Anupam
2-Jul-2008, 22:45
I am trying to decide on an Epson flatbed scanner to buy. But unlike most folks in the threads I could find, I do not want to print from scans, at least for now - the scanning will be done to post 800 pixel wide photos to my website gallery (http://decisivemomentum.blogspot.com/) and flickr account (http://www.flickr.com/photos/primelens/). Maybe 1500 pixels at the most would be my target resolution.
While pretty much any flatbed will be good enough for that size with 4x5 or even MF, 35mm remains a large part of my work (my gallery will give you an idea - largely BW, handheld RF work). As I understand it, my choice in the Epson lineup - if I want a 4x5 transparency unit - is from among the following: v750/700, 4990, 4870, 3200. The v750/700 and 4990 both have trasparency units of 8x10 and a dmax of 4.0, the 4870 has 6"x9" and a dmax of 3.8 while the 3200 has a 4"x9" unit and a dmax of 3.4. I have been using a Nikon Coolscan IV for 35mm so far and so I should just buy the v700 to get something close, I suppose.
But my concern is that perhaps at the small sizes I am talking about differences in quality won't matter at all - that is, the superior results of the v700 would be indistinguishable from those of the 3200. Am I right in this assumption? Please note that I am NOT looking for good enough results - I want the results to be as great as possible, but am concerned that at my sizes really really good and okay would amount to the same thing. I don't want to spend money on the v700 and then throw away all the extra data that it produces. Any advice from people who have used these scanners, especially for 35mm would be much appreciated. If there is no difference in results at my intended sizes, I would rather put the money I have earmarked for the v700 towards a good ballhead.
Many thanks for any help and advice.
-Anupam
While pretty much any flatbed will be good enough for that size with 4x5 or even MF, 35mm remains a large part of my work (my gallery will give you an idea - largely BW, handheld RF work). As I understand it, my choice in the Epson lineup - if I want a 4x5 transparency unit - is from among the following: v750/700, 4990, 4870, 3200. The v750/700 and 4990 both have trasparency units of 8x10 and a dmax of 4.0, the 4870 has 6"x9" and a dmax of 3.8 while the 3200 has a 4"x9" unit and a dmax of 3.4. I have been using a Nikon Coolscan IV for 35mm so far and so I should just buy the v700 to get something close, I suppose.
But my concern is that perhaps at the small sizes I am talking about differences in quality won't matter at all - that is, the superior results of the v700 would be indistinguishable from those of the 3200. Am I right in this assumption? Please note that I am NOT looking for good enough results - I want the results to be as great as possible, but am concerned that at my sizes really really good and okay would amount to the same thing. I don't want to spend money on the v700 and then throw away all the extra data that it produces. Any advice from people who have used these scanners, especially for 35mm would be much appreciated. If there is no difference in results at my intended sizes, I would rather put the money I have earmarked for the v700 towards a good ballhead.
Many thanks for any help and advice.
-Anupam