Scanner for 5x7?

[Bill_1856]

Do any of the current under $1000 flatbed scanners take 5x7 negatives? TIA.

[Ted Harris]

The Microtek i900 and 1800 for sure. Some of thge offerings from UMAX may also be under 1000 but I dont think they will come up to the standards of the Microteks.

[Michael Kadillak]

I like my Epson 4970 Pro at $560 with 5x7, but I am not an expert on these matters by any stretch of the imagination. It does not come with a 5x7 negative template although I have heard that they can be had on the after market, so I can just center the negative on the bed and go for it.

I would post some images I scanned with it here, bit I do not know how. I would be happy to send you a sample Bill if you want to take a look.

Cheers!

[Spencer Cliss]

Another one that will do 5"x7" (13x18) is the Epson Perfection 4870. There's no film holder for that size, you just put the sheet on the glass.



The 4870 returns about half of the resolving power of my transparencies. A 70 lp/mm slide gets maybe 30-35 lp/mm in the scan, no matter what the selected dpi in the scanner software. These scanners scan through their less than sharp optics at fantastically high dpi.

For the money though, you won't get much better as far as I know.

Regards
Frank

[Spencer Cliss]

example Epson 4870 (http://drydream.com/uyuni_wide/)

[Bill_1856]

Are the 4870 and 4970 the same/different units? B&H only has the 4870.

[Michael Kadillak]

I made a mistake. It is the Espon 4870. Sorry.

Cheers!

[Spencer Cliss]

Caution, some sources on the web say that the Microtek i900 does not offer Digital ICE dust and scratch removal for film, only for flat art. If true, that sucks.


http://groups.google.ch/groups?q=microtek+i900+digital+ice&hl=de&lr=&client=firefox-a&selm=32d568f3.0410131543.52beb806%40posting.google.com&rnum=6 (http://groups.google.ch/groups?q=microtek+i900+digital+ice&hl=de&lr=&client=firefox-a&selm=32d568f3.0410131543.52beb806%40posting.google.com&rnum=6)

[Bill_1856]

Thanks for the samples, Michael. The 4870 certainly ought to do the trick. I've always loved 5x7 format, but avoided it because it's too small to contact print and I didn't want a 5x7 enlarger. Being able to scan the negatives and print them like an ordinary digitl file certainly changes everything. How large are typical files (the ones you sent indicated they were only 2+ MB, but they certainly tied my computer up for a long while.)

[Michael Kadillak]

Although one's first impression like your is that 5x7 is to small to contact, I must say that I have seen some marvelous 5x7 contact prints (Azo) and have been satisfied with several I have done. Mounted on an 8x10 or even a larger matt, they really do look great.

Cheers!

[ronald moravec]

When you get the 4870 or the newer version, you will see how easy it would be to make a holder.

Thin mattboard for a start or plastic from a hobby shop. Make a rectangle and put gussets at the corners outside the neg area and add a second layer to keep the neg in place.

I have yet to detirmine where my lens focuses anyway.

At 11x14 I can`t tell the difference between my Minolta 5400 and Epson 4870 on a computer screen. 4x5 is fine for common size prints.

11x14 prints from the Epson are fine.

[tor kviljo]

Not exactly current, but have been available (eby) as new-old stock until recently: I have an Agfa Arcus 1200 (1200 dpi) taking neg.s & trannies up to 8"x10" . Glassless film-holders for up to 4"x5" and template for scanning larger formates on glass screen. Works excellent for me. I understand this one is made by Microtech. I have seen the Arcus 1200 new on eby being sold for less than $$ 100 last year. Uses SCSI but is easy to set up. I am very satisfied with mine.

[Adonis Villanueva]

You might get a hold of a old Linotype Hell Saphir Ultra 2 or a Powerlook 3000. Both very good scanners, very cheap due to its age and uses SCSI. I have a Powerlook 3000 that I bought for $179 - After comparing the wetmounted slides and trannies I scanned with it to my Epson 4870 scans, I sold the Epson. Great bargain!

[André Thomas]

I had to make the same decission this year. I decided for a Linoscan 1800 (HighRes) scanner - It will scan an A4 page with 1220 dpi and has a high resolution aera for medium format with 3000 dpi. This scanner has a Dmax of 3.6. You will notice that this scanner is no longer in production but a company in Germany sells some new one for 650 Euro.

For scanplates I use diacover-scanplates. These plates are also available for 13x18cm (5x7")!!


http://www.diacover.de/de/scan/scanplate.htm (http://www.diacover.de/de/scan/scanplate.htm)

[Bill_1856]

It looks like the new Epson 4990 scanner does up to 8x10 for less than $500. Guess I'll wait for reports on it. Thanks for the advice, Guys.

[Michael Graves]

I bought the 4990. Having scanned some 4x5 Ektachromes, some 120 chromes and some 35mm, I'll say this. The large format stuff positively glows. I scanned a photo of the Sierra Nevadas that I took using a Toyo 5x7 using a 4x5 back. In the scan I saw something I had never noticed in the chromes. The telephone poles way off in the distance were clearly discernable. 120 chromes were acceptable, but color separation dropped off considerably. 35mm reproduction so far has been unacceptable. I'm still playing with that, though. I figure it's gotta be me.

[Percy]

Hi.

Michael, how does it do with black and white? (5x7, 4x5, 8x10).

[QT Luong]

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/5x7.html