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Thread: Scanner comparison: Epson 4990 scanner added

  1. #1

    Join Date
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    Sydney, Australia
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    Scanner comparison: Epson 4990 scanner added

    Another scanner from Australia have been added to the scanner comparison. It's the Epson 4990.

    A friend of mine just bought one and kindly dragged it over for a scan before the transparency resumes its global holiday. The scan was done using the Epson Twain driver, with all image adjustments turned off.

    For anyone wondering about scanners still to come, I have on my list:
    <ul>
    <li>Canon 9950f
    <li>Crosfield Celsis 6250 CASC
    <li>Durst Sigma Plus
    <li>Epson Expression 1680Pro
    <li>Epson 3200 with Silverfast
    <li>Epson 4870 (alternative scanning technique)
    <li>Eversmart Supreme
    <li>Howtek 7500
    <li>HP Scanjet 4C
    <li>ICG 350i
    <li>ICG 380
    <li>Linotype-Hell Topaz
    <li>Microtek ArtixScan 1800f
    <li>SCREEN DT-S 1045AI
    <li>Scanview 11000
    </ul>

    Other scanners welcome.
    Leigh Perry
    www.leighperry.com

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Apr 2005
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    New York City
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    Scanner comparison: Epson 4990 scanner added

    This comparison is proving to be very valuable to me and I truly thank you.

  3. #3

    Scanner comparison: Epson 4990 scanner added

    Yes, thank you very much! With all the marketing hype, it's extremly helpful to see head-to-head comparisons of the many different models we have to choose from.

    I will be especially interested to see the 'alternative scanning technique' with the Epson 4870.

    Thanks again and have a great 4th!

  4. #4

    Join Date
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    Baraboo, Wisconsin
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    Scanner comparison: Epson 4990 scanner added

    Leigh - In your notes you mention following consistent guidelines for setting the black and white points. Could you explain what those guidelines were, i.e. exactly what the procedures were for setting black and white points?

    Thanks for posting these comparisons. I think we all realize that more than just the hardware is involved in obtaining a good scan but something like this is still very useful.
    Brian Ellis
    Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
    a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

  5. #5

    Join Date
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    Scanner comparison: Epson 4990 scanner added

    Brian, it was all kept pretty simple. Here are the guidelines I emailed to the contributors.

    <ul>
    <li>Scan at the closest native resolution of each scanner above or at 2400 ppi. I will re-res to 2400 for actual pixel comparisons. If you can't achieve 2400 ppi, just scan at the closest native resolution -- I will res-up later.

    <li>Levels set so that the darkest pixel has value 0 and the lightest pixel has value 255,
    without any clipping whatsoever. (It is normal to do some sort of 'auto-levels' which gives
    punchier results at the expense of clipping some black and white values. For this test it
    is better to avoid any clipping into the histogram).

    <li>Where possible scans need to be done in 16 bits before last-minute conversion to
    8-bit. If scanner software supports setting levels at scan time, then straight to
    8-bits should be ok, since the adjustments will be done on the native
    12/14/16 bit data in the scanner software.

    <li>Try not to crop any of the image area.
    </ul>

    As you can see from the images, there was no attempt at colour consistency. The main focus was on allowing an indicative, subjective comparison of resolution and Dmax.

    It's a pretty tedious process producing all those crops in sharpened and unsharpened form, so I'm glad it's proving useful, or at least of some interest.
    Leigh Perry
    www.leighperry.com

  6. #6
    Scott Rosenberg's Avatar
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    The Incredible Pacific Northwest
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    Scanner comparison: Epson 4990 scanner added

    wonderful comparison... looking forward to seeing how the microtek 1800f fares against these other units. so far, it looks like the tango wins the day.

  7. #7

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    Forest Grove, Ore.
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    Scanner comparison: Epson 4990 scanner added

    Thanks for this comparison. It really helps to see how these scanners compare.

    The one that sort of sticks out for me is the Microtek Artixscan 2500. This is older technology. Is the newest one as good? It sure beats the Epson scanners. It's not the best of the bunch of course, but it presents itself well in the comparison.

  8. #8

    Join Date
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    Scanner comparison: Epson 4990 scanner added

    Neil, while its resolution is decent, the Artixscan 2500 was the darkest scan I received and it was bunched up very close to the black end of the histogram. I emailed Rafe to ask why that was -- he said he didn't have much control over the scan process and couldn't avoid the situation. I had to use a beefy curve to level out the histogram. That was the only scan that needed such an adjustment.

    Some of the drum scans on the other hand are incredibly open in the shadows (it's like full daylight under that bench) and I had to use a gamma of 0.6 or 0.7 to bring them close to the others, which to me was an demonstration of the amazing capabilities of drum scanners.
    Leigh Perry
    www.leighperry.com

  9. #9

    Scanner comparison: Epson 4990 scanner added

    Leigh: This scanner comparison is a great idea. Congratulations on an excellent plan and execution.
    Here I wanted to point out that drum scanner scans were all made using wet mounting techniques. Thus the comparisons are drum-wet vs flatbed-dry. This alone gives the drum scanners a start up advantage. Wet mounting enhances contrast, saturation and resolution.

    In so saying I am not denying the inherent and undeniable advantages of drum scanners, I only wish to point out that because wet mounting can also be used with flatbed scanners, a more apples to apples comparison would be achieved if wet mounting was used on both. Granted, because until recently wet mounting had been the exclusive domain of drum scanners, it was quite appropriate to design the tests as you did. Now that wet mounting kits are available for flatbed scanners, it will be interesting to see wet mounted scans from flatbeds. Perhaps the alternative technique for the Epson 4870 will involve wet mounting.

    For all that are interested in wet mounting, a new yahoo group (SCANMAX) dedicated to wet mounting offers technical information to its participants.

    The add-on list which includes the Canon 9950 should be something worth looking forward to. Thanks Leigh for a very worthwhile effort.
    Julio

  10. #10

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    Scanner comparison: Epson 4990 scanner added

    Julio, thanks for pointing out those differences.

    Of the non-drum scans, only the Polaroid Sprintscan 45 Ultra was oil-mounted. Guy, the scanner operator, indicated that he had only just started oil mounting but that there was an obvious resolution increase. I think he was still experimenting with the oil used since there was clearly some 'milky' appearance to the scan which didn't show up in the JPG's. I'll let Guy know about your new Yahoo group.

    I'll also update the web page to indicate oil-mounted scans.

    See you at SCANMAX.
    Leigh Perry
    www.leighperry.com

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