Alternatives for Nikon Scanners

Minolta has stopped its scanner production in - correct me when i'm wrong - 2004 when it merged with Konica. Now Nikon goes the same path and does not produce scanners any more. This means there is no manufacturer of top end desktop filmscanning devices any more. That's a shame, but that is fact. Who wants to buy a new Nikon scanner should do it now (I'm writing this in summer 2009), because there are still some Nikon scanners in the shops. As there are of course other manufacturers around but not a single one that spends some reasonable energy to develop a good new filmscanner, there will be no alternatives to Nikon in the near future. At least not on the same quality level. 

Flatbed scanners have definitely improved over the last few years, but they are still miles away from the picture quality of a Nikon Coolscan 5000, or even a Coolscan V. To sum it up: There is loads of new scanners around, but not a single adequate alternative to Nikon.