Glassless V700 - Bye Bye to newton ring!

[jack_hui]

I guess most of the V700/V750 users have newton problem when scanning 8x10 film.
I hate to see it and decided to find the solution - remove the glass and custom make a mount for 8x10 film. (As most of my works are 8x10 film, i.e. my solution is for 8x10 film only)

1) First, we have to remove the screw cover (four of them) from the top cover. You can use strong tape to remove it. It doesn't damage the cover, i.e. Epson won't know that you had removed the cover!!!



2) After that, remove the screw underneath and take out the top cover.



3) There are 6 clips that hold the glass, remove them all.



4) Next, we need to remove the glass from the strong tape. Use lighter fuel and soften the tap, it takes some time!! (You can always use your hammer, if you are in hurry! LOL!)

[jack_hui]

5) After that, screw back the top cover.



6) This is my custom make mount that can hold 8x10 film on it, which has 4 screw on the sides to adjust the scanning height.





Anti-Newton Ring glass can also be used on top of that to flatten the film.

[jack_hui]

7) End product at work.




After I fine tune the scanning height, I can find out the "best" height, but the difference are NOT huge, and the end result doesn't impove that much as compare with the glass on. However, I won't need to worry about the newton ring forever.

When I have time, I will make an adapter for 4x5 and other format.

Have a nice day!!!
Jack

[Gem Singer]

I use Ilford HP-5+ film, exclusively. However, most B&W film has a dull emulsion side and a shiny base side.

I place the 5x7 or 8x10 film, emulsion side down, directly on the scanner glass and place a sheet of anti-Newton glass, dull side down, over the shiny base side of the film.

I tell my Epson V750 scanner that I'm scanning a B&W negative directly on the scanner glass. Not using a negative holder.

Focus is sharp. Film is held flat. No Newton rings. No need to dismantle the scanner and remove the glass.

If you are using color film, or a film that is shiny on both the emulsion and the base side, all bets are off.

[jack_hui]

Singer:

I used several films, HP5 got no problem (most of the time), EFKE 50 sheet film ...... got problem (most of the time), negative /postive film .....never escape from newton ring, unless I don't use anti-newton ring glass ...... but ....

[Gem Singer]

Hui,

Read the last sentence in my post.

What I was attempting to say is that there is no need to dismantle an Epson 700 series scanner and remove the glass if you are scanning 8x10 film that has a dull emulsion side.

The Newton Ring problem only exists if both sides of the film are shiny, such as with color transparency film, etc.

Shiny film surface to shiny glass surface= Newton Rings.

[Frank Petronio]

He's in Texas where there is zero humidity, so less chances for Newton's Rings to form.

I wonder if you can notice any sharpness benefits?

And whether the sensor will get dirty over time?

It seems like a good idea and I'm glad you tried it first so we don't have to!

[Ben Syverson]

I've thought about this before, but I like Frank I'm nervous about the sensor.

Jack, if you're already mounting the negative to ANR glass, why would you get Newton Rings? Just suspend the sheet of ANR above the scanner glass with four spacers...

[jack_hui]

Frank, I really cant see a big improvement in sharpness, so the only benefit is that I can forget about newton ring.

Ben: I did try it before by using 4 coins, it works, but taping the film on the ANR glass and place it on the coins correctly is a hard job.

I was actually looking for a way to remove the haze under the scanner glass, but ended up with a scanner mount.

[Gem Singer]

Hey Frank,

It rains here in Dallas, in fact its starting to rain as we speak.

There is a small lake behind my house, and there's plenty of humidity. I get Newton Rings unless I do something to prevent them.

Dismantling a perfectly good scanner in order to avoid Newton Rings just seems like overkill to me.

Besides, once the glass is removed, what's to prevent the film from sagging down and falling into the opening or touching the sensor?