Epson V700 Issue

[Ken Lee]

Thanks for that insight.

I'll stick with my BetterScanning mount, and for an added "magic bullet", stay with 5x7 instead of 4x5. My 10x16 prints are good enough.

[Keith S. Walklet]

My follow-up sharpness tests using dimes, pennies and nickels in tandem with the Epson Fluid mount holder shows a drop off in image quality as soon as I added any spacers beneath the holder. So, that holder seems to be in the "optimized" range.

Just to make sure we're on the same page, when mounting directly on the glass, I use "Film Area Guide" with EpsonScan or "Transparency, Full Area" with Silverfast.

As has been stated, with the V-700 and 750, there are two planes of focus depending on which of those settings is selected.

"Film Area Guide" and "Full Area" scans are focused (supposedly) on the surface of the platen.

"Film With Holder" and "Transparency" settings use the higher magnification lens which is focused above the glass bed. This the method I have used with the 3/16" plex wet mounted to the bed. It consistently achieves the highest quality results.

And, yes, it is important to get the plane of focus, but beyond that, wet-mounting makes the biggest difference in my tests.

On another matter Sandy, what are your thoughts on using distilled white vinegar to clean the glass surface?

[sanking]

Keith,

We appear to be on the same page in terms of the optimum plane of focus because the reference I mentioned was based on use of the spacers with film holders. The maximum spacing with that method was 3.5mm over the glass. I find it difficult to understand that the tolerance of this scanner is so great that the best plane of focus for a specific scanner, as you apparently have found, is over 1.25mm *beyond* the maximum height possible with the Epson mounts.

White vinegar might be a good option for cleaning the glass, if you get no streaks. However, there is no protective coating on the glass of the Epson scanners so a plain household window cleaner with no-streaking property should work fine and not pose any danger for the scanner.

Sandy

My follow-up sharpness tests using dimes, pennies and nickels in tandem with the Epson Fluid mount holder shows a drop off in image quality as soon as I added any spacers beneath the holder. So, that holder seems to be in the "optimized" range.

Just to make sure we're on the same page, when mounting directly on the glass, I use "Film Area Guide" with EpsonScan or "Transparency, Full Area" with Silverfast.

As has been stated, with the V-700 and 750, there are two planes of focus depending on which of those settings is selected.

"Film Area Guide" and "Full Area" scans are focused (supposedly) on the surface of the platen.

"Film With Holder" and "Transparency" settings use the higher magnification lens which is focused above the glass bed. This the method I have used with the 3/16" plex wet mounted to the bed. It consistently achieves the highest quality results.

And, yes, it is important to get the plane of focus, but beyond that, wet-mounting makes the biggest difference in my tests.

On another matter Sandy, what are your thoughts on using distilled white vinegar to clean the glass surface?

[PenGun]

Keith,

We appear to be on the same page in terms of the optimum plane of focus because the reference I mentioned was based on use of the spacers with film holders. The maximum spacing with that method was 3.5mm over the glass. I find it difficult to understand that the tolerance of this scanner is so great that the best plane of focus for a specific scanner, as you apparently have found, is over 1.25mm *beyond* the maximum height possible with the Epson mounts.

White vinegar might be a good option for cleaning the glass, if you get no streaks. However, there is no protective coating on the glass of the Epson scanners so a plain household window cleaner with no-streaking property should work fine and not pose any danger for the scanner.

Sandy

The V750 has an optical coating. It is the main difference from a V700.

[Keith S. Walklet]

I find it difficult to understand that the tolerance of this scanner is so great that the best plane of focus for a specific scanner, as you apparently have found, is over 1.25mm *beyond* the maximum height possible with the Epson mounts.

I can't say why either, but that is apparently where my machine performs best. Could it be an optical property associated with the fluid envelope that is created with my mounting method? Where the fluid envelope acts like a lens?

As for the white vinegar, in advance of my dimes, pennies and nickels test last night, I cleaned the Epson Fluid Mount holder, which was gummed up with residue from the blue masking tape I had used for tests with top mounting and mounting underneath the holder (a simple attempt to replicate Doug's more sophisticated holders). I was having problems getting it cleaned, and remembered from my san/jan days in Yosemite that distilled white vinegar was an effective glass cleaner. It worked superbly. So I was curious what the potential downside to its chemical makeup might be to the optical coatings.

[sanking]

Keith,

Sorry, I was not aware that the V750 had an optical coating on the glass. In that case I think the white vinegar would be safer than household window cleaners that contain ammonia.

Also, I would definitely advise not fluid mounting directly on the glass of the V750 if it has the optical coating. This coating is similar to the coating on lenses and is quite delicate. Certain areas of the glass of my EverSmart Pro scanner, which also has an anti-reflection coating, have been degraded from over-zealous cleaning.

Sandy

I can't say why either, but that is apparently where my machine performs best. Could it be an optical property associated with the fluid envelope that is created with my mounting method? Where the fluid envelope acts like a lens?

As for the white vinegar, in advance of my dimes, pennies and nickels test last night, I cleaned the Epson Fluid Mount holder, which was gummed up with residue from the blue masking tape I had used for tests with top mounting and mounting underneath the holder (a simple attempt to replicate Doug's more sophisticated holders). I was having problems getting it cleaned, and remembered from my san/jan days in Yosemite that distilled white vinegar was an effective glass cleaner. It worked superbly. So I was curious what the potential downside to its chemical makeup might be to the optical coatings.

[sanking]

Thanks for the information. I did not realize the V750 had an anti-reflection coating on the glass bed.

Sandy

The V750 has an optical coating. It is the main difference from a V700.

[aphexafx]

The V750 has an optical coating. It is the main difference from a V700.

The v750's coatings are on the lenses, not the platen, which is what Sandy was referring to as far as cleaning.

I think household "blue" cleaners leave residue, or at least they don't do well with oils. I clean my uncoated platen with alcohol, which can be watered down with distilled water for more delicate surfaces.

*Edit: Well now I'm worried that I misinterpreted the platen/coating issue. I am on my way out the door, but this should be looked up and verified.

**Edit: My 750's platen does not appear to be coated, it just looks like high quality optical glass.

[sanking]

If the glass of the platen is coated it should have some color when viewed by reflected light from the side.

Sandy

The v750's coatings are on the lenses, not the platen, which is what Sandy was referring to as far as cleaning.

I think household "blue" cleaners leave residue, or at least they don't do well with oils. I clean my uncoated platen with alcohol, which can be watered down with distilled water for more delicate surfaces.

*Edit: Well now I'm worried that I misinterpreted the platen/coating issue. I am on my way out the door, but this should be looked up and verified.

**Edit: My 750's platen does not appear to be coated, it just looks like high quality optical glass.

[Steve Wadlington]

Keith,

I know when a filter is used behind a camera lens a correction of about 1/3 the glass thickness is needed. Maybe the plex is acting the same way.

On my 4990 I did tests: on the glass, 1.8mm above, 3.0mm above(all wetmounted). 1.8mm up was the sharpest. I mount to the bottom of plate glass, emulsion down with Kami and Mylar. I use a spacer of mount board 1.8mm thickness between the platten and the plate glass.

Steve

I can't say why either, but that is apparently where my machine performs best. Could it be an optical property associated with the fluid envelope that is created with my mounting method? Where the fluid envelope acts like a lens?

As for the white vinegar, in advance of my dimes, pennies and nickels test last night, I cleaned the Epson Fluid Mount holder, which was gummed up with residue from the blue masking tape I had used for tests with top mounting and mounting underneath the holder (a simple attempt to replicate Doug's more sophisticated holders). I was having problems getting it cleaned, and remembered from my san/jan days in Yosemite that distilled white vinegar was an effective glass cleaner. It worked superbly. So I was curious what the potential downside to its chemical makeup might be to the optical coatings.