Key Takeaways
1. The HP FilmScan (HPFS500) is a compact film scanner that supports 35 mm, 126, and 110 film formats, making it convenient for film lovers to digitize their collections.
2. It features a 13 MP CMOS sensor with digital interpolation capabilities to enhance images up to 22 MP, although the quality improvement is uncertain.
3. The user-friendly 5″ LCD touchscreen allows for easy previewing and editing of scanned images, including options for cropping and adjusting exposure, contrast, and white balance.
4. Film photography is experiencing a revival, and the HP FilmScan provides an accessible way to digitize old negatives and slides, appealing to those who appreciate vintage aesthetics.
5. Priced at $229, the HP FilmScan is similar to the Kodak Slide N Scan, which is priced at $189 and has a high user rating, making it a competitive alternative for consumers.
HP FilmScan: A Convenient Scanner for Film Lovers
The HP FilmScan 5” touchscreen film scanner, known as the HPFS500, has been introduced by C+A Global, which holds the licensing for the HP Devices brand. It features a compact size of 4.6″ in width, 5.7″ in length, and 3.5″ in height. The scanner comes equipped with adapters for 50 mm slides and trays for film strips, making it easy to scan negatives or slide films in 135 (35 mm), 126, and 110 formats.
Scanning Capabilities
This device is powered by a 13 MP 1/3.06” CMOS sensor, which is the resolution at which your scans will initially be produced. There’s also a built-in digital interpolation feature allowing you to enhance the images up to 22 MP, though the quality improvement from this process is unclear. A microSD slot enables you to save the digitized images on a card, or you can transfer them straight to your computer via USB-C.
User-Friendly Display
The 5″ LCD screen provides a wide viewing angle for previewing and making edits to scanned images. Users can access features such as auto/manual cropping, exposure adjustments (±2 EV), contrast, and white-balance modifications. This could be extremely beneficial for anyone with a collection of old negatives or slides of family memories that they wish to restore.
Film Photography’s Comeback
Recently, film photography has seen a significant revival, with popular models like the Pentax 17 (available on Amazon), the Kodak Ektar H35 half-frame point-and-shoot, and the budget-friendly Kodak Funsaver disposable camera. If you’ve embraced this trend and appreciate the vintage aesthetic of film, the HP FilmScan offers a great solution for digitizing your favorite images without needing to print your developed films.
Pricing and Alternatives
The HP FilmScan is currently listed on Amazon for $229. However, there’s a useful piece of information: C+A Global also produces the Kodak Slide N Scan, which is practically identical to this scanner but with a different exterior design. Upon reviewing the specifications, we found that both devices utilize the same sensor, lens, LCD, and come with identical features and accessories. The Kodak Slide N Scan, however, is priced at just $189 on Amazon and boasts a 4.4-star rating with over 11,000 reviews.
For those with professional scanning requirements, consider looking into the more costly yet more powerful Plustek OpticFilm 8200i SE.
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