NIKON COOLSCAN V ED
A review of the CoolScan V ED (LS-50 ED) scanner’s capabilities, operating environment, and scanning software as of 2024.
Table of contents
Review
1．Overview
The COOLSCAN V ED (LS-50) is a 2003 product that supports USB 2.0 connection.
It is one of Nikon’s two-digit model number scanners, with a maximum scanning resolution of 4000dpi, 14-bit input, and 16-bit output.
Its price is open, and was about 100,000 yen when it was released.
When scanning 35mm film (36.32 x 24.21mm) at 4000dpi, an image with 36.32/25.44000=5720 pixels horizontally and 24.21/25.44000=3812 pixels vertically can be obtained. Since it is equipped with Digital ICE4 ™, dust or scratches on the film can be automatically corrected.
It comes standard with the SA-21 adapter, which automatically swallows slip film, a feature of Nikon scanners. However, for slide films, the MA-21 adapter, which processes each sheet one by one, is included as standard.
The SF-210 [Slide Feeder], which scans multiple slides at once, cannot be used. Also, the option for scanning uncut rolls of film cannot be used.
The scanner has a built-in power supply and does not require an AC adapter.
2．Usability
The power supply broke before I could measure the scanning speed precisely, so I don’t have the exact figures, but to scan 36 frames at 4000 dpi using VueScan, it took about 1.5 hours in total, and if you divide the total time by 36, it comes to 150 seconds per frame (2 minutes and 30 seconds). In reality, the scanning speed per frame is probably a little faster, since it includes the time it takes to change the film. According to an old ASCII article, the nominal scanning speed per frame is 40 seconds, but the scanning conditions are unknown.
The scanning results are equivalent to 20 million pixels at the maximum scanning resolution of 4000 dpi for 35 mm film, which is perfectly fine for normal use.
I used the COOLSCAN V and COOLSCAN 4000 ED, but the V’s light source is a 4-color RGB+Ir LED, while the 4000’s light source is a 3-color RGB LED, so the specifications are different. Since there are no results from scanning the same film, a strict comparison cannot be made.
A distinctive external feature is that the IV and 4000 have a cover on the film reading section, while the V and 5000 omit this. The V and 5000, which omits the cover, have a lid on the insertion section of the SA-21 slide mount adapter.
This means that with the V and 5000, the SA-21 should be attached to the scanner when not in use.
Because of this difference, the model number of the slide mount adapter for the IV and 4000 is different, being MA-20(S).
The case size is the same for the IV, V, 4000 and 5000.
3．USB2.0
The SUPER COOLSCAN V ED uses USB 2.0 connection, so it can be connected to most PCs without any problems.
With USB 1.0, the data transfer to the PC could not keep up, which led to a slower scan speed, but USB 2.0 can scan at the same speed as IEEE 1394.
Software is required to scan, and the original scanner software is compatible with Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000 Professional, and Windows Me for Windows, and Mac OS 8.6 and later (compatibility with 9.x and 10.x is unknown).
As of 2024, the paid scanning software VueScan is compatible with the latest OS.
SilverFast version 9, another paid scanning software, is compatible with Mac-OS X 15 and Windows 11 for Windows.
4．Specification
Nikon has three main lines of film scanners: the inexpensive 3000, 4000, and 5000 high-performance models that are compatible with 3, 4, 5, and 35mm film + APS film, and the 4500, 8000, and 9000 that can scan large-format film.
The generation before the COOLSCAN V ED is the COOLSCAN IV ED.
The difference between these two models is that the V ED has an additional Ir light source, making it a four-color LED.
I wasn’t aware of it at the time, but comparing the spec sheets, there is a unique character in the construction of the scanners, with Nikon having a fixed document and Konica Minolta having a fixed sensor.
Specification
| Product | COOLSCAN IV | COOLSCAN V | Dimage Scan Elite5400 II |
| Model No. | LS-40 | LS-50 | AF-5400-2 |
| Max. resolution (dpi) | 2900 | 4000 | 5400 |
| Pixels | 2,870×4,332 | 3946×5959 | 5328×7920 |
| Sensor | Linear CCD image sensor | ← | 3-line color CCD (5340 pixels per line) RGB primary color filter |
| light source | 3 color LED(RGB) | 4 color LED(RGB Ir) | White LED |
| Scanning system | Manuscript Fixation Optics moving flatbed scanning 1-pass scanning | ← | Manuscript Drive Fixed sensor 1-pass scanning method |
| Scan speed | Approx. 42 sec (1 sheet of 35mm film, using MA-20, 2900dpi) | Approx. 38 sec (1 sheet of 35mm film, using MA-21, 4000dpi) | Approx. 25 seconds (1 sheet of 35mm positive film, all image corrections OFF) |
| A/D converter | 14bit | ← | 16bit |
| Output | 16bit | ← | 16bit |
| Digital ICE | ICE3 | ICE 4 | ICE 4 |
| Interface | USB | ← | ← |
| automatic feed | 6 | ← | ← |
| Slide | Exist(1by1) | ← | Exist(4 sheets)← |
| Power supply | Include | ← | AC adapter |
| Weight(kg) | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.5 |
| Options | Strip Film Adapter SA-21 Slide Mount Adapter MA-20(S) Strip Film Holder FH-3 | Strip Film Adapter SA-21 Slide Mount Adapter MA-21 Strip Film Holder FH-3 | 35mm Film Holder FH-M20 Slide Mount Holder SH-M20 AC Adapter AC-U26 |
| Price(Yen/No-tax) | 98,000 yen | 70,000 yen | 105,000 yen (Elite 5400) 70,000 yen(Elite 5400II) |
| Release date | 2001.3 | 2003.11 | 2003.6 (Elite 5400) 2005.2（Elite 5400II） |
Digital ICE4 ™ and Digital ICE ™ are trademarks and technologies of EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, USA.
5．Summary
In conclusion, to sum up the Nikon COOLSCAN V (LS-50), it is a low-cost film scanner that can automatically scan six sheets of slip film as standard. It is easier to scan than Minolta’s method of fitting film into a carrier, and although the scanning speed is not that fast because it is a single sensor, it can scan at a practical speed.
Its weak point is the power supply, where the capacitors deteriorate over time and can no longer conduct electricity, causing it to break down. In some cases, the scanner can be restored by replacing the defective capacitor, so even if it is defective, if you don’t throw it away but sell it at an auction, someone should be able to fix it and continue using it.
Gallery
The following cameras and films were used to take the example photographs.
- Macro elmar 90mm +leica M6 +E100VS +NIKON COOLSCAN-V
- SUMMILUX R 35mm +LEICA R8 +KODAK ProImage 100+NIKON COOLSCAN-V
- KL HEXANON 60mm F1.2 +Velvia50 +HEXAR RF Limited +NIKON COOLSCAN-V
- Ms-optics PERAR 28mm +LEICA M6 + FUJIFILM 100 +NIKON COOLSCAN-V
- SUMMILUX M 50mm ASPH. +LEICA M6+E100G+COOLSCAN-V
- ELMARIT-M 28mm 2nd +LEICA M6 +KODAK E100VS +NIKON COOLSCAN-V
Reference links
- COOLSCAN IV specification
- COOLSCAN IV specification・WebArchive
- COOLSCAN V specification
- COOLSCAN V specification・WebArchive
- Dimage Scan Elete5400 II news release
- Nikon Film Scanner Product Information List
- Nikon Film Scanner Product Information List・WebArchive
- Nikon scanner ASCII article
- NEC Announces USB 2.0-IEEE 1394 Mutual Conversion Module
- In search of traces of the old government-run national railways VueScan Related Articles
- Nikon Coolscan LS-4000 ED / LS-5000 ED service and repair notes
Update history
- 2025.6.3
- 2024.11.22
Affiliate links
- Nikon lens・Ads by Amazon
- Nikon camera・Ads by Amazon
- Film scannar・Ads by Amazon
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