Pacific Image Electronics PrimeFilm PF1800U USB Film Scanner

While cleaning up my garage I found a large box with slides from our travels dating back to 1976. The cost of buying a slideprojector and screen surpassed the cost of the scanner. I have scanned about 200 slides already and am currently preparing a show to watch on TV. You really can not get any one to watch an actual slide show anymore. An other beauty of this transfer from positive film to digital is that I have been able to share these pictures over the internet with old friends. The initial quality of the scanned immage is okay, but the included Photoshop software lets you make wonderful restorations. Although I wished that it could scan faster I am very pleased with this product. Speed it up and I will give it a 5 Star rating. Thank you for such a wonderful opportunity to share old data so easy with old friends and new ones.

i had the same problem as others with this scanner. i used it for a few days and it worked great. i went to use it again a few weeks later and nothing. I manged to get a new one over the weekend and just plugged it in this am and it burned out. No more items from this company for me.

For some reason all the images look as though it was a printer with the ink cartridge running out. I have tried every possible combination and it all looks the same. Stay away from this thing unless you are seriously desperate.

it is impossible to get tech support for this product. i have a burnt out scanner bulb, and i know that it will be next to impossible to have it replaced, as i have tried all day to access any form of aid. they want to sell them, but look out, if it breaks. i give the device two stars.

Cant get it to scan. Unable to get it loaded properly. We had the product but needed the CD to download. So far, no luck getting the job done. Will call tech support..

I purchased this item in 2002 to scan all the 35mm negatives that I have. The only problem is that the pictures that I scan comes out all pinky or funny colors. I tried using it for awhile but the awful picture quality was really annoying that I stop using it. I recently heard from a digital graphic person recommending that you should acquire all your digital photos in RAW format. As it is uncompressed and retains all the original unmodified data that you can use any photo editing software to adjust to your liking. Before the moment I heard it from the digital graphic person, RAW means nothing to me. You might as well speak coded language to me as this RAW terminology means as much to me as the coded language I mentioned on

Ive had this unit for several years, giving it light duty. Ive been happy enough with the scans it produces. Color and contrast are plenty good enough, especially considering Ive used it on slides some of which are 40 years old and some with inferior off-brand film. I had a bit of trouble with the software that came with it, but I was able to get a newer version from the web site, and that one works fine. Recently the sensor failed. I think Ill try a different one next time. Solid state components should last decades. 3.5 stars

My experience with this scanner hasnt been much different from what others have reported. Ive owned mine for about 5 years. From the very beginning, the scanner made a grinding sound, which continued for awhile until it warmed up (while grinding, the scanning mechanism appeared not to be moving). The software which came with the scanner produced less than satisfactory results. I bought Silverfast AI, which provided excellent images from both negatives and slides, but which (unfortunately for me) is specific to this particular device and will not work with my newest (replacement) scanner. After two or three years in the closet, the 1800u scanner was used again for some additional slides and worked satisfactorily (after the usual grinding). Two weeks ago, however, I again attempted to perform some scans -- this time without success. The grinding sound never did stop. Dozens of attempted phone calls to tech support were unsuccessful (the answering machine continuously reports that the staff is out to lunch). I did email Scanace (the manufacturer), and received a reply instructing me to open the unit and apply vasaline to the screw drive and the track bar. I did so, without success. The motor (as has been said elsewhere) lacks sufficient power to drive the traveling scan head. As the unit is out-of-warranty, the manufacturer wants a minimum of $75.00 to service the scanner (more if the problem takes more than one hour to resolve). I was offered a motor to install myself for about $18.00, but without any assurance that this would resolve the problem. I estimate that I have performed about 150 scans. Including the cost of the unit and software to use it, that figures out to about $2.00/scan! Definitely not a bargain!

This is not a bad item when you need to scan a couple, but its very slow and the resolution is not good. If you need it for your family photos it can be a good product, but you have to think you will need a lot of time, if I could Ill try to get one with autofeed.

Bought it to bring my pictures into the 21st century. Still have it in case I stumble across more old negatives. (Id sell it, though).