Reflecta iScan 3600 review

The Reflecta iScan 3600 is a small-format film scanner that accepts both 35mm film negatives and mounted slides. It offers a maximum resolution of 3600dpi and 48bit scanning (16bit per colour channel), and comes complete with both its own CyberView X software and a copy of Adobe Photoshop Elements.

The bundled software enables both positive and negative film to be scanned, with a small plastic frame clamped over the negative to hold it in place. The light from the bottom of the scanner makes it easy to line up the edges of the negative with the eye of the scanner, and small adjustments can be made without the frame needing to be released.

The scanner connects itself via the USB 1.1 (yes, 1.1) interface, and its design is about as current - less 2012 and more an imitation of an old Bondi Blue iMac. Still, at just 750g it's reasonably light, and it doesn't take up any more workspace than an average hardback.

While the iScan can better flatbeds for footspace, it can't match their scanning times. For a single 35mm frame scanned at 8bit to 300dpi, the scanner takes around 1 minute 40 seconds, meaning that a standard six frames strip will take at least 10 minutes to scan, plus the time in between each frame to reposition the film.

The results are even more disappointing, with flat images devoid of vitality and strong colour casts being common. Despite this, the detail captured isn't too bad.

Verdict

Ultimately, other than the fact that a copy of Photoshop Elements is thrown in for free, it's difficult to recommend the Reflecta iScan 3600.