epson 4990 scanner

[John Berry ( Roadkill )]

I just purchased a new epson 4990 scanner. It replaced a 2450. I am also now using silverfast Ai. I can now scan my 8X10 negs. Scan at 1600 PPI 16 bit greyscale, 7.6 X 9.7 inch scan area =359 meg file. Time thru firewire is 4.25 min. My negs are keyed to new Azo #2, so they are pretty contrasty. Seems to handle them ok. Alot of members state thinner negs scan better. My 4X5 negs are keyed to a condenser enlarger. I'll see if they do better. I'm just playing with the stuff I couldn't before. I'm pretty happy so far.

[Sam]

Thanks John, I think Ive made up my mind on the 4990 to scan my 120 and 4x5's. I would like to see what you are capable of with it. posta few images if you get a chance.

SP
www.samuelportera.com

[John Berry ( Roadkill )]

I will later. If I posted some now you would only see what "I'm" able to do not the scanner. Not necessarally what it CAN do. Let me get up on tweeking Silverfast Ai first.

[John Berry ( Roadkill )]

The scanner comes in two versions. The pro version comes with silverfast Ai and monaco color management. Best way to go if you don't have them. I already have color management so I got the non pro version, then upgraded the silverfast se to Ai. saved only $20 over buying the full version. I should have spent another $ 50 and got the pro version then a friend could have gotten the color management at a treat price.

[M Brian Mills]

All of the images on my Portfolio #3 page and all but 4 of the images on my Portfolio #2 page were scanned with an Epson 4990 using firmware. The 4 images on Portfolio #2 that were not scanned with the 4990 were scanned with the Epson 3200. Can you tell a difference? I can't tell a difference and I have the original scans so I can get deep into the detail. All images were scanned from 4x5 chromes at 2400 dpi.

[Kirk Gittings]

John,

I have been using the 4990 since it first came out and the 4870, 3200 and Canon 9950f also before that. The advantage to SF AI is the ability to really tweak the curve and extract as much from the neg as possible in ways that is simply not possible with the Epson scan software. I have been using it and testing it against other software as well and I find it superior. I don't try for a thin negative but a slightly flat negative with substantial shadow detail (Zone III placement) and no blown out highlifghts. With that negative I tweak the curve to bring it in the direction of the tones I want in the final print but leave it a bit flat still and unclipped. For the last month I have been using an Imacon at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago where I teach in the summers. Unfortunately SF is not available for the Imacon and I really miss it, as SF would really improve that scanner as well.

Try scanning in 48 bit RGB and discarding all but the blue channel (which you then convert to grayscale). The blue channel because of the shorter wave length is sharper than the green and red channel and has less noise than the red. The result is a much sharperand less noisy scan than a 16 bit grayscale scan.

[John Berry ( Roadkill )]

Thanks Kirk, Brian, and Sam. I also scan B&W in 48 bit RGB mostly. I select a channel or use the channel mixer before conversion. I just wanted to see what it will do in greyscale. I do really like having a curves adjustment in SF. I have some negs that are dry that I souped up earlier today. Acros in Pyrocat for my condencer enlarger. I'm going to give them a try next.

[Murray Fredericks]

How are you all getting on with the 4990?

I am thinking of buying one for proofing and test printing my 8 x 10 colour negs - it will work out cheaper than contact proofs from a lab in the long run!

I plan to have exhibition quality drum scans made at a later stage when the work is edited. Are the scans sharp enough and generally good enough for making decent 16" x 20" prints? Are there any noise problems?

Cheers

Murray

[Kirk Gittings]

Murray,

The 4990 will get you a decent scan for up to 16x20 UNLESS you have an color image with very large important shadow areas then I spring for a drum scan. Interestingly the 4990 has less noise in color than the Imacon I have been using here in Chicago.

[Brian Ellis]

For those of you who scan b&w in 48 bit rgb, I'm curious as to what film sizes and at what ppi you're scanning. I usually scan 4x5 at 4800 ppi in 16 bit gray scale and my initial file size is over 700 mgs. So an rgb scan at 48 bit would be something over 2 gigs and there's no way I could do that. So what size film at what ppi are you rgb guys scanning ?

I vacilated back and forth for a couple years between scanning in grayscale and scanning in rgb. I'd read something that said one way was better and I'd use that for a while, then I'd read something that said the other way was better and I'd use that for a while. I really didn't see any difference in my scans either way. I finally settled on grayscale because John Paul Caponigro said he didn't usually see any difference either and I figured he should know what he was talking about (www.johnpaulcaponigro.com/faq). Not the best of reasons but since I wasn't seeing any real difference either way I had to pick a method on some basis and that's the one I chose. Now you have me wondering again.