Epson V700 won't scan over 2400 dpi

[Elizabeth Cox]

I have just purchased an Epson V700 scanner, and I have successfully scanned in negatives and slides up to 2400 dpi ("color negatives" for negatives and "positive film" for slides, 24 bit), using the Epson Scan software in the Home mode. When I try to scan above 2400, it scans, but it is not at the dpi I choose. I know this, because at 2400 dpi, it takes about 2 hours to scan my 16 negatives, and the resulting images are between 9 and 13 Mb; however, when I scan at 3000 or above, it takes just 15 to 20 minutes to scan the same 16, and resulting images are only 1.5 to 3 Mb. Can you tell me what I need to do in order to successfully scan negatives / slides in 3000 or higher (anything higher than 2400) dpi ? I have tried both the Home mode and the Professional Mode, both with and without thumbnail preview. Thank you for your help !

[venchka]

Just guessing since I never use home mode:

Use professional mode. That's what I use and have scanned at 3600 dpi.

OOPS! I see you tried Pro mode. I'm stumped.

Another guess: The file size sounds like the machine is dropping down to 8 bit mode.

Good luck.

[Greg Lockrey]

Its really superfluous to scan higher than 2400 since the resolution of the lens can capture only 2100-2200 with the 700.

[venchka]

Its really superfluous to scan higher than 2400 since the resolution of the lens can capture only 2100-2200 with the 700.

Greg,

Very true. However, the scanner should be able to output higher DPI and larger files.

[Leonard Evens]

This probably has nothing to do with it, but I thought the V700 only scanned at 4800 ppi sampling rate for smaller formats, and for 4 x 5 it dropped back to 2400 ppi. Of course, since I don't have a V700 I could be entirely in left field.

I agree that there isn't too much point in using a sampling rate higher than 2400 ppi as far as the final result is concerned. But is there some advantage to scanning at the higher rate and then reducing to a lower rate by software afterwards?

Finally, if I understand how these things work, the basic hardware will scan at 4800, 2400, 1200, etc., and any other intermediate value is done by dowsizing with interpolation. Is that correct?

[venchka]

Based on the file sizes and number of negatives, Elizabeth is scanning 35mm negatives. Epson Scan should scan 35mm negatives higher than 2400 DPI.

[Greg Lockrey]

Greg,

Very true. However, the scanner should be able to output higher DPI and larger files.

No argument here, but if she has a computer with not much memory, she could get limitation because of file size.

[Brian Ellis]

Have you tried different software? I think you can download a free trial version of Vuescan. You might try that and see what happens. Even if you don't want to use Vuescan permanently, that might at least give you an indication of where the problem lies.

[Ken Lee]

Does the scanner depend on correct positioning of the film holder ? Can the film holder be inserted in the wrong orientation, by accident ? Would incorrect positioning of the film holder, lead to incorrect or unexpected settings ?

[Keith S. Walklet]

I don't have an answer for why the scanner would default to a lower resolution scan other than sometimes inadvertently a smaller scanning frame (marquis) is drawn when you are setting up the scan, and that is the scan frame that is active when the scan is made. A teeny, tiny, frame, with a teeny, tiny, resulting scan. Look to see if you are getting the entire image in your small scans, or just a part.

But, in response to Greg, she should be scanning at the highest optical resolution the scanner is capable of capturing. That would be 6400 SPI, which translates to a measured output resolution of 2000-2400 dpi by most people's reckoning. Those two terms are often used interchangeably, but are very different critters.