[cinema]

try the plustek. it's alright. it's a little better than an epson flatbed. epson cannot focus for ****. but if you just need something to post online, not print from, an epson flatbed is good. the results will be soft. the only way to get pro sharp scans is from a noritsu or higher level lab scanner. a DSLR will be slightly better than the epson, the challenge is getting the film perfectly flat.

Pixlatr is a good negative holder if you are going to DIY DSLR route. get a 1:1 macro lens. any decent light table with a stable color temp you can match on the DSLR. the pixlatr has a diffuser that will even out the light behind it. a tripod and you're good to go. a copy stand makes it a nice process but it's not needed. the next challenge is getting the negative/slide clean, free of debris, perfectly framed and centered. use an air rocket and one of those brushes to dust off negatives

I prefer to make contact sheets with a flat bed and pay someone at the lab to do individual scans. the noritsu at any passport photo lab will blow these options away. Thousands of slides will probably take you weeks to months with a flatbed or a DSLR.

TLDR: an epson flatbed is fine for internet sharing. it will be a bit soft and unable to extract fine grain detail. If you want high quality tack sharp scans for large prints, a lab noritsu will blow away the quality of scan you can achieve at home. in my opinion flatbeds are basically useless except for basic viewing. Plustek is slightly better.

As others have recommended, you can buy out of production high quality film scanners from nikon minolta canon etc. These are no longer supported and in various states of dis/repair. the later coolscan 9000 is the finest amateur home scanning device you can buy.