Question About Picture Glass and The Epson V800 Scanner

[IanBarber]

When scanning my 4x5 negatives, I like to place them on the Epson Fluid Mount Holder and place a piece of Picture Anti-Reflectant glass on top of the negative to keep the negative perfectly flat.

I always place the emulsion side down so it faces the scanner optics and then place the glass on top of the negative, etched side down.

I have read that Anti-Newton Ring glass is the suggested method but its pretty hard to find here in the UK and I am wondering if using this picture anti-refectant glass is compromising the scan by not using Anti-Newton ring glass.

Not sure what the difference is to be honest.

[Christopher Barrett]

Also, is AN glass necessary if you're wet mounting? Instead of glass on top, I use Aztek scanner overlay film and never have rings with the wet mount process. Though I guess you didn't actually say you were wet mounting.... ???

-CB

[Jim Andrada]

Wet mounting is so simple and quick I totally recommend it. I actually timed it and mounting a 4 x 5 took all of 23 seconds.

[IanBarber]

Also, is AN glass necessary if you're wet mounting? Instead of glass on top, I use Aztek scanner overlay film and never have rings with the wet mount process. Though I guess you didn't actually say you were wet mounting.... ???

-CB


Initially, I just dry scan to get a feel of the overall exposure and development. If the photograph is for a sale or going out to print, then I will wet scan

[koraks]

There is very little difference between the two.

Some matte picture glass may have a relatively coarse structure that can end up within the depth of field of the sensor array of the scanner, resulting in artifacts across the entire image area and/degradation of fine details. If you don't experience these issues, then there's obviously no reason to revise your workflow.

[MilamBardo]

Initially, I just dry scan to get a feel of the overall exposure and development. If the photograph is for a sale or going out to print, then I will wet scan

What is it like if you dry scan on the fluid mount without additional glass? I've bought the fluid mount, but I am balking at the cost for Kami liquid and tape (for now). Is there really a significant difference with the fluid? (I'm scanning 5x7 negative, so the dry scan film holder is not an option for me).

[Alan Klein]

Wet mounting is so simple and quick I totally recommend it. I actually timed it and mounting a 4 x 5 took all of 23 seconds.

How long to cleanup?

[MilamBardo]

What is it like if you dry scan on the fluid mount without additional glass? I've bought the fluid mount, but I am balking at the cost for Kami liquid and tape (for now). Is there really a significant difference with the fluid? (I'm scanning 5x7 negative, so the dry scan film holder is not an option for me).

Ok, I just dry scanned on the fluid mount. Seemed to work fine. Didn't notice much of a difference between this and scanning directly on the glass, but I'm not much of a pixel peeper. Maybe the image was a little smoother, but could just be the settings on the scan. So was it worth 124? Well, perhaps I should reserve that judgement for when/if I wet mount it.

[Drew Wiley]

NO. Don't bother with etched picture frame glass. Not the same thing as ANR at all. But you shouldn't need even that if you fluid mount. Fluid has to be cleaned off afterwards of course.

[MilamBardo]

NO. Don't bother with etched picture frame glass. Not the same thing as ANR at all. But you shouldn't need even that if you fluid mount. Fluid has to be cleaned off afterwards of course.

Knight Optical make ANR glass in the UK, about 110 for a 5x7 piece(I asked them) So, about the same cost as Kami fluid, tape, pec pads. At least for me here in Switzerland. Not sure anyone has ever done a comparison between the two,although presumably wet mounting would be a little better.

[Tin Can]

Devil's advocate with poor eyesight

I tried every method with my V700 over 10 years, I leave it on aways

Now I just clean the glass and lay my 5X7 8X10 flat on the glass gently, it tends to float away if all is clean and dry

4X5 gets the plastic holders

[MilamBardo]

Devil's advocate with poor eyesight

I tried every method with my V700 over 10 years, I leave it on aways

Now I just clean the glass and lay my 5X7 8X10 flat on the glass gently, it tends to float away if all is clean and dry

4X5 gets the plastic holders

I must say, it's difficult to notice the difference between straight on the glass and the wet mount holder (for 5x7). Like I say, with wet mount holder it's maybe a little smoother, but I also seem to be having trouble getting the same contrast that I was getting on the glass. This could just be my scanning settings though. I use the Epson scanning software, and usually make a fresh adjustment each time I place the negative down, so hard to be consistent.(just to be clear, I'm not wet mounting, just placing it on the holder in order to get the hi-res lens)