1.Canon CanoScan FS2720U Canon's CanoScan film scanners have always offered a great combination of good specs and low price. The current lowest-cost model (street price around $469) is the CanoScan FS2720U, the 2720 referring to its maximum resolution of 2720 dpi and the U to its USB 1.1 connectivity to both Macintosh and Windows computers (we'll guess the FS stands for Film Scanner). The 2720-dpi optical resolution results in 2570x3855-pixel scans from full-frame (24x36mm) 35mm slides and negatives, and 1766x3212-pixel scans from the smaller Advanced Photo System films (the FS2720U is one of few scanners to come with an APS adapter—most 35mm scanners that also do APS films do so by means of an optional extra-cost adapter). Dynamic range is 3.2, with 36-bit color input. The FS2720U will handle 35mm film strips and mounted slides, and offers very simple operation. Full information on this and other Canon scanners is available online at consumer.usa.canon.com/scanners/index.html. 2.Canon CanoScan FS4000US The "big gun" in Canon's film-scanner lineup, the FS4000US is a 4000-dpi marvel offering both USB and SCSI connectivity (hence the US in the name). Featuring a dynamic range of 3.4 (4.2 in 16-bit [per color] mode), the FS4000US incorporates Canon's proprietary FARE (Film Automatic Retouching and Enhancement) dust-and-scratch-removal technology. It will do a basic 4000-dpi scan in as little as 48 seconds, and comes with a 35mm slide holder, a 35mm film-strip holder, and an IX240 APS cartridge holder. Street price is around $999. More info is available online at consumer.usa.canon.com/scanners/index.html. 3.Kodak Professional RFS 3600 Film Scanner Another under-$1000 high-res scanner (street price is $999), the RFS 3600 offers 3600-dpi resolution, USB and SCSI computer connectivity, a 3.6 dynamic range, 36-bit color and the ability to batch-scan up to 40 frames without an accessory adapter. It's 35mm only; no APS adapter is available. The latest upgrades permit 16-bit (per color) output, higher pre-scan resolutions, up to 16-pass multi-sampling and additional features. More information is available online at www.kodak.com. 4.Microtek ArtixScan 4000tf The latest version of Microtek's 4000-dpi film scanner is the ArtixScan 4000tf. The $1495 device features a maximum optical density of 4.3, multiple sampling, FireWire and USB connectivity, highly respected LaserSoft SilverFast Ai 5.5 scanning software plus LizardTech Genuine Fractals PrintPro for huge enlargements, and quick scan times. An APS adapter is available as an option. Full information is available online at www.microtekusa.com/as4000tf.html. 5.Minolta DiMAGE Scan Elite II Featuring the amazing Digital ICE3 from Applied Science Fiction, the 2820-dpi DiMAGE Scan Elite II offers under-one-minute basic scans from slides and negatives, USB and FireWire connectivity, 8- and 16-bit output, up to 16X multi sampling, an amazing stated dynamic range of 4.8, and a street price well under $1000. Digital ICE3 consists of three great features that eliminate dust and scratches, restore colors in faded originals, and minimize grain. (Note: Minolta also offers the 4800-dpi DiMAGE Scan Multi PRO, which can handle medium-format 120 and 220 film images up to 6x9cm, as well as 35mm images.) Full information is available online at www.minoltausa.com. 6.Nikon Coolscan IV ED Nikon's entry-level film scanner, the Coolscan IV ED (the ED refers to the extra-low dispersion glass in its special Scanner-Nikkor lens) provides 2900-dpi resolution (2736x4104 pixels from full-frame 35mm originals), a 3.6 dynamic range, 48-bit scanning, Digital ICE3, Genuine Fractals, USB connectivity to both Macs and Windows and more, at a street price of $895. An APS adapter is available as an option. Full information is available online at www.nikonusa.com. 7.Nikon Super Coolscan 4000 ED Nikon's top-of-the-line 35mm scanner, the Super Coolscan 4000 ED features a terrific Nikkor scanner lens, 4000-dpi resolution, a 4.2 dynamic range, Digital ICE3, Genuine Fractals 2.0, up to 16X multi sampling, 14-bit output mode, FireWire connectivity and more. The scanner comes with a six-frame film-strip holder and a mounted-slide holder, while a roll-film adapter (up to 40 frames), a slide feeder (holds up to 50 mounted slides) and an APS adapter are available at extra cost. Street price of the Super Coolscan 4000 ED is $1695. (Note: Nikon also offers the Super Coolscan 8000 ED, with basically the same specs, which can scan medium-format 120 and 220 film images up to 6x9cm in addition to 35mm films.) Full information is available online at www.nikonusa.com. 8.Pacific Image PrimeFilm 3600 Pro For those on a budget, the $599 PrimeFilm 3600 offers a lot. Think 36: 3600-dpi resolution, 36-bit color, and a 3.6 dynamic range. It provides USB and FireWire connectivity for Mac and Windows, up to 40-frame batch scanning, and the ability to produce a 102 MB 3600-dpi 36-bit raw scan in under a minute (using a FireWire connection). The website is www.scanace.com/en/product/3600pro.php. 9.Polaroid SprintScan 4000 Plus Polaroid took their dandy 4000-dpi SprintScan 4000, increased the dynamic range (from 3.4 to 4.2 Dmax), added great SilverFast scanning-control software and dust-removal software, and cut the price a bunch (it now sells for around $1200), making the SprintScan 4000 Plus a great deal. Other features include FireWire and USB connectivity, 48-bit output capability, and a basic scan time of under a minute. (Note: Polaroid also offers the SprintScan 120, which has similar specs but can scan medium-format 120 and 220 films as well as 35mm films.) Get more information online at www.polaroid.com/home/index.jsp. 10.Imacon Flextight Photo We've saved this one for last because it's a whole other category—a repro-quality virtual-drum scanner. It'll do positive and negative film images from 35mm to medium format (6x18cm) at 3200 dpi, with 24- or 48-bit color and a density range of 3.9 (4.1 Dmax). It features a Rodenstock lens, a glass-free optical path, noise-free scanning with up to 16,000 levels in each color channel, and turns out scans about as close to the original image as a scan can get. Of course, this capability carries a cost: the street price is $4999.95. For more info online, go to www.imacon-usa.com.