A few of them can be adjusted in a dedicated window, but the choices are limited. Each has its dedicated button on the front panel of the scanner but both can also be initiated from the computer as well.Īs the name suggests, the QuickScan option is for those who do not want to fiddle too much with settings.
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The first uses Plustek's own QuickScan utility, whereas the other involves the use of SilverFast SE Plus 8. One is called QuickScan, while the other is dubbed IntelliScan. There are two ways to scan your photos with the Plustek OpticFilm 8100.
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The only (temporary) problem we encountered had to do with the online registration of our copy of SilverFast, but it did not prevent us from using the program.
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The included manual offers detailed and easy-to-follow instructions, making software installation a breeze. The first two programs are found on the same CD as the scanner drivers, whereas SilverFast comes on a CD of its own. The Plustek OpticFilm 8100 comes bundled with Plustek's own QuickScan utility, a document management solution called Presto! PageManager, and LaserSoft's new SilverFast SE Plus 8 software. As the OpticFilm 8100 lacks an auto-feeder the film carriers must be advanced by hand, with no provision for batch scanning.
Also, it's really only made for use with perfectly flat strips - any curling in the film will make it very hard to position it properly in the holder, not to mention it will likely result in a more or less blurred scan. It would have been a better idea to put the hinges on the longer side, at least from a handling point of view.
The hinges are on the shorter side, making it awkward to open and close the holder.
The same cannot be said of the hinged filmstrip carrier, which feels a bit flimsy. The one for mounted slides is reasonably solid and holds the transparencies - up to four at a time - firmly in position. Both are inserted through a dust-protected opening on the side of the device. Film HoldersĪs noted above, you get two different 35mm film holders along with the scanner. The following table summarises the key differences between the OpticFilm 8100 and its predecessors:Īs you can see the 8100 is essentially the same device as the 7400 except it comes with SilverFast SE Plus 8 rather than SilverFast SE Plus 6.
Like all other OpticFilm scanners, the Plustek OpticFilm 8100 has a small footprint but ships in a large box, complete with a padded carrying bag, two 35mm film holders - one for loose strips of up to six frames and another one accommodating up to four mounted slides -, a USB cable, a mains adapter, two CDs and a full-colour printed manual. Do note that unlike its more expensive sibling the OpticFilm 8200i, the 8100 model does not have an infrared channel to take advantage of SilverFast's iSRD (infrared Smart Removal of Defect) feature. The OpticFilm 8100 scanner comes bundled with SilverFast SE Plus 8, and is marketed at a very attractive price of £199.95 in the UK. Headline specifications and features include a hardware resolution of 7200dpi, dMax of 3.6, a choice of 24- or 48-bit scanning, multi-exposure, Mac/Windows compatibility and support for both film strips and mounted slides. The Plustek OpticFilm 8100 is the latest entry-level model in Plustek's OpticFilm line of dedicated 35mm film scanners.