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Thread: Epson V500 4x5 Scanning?

  1. #1

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    Apr 2009
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    Epson V500 4x5 Scanning?

    Hello all. I'm considering buying the Epson V700, which will scan 4x5 negatives, although it's quite a large amount of money. So I was also thinking about buying the Epson V500, and then purchasing a 4x5 film holder. At my school they have several of the lower Epson scanners, as well as various film holders (including 4x5), that can be checked out to use with these scanners. Would that work? I was thinking it might be a good option for me, but I want to get some advice before I make any purchases.

  2. #2

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    Re: Epson V500 4x5 Scanning?

    The V500 will not scan 4x5 in one pass. The opening for film scanning is less than 3" wide. I found that out when I unpacked it. I returned it for the V700, which will do two 4x5's at a time. You could scan 4x5's in two sections, then stitch them together with the V500, but that's a lot of trouble.

  3. #3

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    Re: Epson V500 4x5 Scanning?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Middleton View Post
    The V500 will not scan 4x5 in one pass. The opening for film scanning is less than 3" wide. I found that out when I unpacked it. I returned it for the V700, which will do two 4x5's at a time. You could scan 4x5's in two sections, then stitch them together with the V500, but that's a lot of trouble.
    Stitching is not all that bad to do. Here is a 4x5 two-pass lo-res scan from my V500 (I think I did it at 800dpi) and a 100% crop from it. Takes about 60 seconds in Elements 6.0 to do the stitching, and Adobe's algorithms are good enough that I have never been able tell the results were stitched. The detail is plenty good enough for my home-use printing purposes. I can get better detail at 2400 dpi, but the little Epson is very slow above 1000 dpi, and I don't have the patience to wait for it.

    That being said, I'll admit I'd like to have a V7xx or whatever would scan 4x5's in one pass--but not at 2.5 times the price.
    Last edited by picker77; 12-Jun-2009 at 10:48.

  4. #4

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    Re: Epson V500 4x5 Scanning?

    Did you consider buying a used 4990? It is not much worse than a V700, scans 4x5 and should not be more expensive than a V500.

  5. #5

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    Re: Epson V500 4x5 Scanning?

    Quote Originally Posted by Aender Brepsom View Post
    Did you consider buying a used 4990? It is not much worse than a V700, scans 4x5 and should not be more expensive than a V500.
    Except that they've become rather difficult to find as their owners (like me) do not want to get rid of them.

  6. #6

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    Re: Epson V500 4x5 Scanning?

    Quote Originally Posted by picker77 View Post
    Stitching is not all that bad to do. Here is a 4x5 two-pass lo-res scan from my V500 (I think I did it at 800dpi) and a 100% crop from it. Takes about 60 seconds in Elements 6.0 to do the stitching, and Adobe's algorithms are good enough that I have never been able tell the results were stitched. The detail is plenty good enough for my home-use printing purposes. I can get better detail at 2400 dpi, but the little Epson is very slow above 1000 dpi, and I don't have the patience to wait for it.

    That being said, I'll admit I'd like to have a V7xx or whatever would scan 4x5's in one pass--but not at 2.5 times the price.
    What did you use for a negative holder?
    Gerry

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Dec 2007
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    350

    Re: Epson V500 4x5 Scanning?

    Just buy the V700 and spend the money.I have one and like it alot,no problems just me getting to know how to use it.Plus it will last for at least 5-7 years before another model comes along. If you shoot 4x5 why buy a cheap scanner/printer your defeating the purpose.

  8. #8

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    Re: Epson V500 4x5 Scanning?

    Quote Originally Posted by Gerry Miller View Post
    What did you use for a negative holder?
    Gerry
    Sorry so slow in response, I need to pay more attention...

    I didn't use one, Gerry. Just laid the neg on the scanner glass, scanned one side (about 3/5 of the neg), scanned the other side, merged the two files. Worked for me, probably not sharp enough for the experts, but puts out a heck of a nice 8x10 on my inkjet. With such a large overlap the software nails the merge perfectly, it's impossible to tell it's a merged file.

    I haven't seen an Epson 4x5 holder. Unless it's a layered glass setup of some sort, I can't imagine the film flatness would be anywhere near consistent. It seems to me putting the neg directly on the scanner glass is better for flatness than some sort of suspended-in-the-air holder. My Anti-Newton glass for MF might make things work even better during the scans, but I haven't tried that yet.
    Jerry
    Last edited by picker77; 5-May-2009 at 06:23. Reason: Add info...

  9. #9

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    Mar 2010
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    Re: Epson V500 4x5 Scanning?

    I have been using a V500 to scan the family 35mm archive over the last couple of years and have been very pleased with the results. However, I have found some 3.25" x 2.25" B&W negatives from around 1915 which don't fit the slide and negative carrier. I've tried just laying the negatives on the glass but I get a "Please remove the document mat and/or close the document cover". I've tried using a home made carrier cut to size but get the same result. The only way I can get a scan is to use the 35mm carrier which artificially restricts the size of the result. I don't want to shell out for a V700 for about 100 negatives. Any ideas please?

  10. #10

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    May 2009
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    Re: Epson V500 4x5 Scanning?

    A MD I worked with who was using me for a lot of scanning decided to buy a V500, complained every day to me about how bad the slides were. I suggested she buy a V700 (what I was using) instead. A couple of weeks later she said, "one of my better purchases. Now my scans look almost as good as yours," I smiled and asked her if she wanted to pay for a class in fine tuning a scan. " Not after paying $600 for a scanner" was the reply.
    BTW, I was moved into and analyst position, no scanner, bought my own V700 from New Egg the prices was $539. Epson who had refurbed V700 for $445 of course didn't have any when I wanted to purchase the machine. Now I'm trying to optimize the height of the film.
    Go for the V700 just a better scanner.

    Tom

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