New Epson flatbed scanner...

R

rafe b

Regarding the focus, hard to imagine they can manufacture so precisely that
no adjustment is ever needed.


I've owned a number of film and flatbed scanners,
and only two had focus control.

Fixed Focus:
Microtek 35t+
Polariod SprintScan+
Epson 1640SU
Epson 4990

Auto or Manual Focus:
Nikon LS-8000
ScanMate 5000


rafe b
www.terrapinphoto.com
 
C

Colin D

rafe said:
I've owned a number of film and flatbed scanners,
and only two had focus control.

Fixed Focus:
Microtek 35t+
Polariod SprintScan+
Epson 1640SU
Epson 4990

Auto or Manual Focus:
Nikon LS-8000
ScanMate 5000
The lowly 2720 lpi Acer Scanwit film scanner had/has automatic focusing,
activated before doing pre-scans, and it also was the only scanner to
have a direct light path from film to sensor, no mirrors at all. Not
bad engineering, though limited by resolution. However, the Silverfast
program for this scanner would overscan at 5,400 lpi. Move over,
Minolta! {:)

Colin D.

Colin D.
 
H

HvdV

Hi false_dmitrii,
impression that while Epson's marketing claims substantially inflate
expectations, the scanners themselves are still excellent performers
and a great value. So if you expect it to outdo your (working) 5400,
you'll probably be disappointed, but if you expect the best consumer
flatbed you've seen, there's a good chance you'll be satisfied. :)
I have inherited a large amount of 6x6 BW negatives, and some odd sized very
old negatives which all do not fit in the KM-5400, so I'll probably need a
flatbed anyway. But I'll wait patiently for the tests to appear...

-- Hans
 
W

winddancing

Is it done by film type, is it done visually? Did you focus above the film
or below the film?
 
C

Colin D

winddancing said:
Is it done by film type, is it done visually? Did you focus above the film
or below the film?

It's completely automatic. You insert the film holder, ask for preview,
and the scanner makes little ticking noises and the screen says
'focusing...please wait', then after finding focus it does the prescans.

Every time the carrier is inserted it does a focus sequence.

Colin D.
 
W

winddancing

Sorry, question incomplete; asking about Scan Mate ScanView 5000. Not just
the focus check but relative to different B/W film (thickness, grain, dye,
color, negative etc.) A book would do. TIA
 
O

Ole-Hjalmar Kristensen

w> Sorry, question incomplete; asking about Scan Mate ScanView 5000. Not just
w> the focus check but relative to different B/W film (thickness, grain, dye,
w> color, negative etc.) A book would do. TIA

If you set it to autofocus, it will do this before each scan. It does
this by looking at your target and then tries to optimize the
contrast. If it cannot find enough contrast, the defualt value from
the focus calibration is used. According to the manual it is
particularly useful if an image is mounted with the emulsion side away
from the drum so it would appear that the autofoucus compensates for
any differences in film. Does this answer you question?
You can also focus manually, just change the focus elevation after
having done the initial focus calibration.
 

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