film scanners - e- by 10-inch

[Tony W.]

Can anyone recommend an afordable, pro-quality flatbed scanner for
eight- by-ten-inch film?

It looks like the Epson Perfection V700 scanner may be not quite good
enough. It scans up to 6,400 pixels per inch, but the review I read says
it's for serious amateurs.

I'd like to buy pro quality scanner for under $1,000, but I don't know
if the prices have come down that much yet for professional film scanners.

Tony

 

[Bart van der Wolf]

Can anyone recommend an afordable, pro-quality flatbed scanner for
eight- by-ten-inch film?

It looks like the Epson Perfection V700 scanner may be not quite
good
enough. It scans up to 6,400 pixels per inch, but the review I read
says
it's for serious amateurs.

I'd like to buy pro quality scanner for under $1,000, but I don't
know
if the prices have come down that much yet for professional film
scanners.

If you could elaborate a bit on your "pro quality" expectations? Are
you looking for durabiity, mechanical build quality, resolution,
Density range, Dynamic range, wet mounting capability, etc.? Also, if
we have an idea about the intended use, it would also help to narrow
the options (although < US$ 1000 is a limitation already, possibly
suggesting an Epson V750, or e.g. a second-hand Heidelberg Linocolor
model).

Bart

 

[tomm42]

I have the V700, all depends on what you want, this is a very good
scanner. Next step up would be a Creo_Sitex at about $15K. The V700 is
far better then the Epson Expression 1600 it replaced. You can try a
second hand Heidelberg-Linotype but the ones in your price range are
repackaged UMAX Powerlook scanners. These don't have the ppi you want
for scanning smaller negs, they are 600 & 1200 ppi. The ppi rating
maybe more truthful, but you are still getting at least a good 2400ppi
from the V700, the dynamic range of this scanner is excellent too. To
get better scans I would say your options are:
1. Buy a second hand drum scanner and learn how to use it.
2. Find a lab that does reasonably priced drum scans.
3. Find a lab that does Creo-Sitex scans, know a good one in Providence
RI.
4. I think you will find the V700 to be as good as you need.
There are a few other scanners in the under $1000 that may be equal to
the Epson, Microtek, Umax have good scanners. Epson made this scanner
to compete with dedicated film scanners, they have done a good job with
it. You may want to check out the V750 when it comes out. The only down
thing to the V700 is I wish the build quality was the same as Epson's
Expression series.

Tom

 

[Tony W.]

If you could elaborate a bit on your "pro quality" expectations? Are
you looking for durabiity, mechanical build quality, resolution,
Density range, Dynamic range, wet mounting capability, etc.? Also, if
we have an idea about the intended use, it would also help to narrow
the options (although < US$ 1000 is a limitation already, possibly
suggesting an Epson V750, or e.g. a second-hand Heidelberg Linocolor
model).

Bart

Thanks, Bart and Tomm 42.

By pro quality I mean that I want to scan four- by-five inch and
eight-ty-ten-inch transparencies of my paintings so I can get the
resulting scans printed as art prints as big as 32 inches inches in length.

So the image quality has to be sharp, and there must be details visible
in the shadows.

I don't have enough room for a drum scanner in my studio. That's why I
wrote that I want a flatbed scanner.

Tony

 

[Tony W.]

I have the V700, all depends on what you want, this is a very good
scanner. Next step up would be a Creo_Sitex at about $15K. The V700 is
far better then the Epson Expression 1600 it replaced. You can try a
second hand Heidelberg-Linotype but the ones in your price range are
repackaged UMAX Powerlook scanners. These don't have the ppi you want
for scanning smaller negs, they are 600 & 1200 ppi. The ppi rating
maybe more truthful, but you are still getting at least a good 2400ppi
from the V700, the dynamic range of this scanner is excellent too. To
get better scans I would say your options are:
1. Buy a second hand drum scanner and learn how to use it.

I don't have enough room in my studio for a drum scanner.

2. Find a lab that does reasonably priced drum scans.

3. Find a lab that does Creo-Sitex scans, know a good one in Providence
RI.

I've been contracting a graphics company with a topflight drum scanner
to scan my eight-by-ten-inch transparences of my paintings, but I want
to have a scanner in-house for convenience and to save on production costs.

Tony

4. I think you will find the V700 to be as good as you need.

Are you sure? It doesn't sound like it's a professional quality scanner.

The printed art prints will be sold at art gallieries, so the scanner
output has to be of optimum quality.

Tony

 

[tomm42]

I don't have enough room in my studio for a drum scanner.
The 4K Howtek isn't all that big, definitly desktop even with the
loading station you don't have to have a humongous Scan unit.

Shadow detail on the V700 is excellent, some of the best dynamic range
I have seen in a desktop film scanner, that said certainly drum or a
Creo-Sitex scan would be better. If you want to have the absolute scans
you'll have to go with the drum or high end flat bed.
Having done large format printing, if you are printing at 300ppi the
Epson will work for the print size, and from what I have done with it
the dynamic range is as good or better than Ektachrome. As I said
before the only thing that I'm not impressed with this scanner is the
plastic nature of the unit. But as plastic things go it is assembled
well and as I said works well.
If you have an Epson commercial dealer nearby I'd see if they would let
you run a few HR scans to see.
In the end you have to go with what you think is right for your work.

Tom

 

[Raphael Bustin]

Thanks, Bart and Tomm 42.

By pro quality I mean that I want to scan four- by-five inch and
eight-ty-ten-inch transparencies of my paintings so I can get the
resulting scans printed as art prints as big as 32 inches inches in length.

So the image quality has to be sharp, and there must be details visible
in the shadows.

I don't have enough room for a drum scanner in my studio. That's why I
wrote that I want a flatbed scanner.

You'll probably do fine with the V700 or V750 but it won't
be up to drum-scan quality. But it will have ICE, if you're
willing to put up with the processing times.

I'm scanning and printing 4x5" film on an Epson 4990, at
print sizes up to 20x24" (my printer maxes out at 24" width.)

Prints are tack sharp and the Epson dynamic range is good
enough for my Portra negatives. You should do a bit better
resolution-wise with the V700 or V750.

For what it's worth, I have sample scans from a V700
here, compared to the Epson 4990 and a Nikon LS-8000
film scanner. About 2/3 of the way down the page.

<www.terrapinphoto.com/jmdavis>

rafe b
www.terrapinphoto.com