Epson V700 Issue

[Jon Middleton]

The CCD glass has the optical coating, not the bed. So, glass cleaners should be fine. I wiped off the glass well with a cloth, then cleaned it with a weak dish soap detergent solution. Worked fine without streaking, and I avoided any potential problems associated with vinegar, ammonia, etc.

The plane of focus I used when I mounted to the platen was for "Film Area Guide", which focuses on the surface of the glass. I scanned at 2400 DPI for a 4x5 slide, which gives a file of ~566MB. When I scan with the film holder, my sharpest scans come at 3.5mm. If mounting onto the under surface of plate glass, I would guess my sharpest results would come with ~3.5mm spacers on the platen. Maybe I'll give this a try, but I think the scanner is hardware limited as to resolution. I have a hard time believing that it will actually put out 6400 DPI, especially when the Nikon 9000, with lower listed resolution, outperforms the Epson.

[Keith S. Walklet]

I just popped by to see one of my engineer buddies and had him measure the thickness of the plex exactly. It was given to me as 3/16" and his micrometer put it at .175 inches= 4.445 millimeters.

The hardware limit on the scanner sensor is supposed to be 6400spi, with higher spi achievable with the minute movements of the stepper motor. Epson advertises 9600spi along the stepper motor axis, though I was surprised to find that my tests showed increased resolution even with the 12800spi (interpolated) setting.

I do mount my transparencies so that the long side takes advantage of the stepper motor movement, which is 90 degrees off the direction of Epson's holders.

Jon, thanks for that info on the coatings as well. I posed the question to Epson and hadn't heard back for certain yet. The method you and Steve are using is better than the direct bed wet mount, but there is still and edge to the complete fluid envelope. I truly wish the Epson bed height was adjustable, as it would make life much easier.

And yes, the Nikon kicks the Epson's butt big time in both resolution and shadow detail (as long as one keeps the film flat with at least the ANG holder, or, even better, wet mount). For that matter, it exceeds the TANGO, too. I hope to post some more comparisons that illustrate these observations.


There's another wish. I wish Nikon could have produced a scanner that could handle 4x5 of the same quality as the Coolscan series.

[Jon Middleton]

Keith, that info is in this review. I don't think the scanner bed is coated. I don't want anyone mad at me if it is and they damage it, though:

http://www.photo-i.co.uk/Reviews/int...750/page_1.htm

[aphexafx]

I think it is safe to say that the V750 platen glass is not coated at this point. Clean away, carefully.

[Jon Middleton]

Great news. I had some 11x14 prints made from 2400dpi scans of 4x5 Velvia 50, at Costco no less, and the results are very, very nice. Not sure how large one could go, but I'm thinking 24x30 would be okay. Even a 12x18 print from a 6400dpi scan of an old 35mm K25 transparency is much more than acceptable. I look forward to some prints from MF Provia out of my C330.

[more photography]

The base side of the film gets mounted face down against the ANR side of the glass.

Hi Mike

Sorry not familiar with face and base terminology, is that emulsion side toward the scanner or against the ANR Glass.

[Keith S. Walklet]

The emulsion side of the film will have a three-dimensional quality to it when viewed at a sharp angle, much like a topographic map.

The base side of the film is the smooth, shiny side. It should be in contact with the abraded side of the ANG so that the texture of the ANG creates tiny air pockets that reduce the chance of the Newton rings forming.

[PenGun]

I think it is safe to say that the V750 platen glass is not coated at this point. Clean away, carefully.

I was mistaken. On researching this scanner I had seen a diagram that showed the glass and a light path to illustrate the effect of coating and had not realized it was an illustration of the principal and not the scanner it's self.

[aphexafx]

I was mistaken. On researching this scanner I had seen a diagram that showed the glass and a light path to illustrate the effect of coating and had not realized it was an illustration of the principal and not the scanner it's self.

No problem!

[Rakesh Malik]

The base side of the film is the smooth, shiny side. It should be in contact with the abraded side of the ANG so that the texture of the ANG creates tiny air pockets that reduce the chance of the Newton rings forming.

Does anyone by any chance have an example of Newton rings? It would help me to determine whether or not that's what I've been seeing.

Alternatively, I'll try to remember to post some crops from one of my recent scans that shows the fringing I'm getting, so that someone with more scanning experience than I can tell me whether or not I'm seeing the same thing.

Anyway, it sounds like the best thing to do is to first see about getting the focus right, and then start wet-mounting my slides. I guess that means that it's worth it to get the Better Scanning film holder.

This thread's been really informative!