What software is needed to start using V750 scanner

[cdk84]

I bought an Epson V750 scanner with only the hardware.

What software do I need to begin scanning with my Mac computers, which use OS 10 from edition 10.6.8 through 10.10.2 (Yosemite)?

Are there other things I should read to learn to make high quality scans?

My goal is being able to make outstanding 30x40" prints. Is oil scanning necessary for best results? If so, do I need a particular holder?

What is a good source of scanning oil?

What size files will my 8x10 b&w negatives generate?

Thanks in advance for your time,

Regards,

David

[Tin Can]

Vuescan and never look back.

It works with everything.

[koraks]

I bought an Epson V750 scanner with only the hardware.

What software do I need to begin scanning with my Mac computers, which use OS 10 from edition 10.6.8 through 10.10.2 (Yosemite)?

I think you can download the Epson driver and Epson scanning software from the Epson website. Either that, or, as Randy suggests, use 3rd party software such as Vuescan.

Are there other things I should read to learn to make high quality scans?

I would just start using it, really. Try dry scanning first to get the hang of how your scanner works. I have never felt the need for wet scanning, especially with large format.

My goal is being able to make outstanding 30x40" prints. Is oil scanning necessary for best results? If so, do I need a particular holder?

Opinions will differ, but I can make very decent 40" prints from dry scanned 4x5" negatives; I doubt I would see much improvement by wet mounting. Especially since prints at this size will generally be viewed from some distance. Of course, if you intend to scan smaller film formats, the need for further optimization becomes more important. But then I would reconsider the use of a flatbed scanner.

What size files will my 8x10 b&w negatives generate?

At 3200dpi, close to 25600px x 32000px, but the real-world resolution is limited to ca. 1900dpi, so you may want to scan at a lower resolution or downsample the result. Everybody has their own way of working. File sizes will be around 1-4Gb (uncompressed TIFF) depending on bit depth and if it's color or B&W. Like I said above, a 4x5" negative will provide more than enough data for a good 40" print, so 8x10" has a lot more than you need.

[cdk84]

I think you can download the Epson driver and Epson scanning software from the Epson website. Either that, or, as Randy suggests, use 3rd party software such as Vuescan.


I would just start using it, really. Try dry scanning first to get the hang of how your scanner works. I have never felt the need for wet scanning, especially with large format.


Opinions will differ, but I can make very decent 40" prints from dry scanned 4x5" negatives; I doubt I would see much improvement by wet mounting. Especially since prints at this size will generally be viewed from some distance. Of course, if you intend to scan smaller film formats, the need for further optimization becomes more important. But then I would reconsider the use of a flatbed scanner.


At 3200dpi, close to 25600px x 32000px, but the real-world resolution is limited to ca. 1900dpi, so you may want to scan at a lower resolution or downsample the result. Everybody has their own way of working. File sizes will be around 1-4Gb (uncompressed TIFF) depending on bit depth and if it's color or B&W. Like I said above, a 4x5" negative will provide more than enough data for a good 40" print, so 8x10" has a lot more than you need.

[cdk84]

Hi Randy Moe, Hi Koraks,

Thanks very much to you both. I really appreciate your input and shared experience.

Time to just get to work!

Best Wishes,

David

[Ken Lee]

You might find this brief article helpful: http://www.kenleegallery.com/html/tech/scanning.php

[Doug Fisher]

>>Are there other things I should read to learn to make high quality scans?<<

Ken's article plus Wayne Fulton's page of scan tips are two of the best places for new users to start - www.scantips.com . Invest the time now to learn the fundamentals so that you move faster along the learning curve and have to do less re-scanning.

Doug

Doug

[Pali K]

The scanner is great but it'll take some time go get comfortable with a repeatable process. If this if your first scanner, then stick to stock Epson software especially if you are scanning slides or color negatives.

I have had VueScan for 6 months and never got anything good from (colors scans) it until recently. I read "Vuescan bible" and added color perfect to my work flow and I can say that Vuescan is by far the best once you know how to use it properly. I also tried silverfast 8 which is good but Vuescan gives me the most consistent control I need.

Ken's article is a must for BW scanning. I do not do wet scans but I do use ANR glass for everything to keep negatives flat. Let me know if you need to see any samples.

Enjoy your scanner.

Pali

[Tin Can]

I might add, some of us use the V series for quick neg scans for a faster than contact printing look at a negs.

I don't need max quality for this purpose, so I scan low rez 8x10, 5x7, 4x5 to save time, wear and tear on the machine.

I have used those pretty darn good low res scans to communicate with other forum members, off line by private real email.

A problem we have here is we cannot attach images directly inside a forum PM, merely link to an external URL, which I won't do for a few reasons.