Epson V750 Scanner

P

pioneer31

Messages
53
Edit My Images
No
Hi,

New to the forum!

I'm trying to scan B&W negatives left over by my father,which are larger than 35mm but smaller than 'large format'. They measure approx 2.5 x 1.5 inches

I have no dedicated Epson holder to mount these but am able to fit a couple into the large format holder if I place them lengthways.

Here comes the query, if I scan them in this way and then scan them again just placed directly on the scanner glass (within the film area guide), I get a slightly sharper image with the latter.

This makes no sense considering that placed on the glass, the film isn't even flat, it is curling at the edges. The scans are blurred at the edges but they are also blurred in the same way on the scans that were used in the film holder?!

Does the scanner ue a different lens for film placed directly on the glass?
 
you'll get more replies, and much sooner now i've moved this to the film and conventional section :) - though I'll have a quick go at helping myself if I may...
 
Last edited:
film scanners are very sensitive to the height of the film...

this link discusses it a little - https://lenscraft.co.uk/photography-tutorials/calibrate-epson-film-height-adjusters/

one trick I remember for "curly negs" was to get a sheet of anti-newton ring glass cut that fitted the 120 (or 35mm) film holder. Then tape the negatives to the underside of the glass, using 3M magic tape (that transparent stuff) on the film rebates. Tape it tightly to the glass to flatten it out. Then, lay the glass "slide" on the film holder without clamping the negs - basically using the glass to ensure that the neg is completely flat and in the dame plane. Then, use the tricks in the above link to get the right "height" of the film plane for perfect sharpness.

Of course, this is a massive faff, but if it's for important stuff, it can be worth it - scan them all "normally", decide the ones worth giving extra attention to, then break out the anti-newton glass...
 
There's some useful info on scanning with the V750 from about 29.30 mins on the linked youtube programme.

 
Thanks for your reply, I have tried altering the settings on my film holders and zero (0) seems to give the best result, though it still is a tad less sharp than lying the film flat on the glass (and selecting film area guide). This is why I was wondering if there is another (better?) lens that focuses on the glass plate?
 
With the 700 and 800 scanners, 10x8 negatives are scanned directly on the glass. I have a recollection that may be completely false, that Epson said that they had a second lens or optical system for 10x8. As to how the different systems were triggered (if they exist) I have no idea, unless the film holders cover some sensor in the scanner.
 
Last edited:
StephenM said:
unless the film holders conver some sensor in the scanner.
Click to expand...
I don't know about the v750 but on the underside of the V550 negative holders there is a little white square in one corner, the scanner picks this up to detect the presence of a holder
 
It can be set in software. From the input page in Vuescan...

V700 Input Modes.jpg

The V700 has two sensors. One that's full width for stuff that's on the glass, used for normal front-lit flatbed scanning and back-lit 10x8 transparencies, and one that's less wide, but higher resolution (and presumably focused higher), for film in the various film holders. I believe the V500 series is basically the same, except the higher res sensor (and perhaps the back light unit) for the film holders is narrower - V700 can do two strips of 120, and four strips of 35mm, which means the sensor is about 5.5" wide plus a little margin for error.

All of the V700 film holders have two white squares on the underside, but I don't know if they're for recognising that a film holder is in place, or perhaps for registration (if it can see the squares, it can work out the possible locations of the the images). The squares are all the same and in the same locations, so there's no attempt to identify different types of film holder. I don't have the guide thing for placing 10x8 negs, so can't say whether it also has the white squares. I think the problem with using these for working out what's there is that it doesn't know whether a pair of white squares is on the underside of a film holder (or the 10x8 guide), or they're something printed on a bit of paper for non-transparency scanning.
 
Sounds like placing the negatives on the glass is the best choice for you. I've had success with that for my 4x5 negatives. The trick for you appears to be keeping the negatives flat. Mark has given some good advice, but a couple of cheaper things you could try first...

- Maybe in the first instance you could try keeping the negatives flat under a heavy weight for a few days before scanning? This certainly helps with my Tri-X negatives, which can have an annoying curl. Less likely to be helpful for older negatives though.

- Perhaps when you lay them on the glass you could try using something straight to hold down the film rebates?

The potential issue you'll get from scanning direct on the scanner is Newton's Rings, which are interference effects from close contact between negative and film. I've never had a problem with them (so far!!!), but my second suggestion above might provoke them as it would presumably hold the film rather closer to the glass.
 
Nomad Z said:
I don't have the guide thing for placing 10x8 negs, so can't say whether it also has the white squares.
Click to expand...
Just checked and there are no white squares on the underside of the 10x8 film guide.
 
ChrisR said:
Sounds like placing the negatives on the glass is the best choice for you. I've had success with that for my 4x5 negatives. The trick for you appears to be keeping the negatives flat. Mark has given some good advice, but a couple of cheaper things you could try first...

- Maybe in the first instance you could try keeping the negatives flat under a heavy weight for a few days before scanning? This certainly helps with my Tri-X negatives, which can have an annoying curl. Less likely to be helpful for older negatives though.

- Perhaps when you lay them on the glass you could try using something straight to hold down the film rebates?

The potential issue you'll get from scanning direct on the scanner is Newton's Rings, which are interference effects from close contact between negative and film. I've never had a problem with them (so far!!!), but my second suggestion above might provoke them as it would presumably hold the film rather closer to the glass.
Click to expand...



I am seeing the best results with images scanned straight on the glass, which makes no sense as they are not being held completely flat.

If I zoom up on a glass scanned negative, I can see it is sharper. Not hugely so but it is there.

If the V750 has 2 sensors - a 'higher' res one for the film holder setting, then this doesn't tally with what I'm seeing.

I cannot see any difference between the Epson film holder spacers at 0 and + (without them is a tad worse), which leads me to believe maybe a more adjustable film holder isn't the answer.

I guess I now should consider getting some anti-newton glass. Is there a cheaper source than the Better Scanning site?

Bit confused overall!
 
I have seen but never used a wet scanning option for Epson scanners, would this be an alternative to anti-Newton glass and is the Epson kit necessary or could something like water+wetting agent be used?
 
I guess a quick method would be to just lie a piece of anr glass on top of the negative, flat to the scanner glass? That will keep it relatively flat?
 
There is an Epson 120 film holder with ANR glass, but it seems to be a rare beast and it took me a long while to find one. This takes 1 strip of negs and has both the white squares and the spacer feet adjusters, so it seems to be the genuine item for the V700, V750, V800 & V850? Please be aware that some sellers advertise these on eBay but they don't actually have the ANR glass fitted, so you'd have to check before buying.

s-l200.jpg
 
Interestingly (or perhaps not) I made a 4x5 sheet holder for my V550 which is just a standard piece of glass that I just lie the scanner glass with the 4x5 neg on top and I don't get any Newton's rings. However if I have a curly 35mm neg that touches the glass in the centre then I do get Newton's rings. So I guess it is worth trying standard 2mm picture glass before forking out for ANR glass.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top