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Thread: Scan quality from Epsons?

  1. #11

    Re: Scan quality from Epsons?

    Roger,
    I agree with Jack about the 4-5X enlargements from 4990 scans. I have a 7600 and 2 foot wide prints from 4x5 look great most all the time. Sometimes I'll get something a little less than great but I can count on it about 9 out of 10 times. I have no reason to believe that 8x10 scans won't do the same. My 8x10 printing experience stops at 24 inches as thats as wide as my 7600 prints.

    As far as the enlargement factor for the 4990 goes, I comparison tested a Mamiya 7 6x7 negative scanned on my 4990 and on a top end drum scanner. At 11x14 print size there really wasn't any significant difference - I couldn't really pick one as better. Larger prints did show a difference but not as much as you'd think. I regularly make 11x14s and slightly larger from 6x7 that look great.

  2. #12

    Re: Scan quality from Epsons?

    Thanks for the info, Henry, Jack and Walter. For 8x10 shooters the current refurb deal on the 4990 at the Epson store might be a good one.
    Last edited by Roger Richards; 8-Oct-2006 at 12:22.

  3. #13

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    Re: Scan quality from Epsons?

    Quote Originally Posted by Henry Ambrose View Post
    As far as the enlargement factor for the 4990 goes, I comparison tested a Mamiya 7 6x7 negative scanned on my 4990 and on a top end drum scanner. At 11x14 print size there really wasn't any significant difference - I couldn't really pick one as better.
    Henry, when you made your comparison scans on the 4990 did you use the standard Epson negative carriers, and did you wet or dry scan?

  4. #14

    Re: Scan quality from Epsons?

    Ron,

    I used the factory holder. The differences in the prints at 11x14 was of color and tone rather than sharpness or detail. I could see some differences in the files at high magnification but not in the prints. The drum scan file was about 300MB and I was comparing it to a smaller 4990 scan so that accounted for part of what I saw. Still in a side by side comparison of the prints it would have been personal preference rather than any quantifiable objective difference.

    There is no doubt that a better scanner will give better files but at some point if the prints you're making look really really good its time to stop throwing money and time at the problem. Our printers are only so good and after a point a better file does not make a better print.

  5. #15

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    Re: Scan quality from Epsons?

    Thanks Henry, that is very encouraging information. I have not bothered to have any drum scans made, but always wondered about the quality of 4990 scans.

    From 6x7 to 11x14 is about a 4.6 times enlargement, so 13x17 from my 2200 is well within the limit.

  6. #16

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    Re: Scan quality from Epsons?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ron Marshall View Post
    Jack, what is a full-area-scan-adapter?
    I'm not sure what Jack is referencing, but there are negative holders for 35mm, 120mm, and 4x5s. Then there is a flexible 8x10 sheet holder that you butt the 8x10 negative/positive against when you lay it down on the glass. This comes with the Epson scanners.

    stew

  7. #17
    Jack Flesher's Avatar
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    Re: Scan quality from Epsons?

    Sorry! Stew is right -- by "full area scan adapter" I mean the flexible scaning "guide" for scanning 8x10 negs. The SilverFast Ai software refers to it as something like that. Anyway, it is simply a guide that outlines where to position the large neg. It also has the code notch up top to let the scanner know you are using it.

    Peter: The anti-glare glass sheet I place on top of that (shiny side down) is 3/32nds thick and the same size as the full Epson scanning glass, but gets supported off the main glass by the above 8x10" thin and flexible guide. Since the glass surfaces are separated by the scan sheet and do not touch, there are no Newton rings there. The anti-glare surface now facing up prevents Newton rings from the base side of the negative being in direct contact with it.

    Sorry for any confusion. My main point was that I now scan ALL of my negs directly on that anti-glare glass using the 8x10 scanning area sheet and the appropriate drop-down for it in the SilverFast software.
    Last edited by Jack Flesher; 8-Oct-2006 at 15:56.
    Jack Flesher

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  8. #18

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    Re: Scan quality from Epsons?

    I agree with Jack that "great looking" is very subjective, which is why I mentioned varying level of expectations among photographers in the original post. I suppose my only point of comparison for the large print was a mural I made while in college using a massive sheet of photo paper, a projector, and a 6x7 neg. It was a 50x70 print that had a good amount of sharpness and detail. I'm not a master darkroom printer and using sponges to develop, stop, and fix a huge print probably isn't the best way to do things, but again, it's the only point of reference I have based on work I have produced myself. So compared to that, a scanned neg from my Nikon 9000 produced a waaaay better print, but I did do some sharpening and local contrast tweaking in Photoshop.

    Anyway, it's also interesting to read that the 4990 would be the choice for some over the newer V700/750s. I would've thought that there'd be improvements in the technology. Jack or Ted, are when you tested both out, were the same procedures used, such as using the ANR glass?

  9. #19
    Kirk Gittings's Avatar
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    Re: Scan quality from Epsons?

    I am currently testing an Epson 4990, V750 and Microtek 1800f in house and I will let you know what I think.
    Last edited by Kirk Gittings; 8-Oct-2006 at 16:45.
    Thanks,
    Kirk

    at age 73:
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep"

  10. #20

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    Re: Scan quality from Epsons?

    Thanks Jack, I'm going to certainly have to give that a try, very likely in addition to wetmounting on my 4990.

    Peter

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