Sciencemadness Discussion Board

99 cent microfilm scanner

Vogelzang - 16-7-2011 at 14:36

I bought a Smart Scan 2700 35 mm film scanner from Ebay for 99 cents. Shipping was $10 so the total was $10.99 for the scanner. I wanted to see if it could scan microfilm in the library and I also have some 35 mm films I wanted to scan anyway. The microfilm machine in the chemistry library at the nearby university always has problems, like jamming, etc. It ran out of paper today and I started using the scanner after making a couple copies. A couple of weeks ago it was unplugged and I tried plugging in, but it wouldn't make copies. I used the microfilm reader to wind and view the microfilm up to the point where I could find the article and then took out the source reel and scanned the microfilm using the scanner. I forgot to bring my portable microscope so I had to do a couple scans to find the article. Here's an example of some scans I made with the scanner. The first picture is a scan from the microfilm and the other two pictures are after cropping, converting negative to positive, sharpening and adjusting the contrast. I think the microfilm was 16 mm.
:cool:


http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/8/24/2063601/pics/Semmler2...

http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/8/24/2063601/pics/Semmler-...

http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/8/24/2063601/pics/Semmler-...




[Edited on 16-7-2011 by Vogelzang]

[Edited on 17-7-2011 by Vogelzang]

Vogelzang - 16-7-2011 at 14:55


Check out the prices of these scanners.


http://cgi.ebay.com/Microfiche-Rollfilm-Microfilm-Fiche-Read...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Microfilm-Microfiche-Fiche-Reader-Scanne...

Vogelzang - 17-7-2011 at 04:29

I couldn't download anything from fileden on one computer (desktop with Win2000) this morning for some reason. Its connected by ethernet cable to a FIOS modem. I tried it with a laptop running Win2000 using WiFi (also on FIOS) and it worked. I tried a WinXP desktop connected by ethernet cable to the FIOS modem and it had trouble downloading the pictures, but would do it occasionally. I couldn't login to the scipics ftp with the Win2000 desktop, but I could with the WinXP computer but couldn't upload anything with any browser. I was able to upload to the scipics ftp using the laptop in Internet Explorer. I'm wondering what's wrong. Maybe the computers, software, bios, etc. aren't completely compatible.

http://www.sciencemadness.org/scipics/Semmler2556.jpg

http://www.sciencemadness.org/scipics/Semmler-p2556.jpg

http://www.sciencemadness.org/scipics/Semmler-p2557.jpg

[Edited on 17-7-2011 by Vogelzang]

unionised - 17-7-2011 at 04:38

I'm so short sighted I can read the titles on microfilm in a good light without any help, but I can't quite read the ordinary text.
Also, I'd need the version of the scanner that translates from German.
However it's a neat use for the technology.

Vogelzang - 19-8-2011 at 14:38

I put together another recycled scientific contraption. Its a partial Bausch & Lamb stereo microscope which I bought for $25 and a light stand. I tried using it with an Amscope DM130 microscope camera. I could only get it to work in Windows XP, but not Windows 2000.


B&Lstereo1.jpg - 72kBB&Lstereo2.jpg - 61kB