$300 vs $3000 film scanner comparison | Plustek 8100

I went out and bought a Plustek Opticfilm 8100 35mm film scanner so I could test it out and see how it performs for the money, while also comparing it to scans from one of the best dedicated units out there—the Nikon Super Coolscan 9000.

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DISCLAIMER
Some of the links above are affiliate links, where I earn a small commission if you click on the link and purchase an item. The money I earn helps me make this type of content consistently.

[SurajKashyap_GP]

Me watching this video with great interest knowing I have $30 in my account.

[vuhlandes]

Wow, thank you bro. Think I might look into that and start shooting a lil more 35

[VectorHD]

Would be cool now to have a comparison Video between a Epson V600 (V550) and the Plustek 8100. Nice Video!

[solar-e-bike-touring-europe]

using the plustek 8200i Ai at the moment (non pro) for my 35 mm positives and negatives, at first I got meh results. After a week now the results are great at least for my usage (saving the images from the past). I have a lot of cracks in my negatives (the positives are all ok) - some are over 30 years old (not well stored during the years). The cracks were really visible on all the scans. I viewed some YouTube videos where people said to use nose grease for 'filling' the cracks, tried that and I could not believe the results. The cracks disappeared. After an hour of restoration I got out of nose grease so I found a good alternative is silicone oil. I apply it with a soft brush and then 'dry' it with a cloth. No cracks anymore. I use an iPad Pro as a second screen next to my MacBook Air m1, works great in my workflow. I still have to scan over 5000 slides 😎

[KEVINKEVINKEVINWWW]

Such an honest and fair comparison. Very reputable and professional. Something welcome on the Internet.

[MHtube]

I've owned a Plustek for a few years, now. The image quality is amazing, especially considering it was about $90 back when I bought it. I think the reason to upgrade to one of those super Nikon or Kodak scanners is not for better image quality, but because the Plusteks are so tedious to use for large batches.

[Elrik]

You have samples. I officially love you.

[AllgoodthingsTv]

Those Nikon Coolscan 9000's go for as much as $4, 500 on eBay. I just can't justify spending that much. However, solely based on this review, I bought a PlusTek. I've previously owned a Coolscan LS-4000. I still have in fact, but it needs to be serviced. But the price of getting film scanned is outrageous these days, so I think getting back into scanning is worth it. Great review btw!

[jackpowell]

I picked one of these up a few weeks ago, and was actually comparing it against the coolscan as well! I decided to take the difference in price and spend it on my first 6x7 setup, a Mamiya 7 and 65mm f/4. Keeping the old flatbed for those big negs!

[cardoggs]

i ended up buying a plustek because of this video and so far i regret nothing. Thanks for this comparison.

[ishbelDunsmore]

Just bought a plustek and am super happy to stumble across this glowing review! Very excited to start using it!!

[sznd]

I own the Plustek Opticfilm 120 and I must say, it’s pretty amazing! Would definitely recommend

[Shintam]

I just bought a Plustek 8100, the timing is wild

[KylerSteele]

Going to ride my flatbed out for awhile but definitely looking into a new solution in the future! Thanks!

[panelsandbars]

The gulf between them is not as big as you’d expect. Some impressive results form the “budget” option

[tubecorr]

I was considering buying a Plustek but ended up choosing a Coolscan 5000. It was a bit more expensive but the ability to scan a whole roll of film in one go is a game changer.

[terryjacob]

I was already pretty decided on the Plustek 8100, this has convinced me of it's value for money.

[at]

the "magenta" in the shadows of the plustek does make sense as it could be from the neon signs to the left of frame of the car.

[venerkharisov]

Dear Kyle, you did a pretty good job. I wanted to see the differences between these particular scanners. Just like you I was really surprised with the quality of images form plustek 8100. If you want to get such a good result, but you dont have opportunity to buy Nikon Super Coolscan, plustek looks reasonable to purchase. I suppose all the problems with dust and small white spots in your pictures linked to the absence an infrared filter in 8100. If someone wants to avoid these problems they can buy Plustek OpticFilm 8200i SE which contains an infrared filter to avoid problems that
Kyle McDougall mentioned in this video.

[TaylorTheOtter]

Great comparison. Definitely shows me that the plustek is more than enough for what I need.