When it comes to film photography, digital cameras have taken over the market, so there’s not as much of a need to develop film at home. However, there is still a large market of film photographers out there and they’re doing a variety of different things with film. Whether you’re shooting 35mm, 120, or even medium format film, there’s a large variety of different cameras to choose from, but when it comes to digitizing your film, the task can be daunting.
Digital scanners are very different from their film counterparts; where film scanners have glass plates that you place your film against and press a button to start, digital scanners have a flatbed design and require you to place your film on them and do the rest by hand. A film scanner also usually has a special film holder that can handle different film sizes and types. A good film scanner is a must-have for any serious film photographer.
Read on to find the best slide negative scanners for your needs.
Our Editor’s Best Slide Negative Scanners Reviews
- SAVE OLD PHOTO MEMORIES: 1422MP Digital Film Scanner Lets You View, Edit and Convert Your Old Color and BandW Negatives 135, 110, 126mm and 50mm Slides 135, 110, 126mm to Digital Files and Save Directly to SD Card (NOT INCLUDED)
- 5” LCD DISPLAY WITH GALLERY MODE: Features Large, Crystal-Clear Screen with Wide Viewing Angle for Instantly Previewing and Editing Photos | Great for Sharing with Friends and Family or Using as an Elegant Digital Picture Frame in Home or Office
- CONVENIENT EASY-LOAD FILM INSERTS: Quick-Feeding Tray Technology Allows for Continuous Loading Action, Making Scanning Fast and Simple Includes 50mm Slide Holder, Adapters for 135, 110 and 126 Films, Cleaning Brush, USB and HDMI Cables
- EDITING WITH A SINGLE TOUCH: Advanced Capture Software Enhances, Resizes and Converts Photos Via Easy ‘Scan’ Button—No Complex Screens or Settings | Easy Options Let You Choose Film Type, Adjust ColorBrightness and Assign DateTime
- SUPER CHIC. UBER COMPATIBLE: Device Handles All Your Old Slides and Negatives, Supports SD or SDHC Cards Up to 32GB (NOT INCLUDED) and Connects to Any Type-C USB-Enabled Computer | Gorgeous Design Blends Seamlessly w Your Home Décor
- SAVE OLD PHOTO MEMORIES: 13/22MP Digital Film Scanner Lets You View, Edit & Convert Your Old Color & B&W Negatives [135, 110, 126mm] & 50mm Slides [135, 110, 126mm] to Digital Files & Save Directly to SD Card (NOT INCLUDED)
- 7” LCD DISPLAY WITH GALLERY MODE: Features Large, Crystal-Clear Screen with Wide Viewing Angle for Instantly Previewing & Editing Photos | Great for Sharing with Friends & Family or Using as an Elegant Digital Picture Frame in Home or Office
- CONVENIENT EASY-LOAD FILM INSERTS: Quick-Feeding Tray Technology Allows for Continuous Loading Action, Making Scanning Fast & Simple! Includes 50mm Slide Holder, Adapters for 135, 110 & 126 Films, Cleaning Brush & USB Cables (HDMI Cable is not included)
- EDITING WITH A SINGLE TOUCH: Advanced Capture Software Enhances, Resizes & Converts Photos Via Easy ‘Scan’ Button—No Complex Screens or Settings! | Easy Options Let You Choose Film Type, Adjust Color/Brightness & Assign Date/Time
- SUPER CHIC. UBER COMPATIBLE: Device Handles All Your Old Slides & Negatives, Supports SD or SDHC Cards [Up to 32GB] (NOT INCLUDED) & Connects to Any Type-C USB-Enabled Computer | Gorgeous Design Blends Seamlessly w/ Your Home Décor
- PRESERVE YOUR PHOTO MEMORIES | View, Convert, Edit, And Save Your Old Color And B&W Slides & Negatives At The Touch Of A Button With The HP FilmScan 5” Touch Screen Film Scanner | Save The Files Directly To Your SD Card, Or Computer Instantly And Get Ready To Reminisce
- 5” LCD SCREEN W/ GALLERY DISPLAY | Large, Crystal-Clear Touch Screen Features Precision Controls And A Wide Viewing Angle For Quick Previews And Edits Of All Your Favorite Photos | Start A Slideshow For Friends And Family Or Set Up As A Digital Picture Frame For Your Home Or Office
- EASY-TO-LOAD FILM INSERT TECHNOLOGY | Quick-Feed Loading Tray Allows For Continuous Import Of Your Reels And Slides— Compatible with color & B&W “Negative film strips” and “Positives Slides” in 135 (35mm), 110, and 126 formats. Film must be in strips; slides must be mounted on standard 50mm frames
- INTEGRATED, EFFORTLESS EDIT MODE | Adjust Size, Color, And Brightness With A Tap | Choose Film Type, And Digitize Your Photos – No Complicated Settings! | Advanced Capture Technology Automatically Crops Image, With Manual Override Available
- EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO LOOK BACK | Includes Slide Holder, Film Size Adapters, Cleaning Brush, And USB Cable For A Full-Performance Experience You Can Enjoy With Ease | Makes An Excellent Gift For Photography Enthusiasts And Newbies Alike
- Easily & Quickly Scan Your Old Photos, Slides, & Negatives To Digital Photos (1 At A Time; Scanner Does Not Have Autofeeder) - Super Quick Conversion, Takes Only 2-3 Seconds To Scan a Photo, Slide, or Negative To Digital (4x6 Photos or Smaller; Press The Size Button To Adjust Scan Size)
- No Computer or Drivers Required! Just Turn It On & Start Scanning. Scans At 14 MegaPixels (22 MegaPixels Interpolated) & Saves Photos As Digital JPEG Files on SD Memory Card (Scanning Quality: ~ 3824 x 2512 Pixels)
- Built-In Rechargeable Battery For Cord-Free Scanning (Please Fully Charge Before Using) & 5" Instant Preview LCD Screen
- Scan Photos Without Having To Remove Them From Photo Albums or Mounts **NOTE: Does Not Support 5x7 Photos**
- 2 Year Warranty & Tech Support From ClearClick, a USA Small Business
- 5”LCD DISPLAY FOR VISUAL ENJOYMENT: Features Large, Crystal-Clear Screen with Wide Viewing Angle for Instantly Previewing & Shareing Photos/Negatives/Name Card.Great for Sharing with Friends & Family or Using as an Elegant Digital Picture Frame in Home or Office
- 4 IN 1 FILM & SLIDE SCANNER: No Computer Required.22MP Digital Film Scanner Lets You View & Convert Your Old Color & B&W Negatives [135, 110mm] & 135 Film Slides & Name Card & Photo[5R, 4R, 3R] to Digital Files & Save Directly to Unit With The Internal 128MB Memory & 8GB SD Card ( included)
- SUPER CHIC AND Best Gifts for Families and Friends：KEDOK Negative Scanner Handles All Your Old Slides & Negatives, Supports Sd Or Sdhc Cards [Up To 32GB] (Included 8GB SD Card) .This Interesting And Thoughtful Film Converter Makes a Great Gift For Any Occasions, Such As Birthday, Wedding Anniversary, Christmas , Mother’s Day, Father’s Day Or & Other Holidays. It Will Make Them Unforgetable With Their Old Good Memories.
- EDITING WITH A SINGLE TOUCH: No Complex Screens or Settings! Just to Select Scan Photo or Film,Easy Options Let You Choose Film Type, Adjust Color/Brightness/Resolution & Assign Date/Time. Moreover, You Can Scan Your Business Card and Photos And Save Them in Digital Mode, Which Is Convenient for Office Work and Preservation Of Memories, And You No Longer Need To Go Outside To Spend Expensive Things To Do Such Things.
- PACKAGE INCLUDED & SATISFIED WARRANTY: Full Set Includes,Scanner ,USB Data Cable, Power Adapter, 8GB SD Card, Cleaning Cloth, Cleaning Brush, 135 Negative Film Holder, 135 Positive Film Holder, 110 Film Holder, Photo Holder (5”*7 ”(5R), 4”*6”(4R), 3^1/2”*5”(3R), Business Card Holder, instruction manual and Three-year Warranty Card. We Provide 24-hour Online Technical Support and 3-year Warranty Film scanner.
- Ergonomic Front-Panel Controls – Conveniently placed buttons right below the screen let you operate the scanner with ease and comfort, without awkward reaching.
- High-Resolution Scans with Advanced CMOS Sensor – Digitize films and slides in up to 24MP with a premium 1/2.3” CMOS sensor, delivering ultra-clear, true-to-life images. Purpose-built for film scanning, this professional-grade component ensures every detail of your negatives is captured with outstanding clarity and color accuracy.
- Large 5-Inch LCD Screen – Preview and adjust photos instantly on the bright display, perfect for reviewing images before saving.
- Fast Loading Design – Easy-to-use film holders and slide adapters allow smooth scanning without jams or delays.
- One-Touch Operation – Simply press a button to scan, edit, or enhance colors—no complicated setup required.
- 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.
- [NewlyLaunched] OpticFilm 8300i Ai equipped with new generation of chip, which increase by 38% scan speed compared to the last model. Bundled SilverFast 9 included over 100 functions that have additional improvement make 8300i Ai becomes powerful
- [Advanced IT 8 Targets Included] bundled with 3-slide of 35mm Calibration Target (99 USD), this advanced standard IT8 target (ISO 12641-2 compliant 2019) gives more measuring point to ensure less interpolation while performing scanner color calibration.
- [Dual Professional Software Included] - Bundled with world's digital imaging software - SilverFast 9 Ai studio & Plustek Quick Scan Plus, easier to digitizeand archive slide and films with well-designed hardware feature and advanced image processing.
- [New Algorithms] SilverFast 9 with new algorithms eliminated the boundaries of film and digital image; successfully optimized the image result by built-in infrared, iSRD, HDRi, 16-bit Histogram, Multi-Exposure or NegaFix.
- [Support Windows 7/8/10/11 and Mac OS] USB flash drive included. User can easily install and start using it without optical disc drive. Plustek also provided US-based expert services via phone or online support.
- Ergonomic Design for Easy Use – Thoughtfully crafted with front-facing buttons placed right below the screen, allowing you to operate the scanner comfortably and naturally without awkward hand movements.
- High-Resolution Scans with Advanced CMOS Sensor – Digitize films and slides in up to 16MP with a premium 1/3” CMOS sensor, delivering ultra-clear, true-to-life images. Purpose-built for film scanning, this professional-grade component ensures every detail of your negatives is captured with outstanding clarity and color accuracy.
- Fast & Convenient Scanning – Digitize 126 and 135 film in just seconds. Save directly to an SD card (up to 32GB, not included) and easily share with family or on social media.
- Built-In Editing Options – Adjust brightness, colors, flip or rotate your images directly on the scanner before saving, giving you more control over the final look of every memory.
- Compact & Portable – Lightweight and easy to carry, making it simple to bring along anywhere so you can enjoy and preserve your film memories anytime, without hassle.
- Convert 35mm Slides & Negatives – Easily view, scan, and digitize your old 35mm slides or color/B&W 135 film negatives into digital JPEG photos. No complicated setup or expensive equipment required.
- Compact & Foldable Design – The scanner folds into a compact box shape, perfect for storing or carrying in your backpack. Ideal for travel or quick scanning sessions at home.
- Free App Support – Use the included instructions to download a free scanning app, or choose your favorite like SlideScan (for slides) or FilmBox (for negatives). Compatible with most smartphones.
- Simple Operation – Insert 2 AA batteries (included), load your slide or negative, turn on the LED backlight, align your smartphone camera, and snap the photo. Tip: Tap your phone screen to autofocus for best results.
- Stable Phone Mount System – Features a retractable phone clamp and sliding rail for easy alignment. You can use the phone clamp, install it into the slide rail together with the upper cover, adjust the position of the phone clamp and the phone by sliding, so that the phone camera is aligned with the negative or slide. This allows your phone to be firmly fixed in place while scanning!
Best Slide Negative Scanners Buying Guide
Before choosing the best slide film scanner you should consider following options:
1. Image quality: The image quality of a scanner is measured by its resolution, which is expressed in dots per inch (dpi).
A higher resolution scanner will produce a digital image with a greater number of dots per inch, resulting in a clearer image with more detail.
Image quality is also affected by the bit depth, measured as bits per pixel (bpp). The bit depth indicates the number of shades of gray that a scanner can capture per pixel, which determines the scanner’s ability to capture smooth transitions between light and dark areas.
For example, a scanner with 8-bit depth can distinguish 256 shades of gray, while a scanner with 24-bit depth can distinguish 16.7 million shades of gray.
Another measure of image quality is image file format. Some scanners allow you to scan directly to a JPEG file, while others allow you to scan to a TIFF or PDF file.
Depending on your intended use, these differences can make a big difference in the quality of the image you end up with.
2. Speed: The speed of a scanner is determined by its scan resolution, scan mode, and the amount of memory it has.
The higher the resolution, the longer the scan will take. The scan mode you choose will affect the speed of the scan.
Many scanners allow you to scan at different resolutions. For example, you can scan at 300 dpi for a high-quality image and at 600 dpi for a small, low-quality image.
In this case, the scan mode you choose will affect the speed of the scan. For example, a 600 dpi scan will take a longer time than a 300 dpi scan, even though the image quality is lower.
Memory is another factor that affects the speed of a scan. Memory helps the scanner to process data faster, which makes a difference when you’re scanning large amounts of data.
3. Document handling: Depending on your intended use of the scanner, you may need one that has a specific document handling feature.
For example, if you plan to use the scanner to archive your old books, you will need a scanner that allows you to feed a book through the scanner.
On the other hand, if you want to digitize your old photographs, you will need a scanner that allows you to feed the photo through the scanner.
4. Option to connect to the computer: If you are planning to use the scanner for office purposes, you may not need this feature.
However, if you want to use the scanner for archiving old books or photographs, you probably want to connect the scanner to your computer to create a digital copy of your books or photographs.
5. Connectivity: Different scanners offer different connectivity options. The most common connectivity feature is the USB connector, which is compatible with all computers.
Other scanners also offer Wi-Fi connectivity, which allows you to scan without having to connect the scanner to your computer.
This feature comes in handy when you want to scan something from a distance. You can simply connect the scanner to a Wi-Fi router and scan from your computer or mobile device.
6. User interface: The user interface of a scanner determines its ease of use. Some scanners require you to use complicated software to operate them, while others have a simple user interface with only a few buttons to operate them.
7. Cost: The price of a scanner plays an important role in determining which one to buy.
A good scanner can cost anywhere from $100
What else you should know about slide negative scanners
1. What is a slide negative scanner?
A slide negative scanner is a device used to scan and convert film negatives into digital images.
2. How does a slide negative scanner work?
A slide negative scanner works by projecting light through a negative onto a surface. This creates an image that can be captured by a camera or other device.
3. What are the benefits of using a slide negative scanner?
Some benefits of using a slide negative scanner are that it can help preserve your slides by digitizing them, it can be easier to share your slides if they are in digital form, and you can edit digital photos more easily than slides.
4. What are the drawbacks of using a slide negative scanner?
The main drawback of using a slide negative scanner is that it can be quite slow. scanning each slide can take a minute or more, so if you have a lot of slides to scan, it can take quite a while. Additionally, slide scanners can be quite expensive, so if you are only scanning a few slides, it might not be worth the investment.
5. Which slide negative scanner is the best?
There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on personal preferences and needs. Some of the more popular slide negative scanners include the Epson Perfection V550, the Canon CanoScan 9000F Mark II, and the Nikon Coolscan V ED.
Conclusion
On the market, there are numerous best slide negative scanners. Hopefully, the list of the top ten best slide negative scanners will save you time researching and deciding on the best one for you.