Scanning and digitizing old film negatives and slides is often a daunting task, requiring expensive equipment and meticulous effort. The Kodak Slide N Scan simplifies this process, providing a rapid and accessible way to convert old photo negatives and slides into digital images. I took a close look at this device in my latest review to see how well it performs and whether it’s a viable solution for casual users looking to preserve their film-based photos.
The Slide N Scan is found at many retailers including Amazon and Best Buy (compensated affiliate links) so shop around for the best price.
Unlike traditional scanners that require software and complex settings, the Slide n Scan operates without a PC. Negatives or slides are inserted into the film tray, the device automatically converts them into positives, and a simple push of a button saves the image onto an SD card (not included). It supports various film formats—including 35mm negatives and slides along with 110, and 126.
Quality, however, is where expectations need to be tempered. The Slide N Scan is not an archival-quality scanner. The 13-megapixel sensor interpolates images up to 22 megapixels, but the results lack fine detail and sharpness. Color reproduction is also inconsistent, as the device attempts to automatically determine the correct balance. While there are some limited color and exposure adjustments on device, enthusiasts will be looking for a lot more. This means additional editing is often necessary after scanning to achieve accurate colors and exposure. But for snapshots, the automatic settings will usually be good enough.
In practical use, scanning is incredibly fast. The device writes images directly to an SD card, which can then be transferred to a computer, phone or tablet. The process is similar to using a digital camera—plug in the SD card, and the images are readily accessible. The Slide n Scan also features an HDMI output, allowing users to project the output of its 5″ screen on a larger television screen.
Examining the scanned images, it’s clear this is not a professional-grade solution. Compression artifacts are visible, and while the device outputs large JPEGs, there is no option for saving uncompressed formats like TIFF. The upscaling process to 22 megapixels does little to enhance detail. I found that black-and-white negatives tend to look better when using the lower 14-megapixel resolution setting, especially since popular films like Tri-X are quite grainy and can interfere with the upscaling and image compression process at the 22-megapixel option.
Despite these shortcomings, the Kodak Slide n Scan serves a purpose. For casual users looking to quickly digitize old photos for sharing on social media or archiving in a non-professional capacity, it provides a convenient solution. The speed and ease of use make it appealing, especially for those with a large number of negatives or slides to process. However, users seeking high-quality digital preservation of film-based images will need to explore more advanced scanning options.
A device in the $500–$600 range with a better sensor and uncompressed file-saving capabilities would fill a gap in the market for those who want high-quality results without the time investment of professional scanning solutions. While the Slide n Scan doesn’t meet that standard, it represents progress in the space, providing an affordable and efficient way to convert old film into digital format.