There are some photography tools that you want to get out of your way, and then there are others that you want to keep using and admiring. Knokke appears to firmly belong to the latter group. It resembles something milled for a watchmaker’s bench or a sound engineer’s rack, but it’s actually a device designed to digitize old negatives. This beautifully machined product appears to be designed by people who care about the emotional weight of high-quality gear.
When I first saw Knokke in a reel by the creators Soke Engineering, I immediately felt this would be a product that analog photographers like me would crave. The design exudes quality and workmanship, evoking classic Apple product vibes in our editor-in-chief, Chris. There’s something about designs like this that makes you want to own them no matter what they cost. From some angles, it appears to be a monoblock, but upon closer inspection, you can see that it’s composed of at least two distinct pieces of metal for the exterior. Either way, Soke Engineering gave Knokke a serious presence that would attract attention on any desk or studio counter. Weighing around 1400 grams (roughly 49.4 ounces), it has enough weight to feel sturdy without weighing you down and is fairly compact too, at 250 x 150 x 63 millimeters. (9.8 x 5.9 x 2.48 in). Every edge and cut looks like it belongs in the right place
On the front side is a dot-matrix style display that shows text via what appears to be tiny bulbs, possibly a method for displaying status information. It may seem simple, but it’s got a charming retro feel to it. Almost like what you’d see in first-generation computers in sci-fi movies of the ’60s and ’70s. It gives the scanner an identity in a way LCD color screens can’t. It feels like something from an era when machines had character, rather than touch menus. You can also see a large cavity, which is integral to the scanning process, as you’ll soon understand. The beauty of Knokke lies in the fact that the design is not just about appearance. It exists to support a scanning process that is impressively fast and refreshingly hands-free.
You feed a roll of 35mm film into one end, and Knokke takes charge of the scanning process. There don’t seem to be any trays to attach, no holders, and no need to guess about alignment. The experience resembles threading a new roll of film into a camera more than it does going through a scanning routine. The film strip can automatically move through the unit once it’s fed, showing the true appeal of this solution. Knokke requires at least three frames on a strip for automated travel, which covers nearly every practical scenario. Soke Engineering claims that Knokke can process a full roll of 35mm film in under five minutes at 4064 DPI, or in under two minutes at 2032 DPI. Those times are quite remarkable in the home scanning market. Analog photographers often find that shooting film is supremely enjoyable, but scanning it often proves to be a hassle. Knokke wants to change that by making the slowest part of the process feel smooth and efficient.
Soke Engineering reports that Knokke utilizes an RGB LED lighting system, along with a backside-illuminated CMOS sensor. Supporting native 16-bit HDR log profiles with up to 14 stops of dynamic range, they claim Knokke even reads the DX codes on 35mm cartridges. Their software, called Korova, can also embed film type, ISO, and roll information directly in the metadata. It’s an open-source software available for macOS, Windows, and Linux systems. You might think this is a minor detail, but ask anyone who handles large archives about the importance of metadata tagging. Korova also lets you assign different settings to individual frames. This customization can help you create repeatable profiles for your film rolls, allowing for consistent results. Soke said Korova can even make Knokke jump directly to specific frames without waiting for sequential movement. This alone could save hours for photographers who only need certain exposures from a roll. Since Korova is open-source, scanning labs, advanced users, and technical creatives can also tailor their experience individually. In a world where most scanners limit your options by making you look elsewhere for scanning software, this approach is refreshing
Of course, this product hasn’t been launched yet and is expected to be released for Kickstarter backing in early 2026, so all these claims can be rightly considered unverified at this point in time. However, the team at Soke plans to benchmark their scans against those of Frontier and Noritsu commercial scanners at established labs in Berlin, Germany. These results will also be shared on their Kickstarter campaign, enabling you to make an informed decision about whether to support the project. At a starting price of EUR 999 (around USD 1150 today), Soke includes the software along with Knokke. Given the speed, build quality, and flexibility, the price seems surprisingly reasonable.
Knokke isn’t aiming to be the cheapest scanner or the easiest scanner for beginners. I think it’s aiming to make film photographers feel proud of the entire process again, but also help them save time greatly. It looks to value the scanning time, giving you multiple file options to work with. I think it can help transform digitizing film from a chore into a ritual. I know a lot of you would be looking to see if they bring a 120 version too. If the real-world scanning performance ends up matching the stellar engineering goals, Knokke could be the device that all serious analog photographers end up saving for in 2026.
Images seen here are screenshots from the Soke Engineering website