Noritsu vs Fuji Frontier: How We Scan Film at Safelight Berlin

"Which scanner do you use?" is the second most common question we get (right after "where are my scans?"). So we finally filmed a proper walkthrough of both machines we run at the lab, our five Fuji Frontier SP-3000s and our Noritsu HS-1800s, and what actually happens to your film on each one.

Quick rundown:

• Fuji Frontier SP-3000 Our workhorse. We scan the vast majority of 35mm negative film on these five machines. Fast, consistent, and the source of most people's scans.
• Noritsu HS-1800 Reserved for medium format and for anyone who wants more manual control over contrast and density, plus virtually all of our positive/slide film, since it handles that better.

Beyond speed and film format, the two scanners genuinely render color, contrast, and grain differently. Enough that it shapes the final look of your scans depending on which one your roll lands on.

We go through both machines start to finish in the video: how we load and calibrate them, what the settings screens actually look like, and a side-by-side comparison of the same shot scanned on each.

Got questions about which scanner your film will run through? Check our Lab FAQs or just ask at lab@safelightberlin.com.