FRONTIER VS NORITSU
The most commonly asked question we get at the lab is which of the two scanners we offer is the better one, that question usually never has an obvious answer. Today we’re going over their differences and we hope it helps you pick the scanner that’s right for you!
To start, we should mention the two scanners in question are: the Noritsu HS-1800 & the Fuji Frontier Sp-3000.
Both of these scanners are the industry standard for most film labs. If you’ve ever had a roll of film developed and scanned at a lab, it’s most likely scanned with one of these scanners. Now at first glance it’s hard to tell the difference between these two scans. Both of these are scanned at our “Large” resolution on both machines. These differ slightly in detail and pixel dimensions but were more focused on the color as those are very minor differences. Both these scanners have a “look” to them. I’d say the main difference in that “look” is; the Noritsu tends to have a much more “tamed” baseline of a scan while the Frontier is very commonly regarded as producing a more “vibrant” and “contrasty” scan.
Although the Noritsu has a tamer contrast & color, in no way are we trying to say its boring or needs to be edited, but if you have a specific look in mind usually it’s easier to achieve a specific look with the Noritsu. The Frontier has a lot less control when scanning than the Noritsu does. The Frontier has its strong suits though, that punchy contrast and color really makes an image taken on a sunny day feel like it has a warm glow washing over it. I also think the Frontier shines in situations where the light in the scene is already contrasty like flash photos taken at a party.
I will say the Noritsu is really great for studio work and situations with mixed lighting. With the added control in comparison to the Frontier, it can be easier to balance more dramatic or varying lighting set ups. That’s not to say normal situations are boring or anything, the Noritsu just tends to be easier to neutralize and usually gives the photographer more wiggle room to edit their image in post.
Both these scanners have their cons however, the Noritsu completely outshines the Frontier with Black & White and E-6 Scans. The darker base of E-6 gives the Frontier some difficulty as the light source is a bit dim to be scanning E-6 with, it can actually cause the scanner to create artifacts. Black & white is a semi similar story, the Frontier produces “muddy” not so true to Black & white scans. They almost have a slight sepia tone to them, it’s hard to notice as first glance but side by side its very noticeable. In regards to color the Frontier also tends to have blueish shadows when compared to the Noritsu.
When it comes to which of the two is the better scanner, as I’m sure most of you could guess: it’s all personal preference. We Suggest trying them both but if you’re still feeling lost just ask yourself: do you shoot a lot of black & white or E-6? If so, we suggest the Noritsu. If you’re a fan of punchy tones with a rich black point, we suggest the Frontier. If you’re a pixel-peeper and want the highest resolution possible, the Noritsu might be the one for you.
It all comes down to what you want from your scans. We do our best to give our community the best scans they can get regardless of the scanner they choose, and we definitely recommend you tell us the look you’re after or what it is you want to do with your images to give us a better idea of what direction we can point you in!
