batch scanning question

[Spoon2001]

I am planning to get a new scanner and was just wondering how well batch
scanning works. I'm considering the Epson 4870 when it finally comes out.

I have scanned some old black and white negatives using an Epson 1200U -
mostly 616 and 620 format - and found out how very, very time consuming it
all is:
(1) cleaning the negative and the scanner glass
(2) getting the negative straight and flat on the scanner bed (used
plexiglas on top of the negative - the film holders didn't fit the 616s and
were cumbersome for the 620s)
(3) preview scan
(4) straighten negative again if necessary
(5) crop image to be scanned
(6) adjust brightness and gamma for each image
(7) scan
(8) scan and save image to a PNG file format for archival purposes
(9) make notes about the image in a spreadsheet, put negative in a numbered
envelope

Anything that would help save me time would be a big help. How would a
scanner like the 4870 help me out with scanning a big archive of negatives,
with some of the steps above? Are the film holders easy to use? When using
batch scanning, does the scanner adjust auto exposure appropriately for each
negative?

Will also be scanning color negs and some slides, and also other formats
including 126 and of course 35mm.

 

[-]

Batch scanning works well on the Epson series of flatbeds. The Epson 4870
software looks like just a modified version of the software latest software
used for the 3170 and 3200, so it should work the same in regard to batch
scanning. One caveat though. I would not rely on the auto settings of the
software if you expect optimum exposure and cropping. It is best to do this
manually. You can get a basic explanation on how to do this within the
webpage I set up to explain batch scanning at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~dougfisher/holder/batchscanning.html

Doug