Power Source for US, EU & UK, Cleaning Wand, USB Cable & TV Cable Power Adapter; View Images Big Screen TV, Etc.
Last update on 21st March 2023 / Affiliate Links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Kodak Mini is one of the most versatile scanners you can find in the market. Despite its small size, the device can scan and save 135mm 35, 126, 110, and Super 8 negatives and slides, turning your old photos into JPEG files. It can store 22mp files and, a built-in 2.4 LCD is useful for quickly navigating through menus, and the dedicated scan/save buttons make the scanning of photographs an easy one-button process.
Overall an easy-to-use scanner compatible with all the film/negatives sizes of your collection can be found at a very attractive price for its features. It comes with all the essential adapters and accessories, so you only need to add an SD card (up to 32GB) to start saving your precious photos digitally. I would consider this the best film scanner at this price range.
KODAK SCANZA Digital Film & Slide Scanner – Converts 35mm, 126, 110, Super 8 & 8mm Film Negatives
- FILM TO JPEG IN SECONDS – Powerful 14/22MP KODAK Film Scanner Converts Old 35mm, 126, 110, Super 8 & 8mm Negatives & Slides to JPEG Digital Files – NOTE; THE SCANZA WILL NOT CONVERT FILMS OTHER THEN 35mm, 126, 110, Super 8 & 8mm Negatives
- LARGE, BRIGHT 3.5” TFT LCD – High Definition Built-In Color Display Features Adjustable Brightness & Convenient Tilt for Easy Operation & Image Viewing
- AN ADAPTER FOR EVERYTHING – Unit Arrives w/Multiple Film Inserts & Adapters for Fast, Flexible Operation; Big One-Touch Buttons Allow for One-Step Scan & Save
- INTUITIVE USER INTERFACE – Includes Helpful Tray & Insert Directory; Easily Edit Image RGB & Resolution, Browse Gallery [SD Card NOT Included, supports up to 128GB] & More
- CABLES & EXTRAS INCLUDED – Mac & PC Compatible Converter Comes w/USB Power Cable, HDMI Cable, AC Adapter, Video Cable & FREE Film Cleaning Brush. Use the included brush to also clean the light box of dust and speckles, to avoid marks on the scanned images.
Last update on 21st March 2023 / Affiliate Links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Kodak Digital is the larger model from Kodak that features a large 3.5″ LCD for easier operation and image viewing. It can digitize your 35mm, 126, 110, super 8, and 8mm negatives and slides into JPEG images in seconds. Its one-step scan&save process makes storing your photos a breeze and comes with all the necessary accessories to get you started. It supports SD cards up to 128GB for storing your photographs, and this is the only extra purchase you have to make before you start scanning your old photos. Thanks to its attractive price, this is one of the most popular scanners in the market and definitely worths a closer look.
Magnasonic All-in-One High Resolution 22MP Film Scanner
- Effortlessly convert your 35mm, 126KPK,110, Super 8 and Negatives into premium high resolution 22MP digital photo JPEG files. Still images only, not video. Relive and share your memories in no time with only the push of a button.
- View your scanned slides and films with the built-in, vibrant full color, 2.4 inch LCD screen or directly onto your television with the included Video Out TV cable. No computer is needed to transform your slides from outdated to updated.
- Thanks to the generous 128MB of built-in memory, save up to 100 images directly onto the All-in-One Converter. The easy to use SD card slot expansion allows you to hold even more of your high resolution images until you are ready to transfer them to your computer, smartphone, tablet or digital picture frame.
- Quickly and seamlessly scan all your film without the need to precut into strips and painfully line up correctly. When teamed up with the one-touch scanning software you can go from loading to saving in less than 5 seconds.
- Start editing your photos right out of the box with the easy to use plug-and-play interface. No complicated computer software or driver installation needed.
Last update on 21st March 2023 / Affiliate Links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Magnasonic All in 1 is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a scanner at a budget-friendly price. It can convert 126KPK, 135, 110, super 8, and Negatives into 22mp digital JPEG files. The 2.4″ built-in screen will allow you to view your scanned photos, and its video out cable will also let you connect your TV for even a larger viewing screening. It features 128MB built-in memory that can store up to 100 photos, yet you store even more by adding an SD card to its slot. The one-touch scanning software is quite handy and will let you digitize your old photos easily in seconds—overall, it is a great choice for anyone on a budget without compromising.
What’s a good way to digitize a large number of old family photos?
It’s quite common to find old photographs and negatives within your home, especially when you have to clean and organize your storage space, attic or huge pile of boxes. On the other hand, if you want to scan many negatives or want to have full control of the procedure, it is wise to invest in a scanner, in which case you should continue to read as we’ll guide you towards the best alternative for you.
Well, in case you haven’t heard of scanners before, you would be wondering what a film scanner is used for? Well, as the name suggests, it’s a device that can help you “scan” your film negatives and make digital files of your precious photos.
Converting your photos in JPEG format files will help you archive old family photos on your computer, even with a limited budget, and if fact using one standalone scanner can be the best method to scan safely, make copies and convert large stacks of 35mm negatives and slides into digital photos.
And if you are looking to bulk scan family photos instead of only a few, this is also the most cost-effective way to digitize precious photographs for archival purposes.
What factors should I consider when looking for the best film scanners?
There are a lot of photo scanners that have the ability to also scan slides and film with the use of additional attachments. Still, there are also dedicated devices in the market for those who want to digitize slides easier and faster. Such devices are commonly referred to as converters. They offer the convenience of just putting your slide in to get a quality digital image for archiving. Still, you should expect a photo scanner to provide images of greater resolution.
On the other hand, their speed and ease of use have made them a lot popular than traditional scanners, as each scan takes only a few seconds to complete. They are designed as a push-button solution without the need for a computer to output the files, and due to their small size, they are an attractive alternative compared to a traditional flatbed scanner. If you plan to digitize many negatives or slides, such a solution is a great investment.
To simplify things, you can assume that today’s technology has given us access to a quite powerful scanner so that you won’t have a problem with most scanners nowadays. Still, it would be best if you looked out for the most megapixels you can afford; after all, we want to preserve the photos the best way we can.
These devices offer different resolutions for your digital images. Colour depth is also vital to recreating the photo, so look at the specifications that manufacturers provide for each device before purchasing.
When archiving your files, try to save them as TIFF or PNG instead of JPG as these formats can preserve the scanned image better.
Each scanner, depending on the resolution you’ll choose, will vary in speed. Some models can be quite fast when scanning the photographs, but it take you more time to change negatives due to their design, or their interface makes you spend more time naming the outcome.
Obviously, you should look for a model that provides easy access to negatives for faster switches between batches, and if you can, it would be nice to access the interface of various models to make sure that you pick one that feels fluent for you.
If you have an older computer at home, you might experience problems with drivers on your new scanner, essential the old hardware of your computer might not “know” how to communicate with the newer scanner. If you have a modern computer in most cases, you won’t face such a problem as drivers would probably be working as they should.
On the other hand, if you are a Mac user or Linux user, you need to make sure the model you pick is working as intended on your computer, which in some cases might reduce the available options on the market. Last but not least, there are many stand-alone scanners introduced in the market in recent years, which means you can easily scan and store negatives and slides into memory cards, without the need of a computer.
This might be your best bet, especially if you are not a photographer yourself. Well, obviously, a professional photographer would make more use of a professional photo scanner, but otherwise, those standalone options are quite worth their price tag.
Tip: A frequently asked question is whether you can scan film with a regular scanner…For example, I used to have an Epson scanner you scanning documents while in college, that in fact, had an attachment for scanning negatives that I’ve never heard of! So without spending a dime, I already had a negative scanner without knowing. It is worth checking out for those of you who have document scanners left somewhere in the attic.
Other options you might want to investigate:
Another alternative is that you don’t have a camera and are using your Android or iPhone with their built-in camera to take photos of your negatives. There are quite a few applications that can help you in this procedure, so if you haven’t made up your mind on a scanner, this method might be worth a try.
If I were you, I would go for a scanner, or even better, a standalone scanner, but what if I had no budget? Then, obviously, I would use my camera or my home to digitize them until I could afford to buy a scanner one day.
But is it better to scan or photograph your old photos? Well, it is more convenient to scan them instead of photographing, as far as I’m concerned, but you might find otherwise.
A common question is whether the photographs are damaged when scanning or not? The photographs are harmed when they are exposed to light, and it has a cumulative effect. When you scan photographs for one time, the light is not going to harm them. On the other hand, photocopying or scanning, or using flash to photograph the same hundreds of times, eventually results in a faded photograph.
So, long story short, every light is harmful to photographs, but it won’t harm them that much if you need to scan them to preserve them.
