Why People are so Crazy about Epson 4990?

[RedSun]

Over the weekend, an used Epson 4990 was sold for close to $400. And that is the one without any negative carrier and without the top white pad (or whatever you call it). Is this just insane?

I picked up the 4990 from a local sale (very cheap) and it is far less than the money that guy paid.

For not too much more, you can get a new V700 with all the accessories and fully under warranty. And I think the V700 could be even better than the 4990....

[Robert Budding]

Wow. I have an Epson 4990 that I use as a paper weight. Perhaps I should dust it off and sell the thing!

[Frank Petronio]

That's just a stupid sale, most of the time they are worth $200 or so.

[dave_whatever]

Lack of neg carrier isn't much of as issue as you'll get better scans by taping the film to a sheet of AN glass anyway. Very good capable 4x5 scanner if you can get one for a reasonable price.

[Brian Ellis]

I don't think one oddball sale means people are crazy about them. I like mine, I've had it forever and it still cranks out nice exhibit quality scans for prints around 16x20 or smaller. But if something happened to it I wouldn't lose any sleep, I'd buy a 700/750. I use a UMax holder, never found a need for AN glass.

[Heroique]

...If something happened to it I wouldn’t lose any sleep.

I would. And if I did get to sleep, I might have nightmares. ;^)

Each of my image posts here is by way of my beloved 4990.

I bought it refurbished from Epson ($279 w/ warranty), and it has worked so well, that I’ve become unreasonably attached to it. Its scanner glass even seems to be fairly resistant the well-known haze issue. After thousands of scans, I still have to get close and squint to see a very slight haze.

My Omega D2v is jealous of the attention I give it.

[Robert Budding]

That's just a stupid sale, most of the time they are worth $200 or so.

I only have on 4990, so all I need is one stupid sale.

[georgl]

Not only the Epson, the Imacons got more and more expensive, I could have bought an Flextight II for half the price 6 years ago... The prices for the Coolscans are just insane! Strange, while the prices for wonderful film cameras dropped...

[RedSun]

Well, I think some of the film scanners are disappearing since they do not make them any more. But Epson is another story. They already have the V700 and 750, and I think they will continue to push new models (essentially the same) to generate some $$$.

[unixrevolution]

That's just a stupid sale, most of the time they are worth $200 or so.

I think you mean $300