Scanning 35mm Film Negatives with Kodak's Pakon F135 Scanner

Scanning Film Negatives with the Kodak Pakon F135

The Kodak Pakon F135 is a dedicated 35mm film and slide scanner that offers professional-quality scans in a compact desktop unit. With features tailored specifically for digitizing photographic film, the Pakon F135 makes scanning your old negatives and slides simple and efficient.

Overview of the Pakon F135 Film Scanner

The Pakon F135 uses an innovative digital scanning system to capture incredibly sharp 14-megapixel images at high speed. It can scan an entire 36-exposure roll of 35mm negative film in just over 5 minutes at 3200 dpi optical resolution.

Some key features that make the Kodak Pakon F135 stand out for film scanning include:

• Dedicated film scanning transports for precise film handling
• Dust and scratch removal technology
• Built-in color balancing and curves adjustment
• Batch scanning for high productivity
• ROI scan option to save time

Setting Up the Film Scanner

Getting started with your Pakon F135 is straightforward. Simply install the software from the included CD-ROM and connect the scanner to your computer via USB 2.0. The scanner does not require any special power connections, instead drawing necessary power through the USB cable.

The scanner has adjustable film guides to hold everything securely in place. Insert the film such that the emulsion side faces down towards the glass scanning surface, and adjust the film format selector on the front of the scanner to match what type of film you are scanning.

Scanning Film Strips and Slides

When ready to start scanning, open the Kodak Pakon software on your computer. You'll see options for acquiring new scans or working with existing scans.

To begin capture, simply press the "Acquire" button. The scanner will automatically detect each frame, adjusting focus as needed. As it digitizes each frame the individual images will appear on screen.

The real power behind the Pakon F135 lies in its advanced processing algorithms. As your images are scanned, features like Digital ICE remove scratches and dust spots automatically. Auto ROC (recover optical characteristics) balancing corrects any color casts. This means you get properly white balanced, blemish-free scans without needing to do any post-processing.

You can choose to save images individually, or export an entire roll as a contact sheet displaying thumbnails of all frames on one image. The scanner has enough internal memory to store up to 50 rolls before needing to transfer images to your computer.

Scan Settings and Image Adjustments

While its auto processing delivers great looking scans for most film, the Kodak Pakon scanner software does offer some manual controls for fine tuning images.

In the Advanced Picture Settings you can adjust brightness, contrast, color balance, and sharpness. There are also options for more specialized color corrections and applying creative color filters.

When scanning high volumes of film, click the Batch Scan box and the Pakon F135 will continuously scan entire rolls of film with the same settings, sending images to your computer over USB as it works.

Alternative Budget Film Scanning Options

If the Pakon F135 is out of your price range, there are more affordable - albeit slower - options for scanning 35mm negatives and slides at home. Top choices to consider include:

• Epson Perfection V600 - $250 flatbed scanner good for batches
• Plustek OpticFilm 8100/8200 - $400 dedicated film scanner
• Reflecta ProScan 10T - $600 high quality dedicated scanner

While lacking some of the Pakon's advanced automation and productivity, these consumer film scanners can produce scans suitable for many applications at just a fraction of the cost.

Digitizing Old Family Photos with the Kodak Pakon Scanner

So if you have boxes of old 35mm negatives taking up space in the closet, the Kodak Pakon F135 is an excellent one-step solution for finally digitizing all those images.

In less than an hour you can scan multiple rolls, ending up with high resolution archival JPEG images already color corrected and restored. This makes it easy to archive and share those old family photos that have been tucked away unseen for years.

So if you have lots of film to scan, need fast efficient batch scanning capability, and want great looking digital images with minimal fuss, the Pakon F135 fits the bill perfectly.

FAQs

What film types and formats does the Pakon F135 support?

The Pakon F135 works exclusively with 35mm photographic film including both color and black & white negatives as well as mounted slides. It cannot scan medium or large format film.

Does the scanner require film to be cut into strips for scanning?

No, the Pakon has an automatic film transport mechanism that handles both film strips cut from rolls as well as entire uncut rolls of 35mm film. You simply insert the lead edge and it will advance each frame precisely.

What resolution are scans at with the Pakon scanner?

The optical scan resolution is 3200 dpi which translates to a 14-megapixel output image from a 35mm film negative frame. Resolution can be set lower for faster scanning if desired.

Can I scan old damaged negatives with the Pakon F135?

Yes, one of the key benefits of the Pakon scanner is its Digital ICE technology which removes dust spots and scratches from film automatically during scanning without harming the original.