Hi : )!!! - Please suggest me GPC flatbed scanner

[Ig Nacio]

Hi,

I would like to share my 4x5" images with friends, and also for critique
here in the forum.

I go to a lab where they scan my negatives. I think I pay too much
to have them scanned.

I would like to have a simple GPC flatbed scanner.

GPC = Good, Pretty, and Cheap,
or at least not so expensive.

I want to get enough resolution to print my negs up to 5x7",
or perhaps to a maximum of 8x10"

What flatbed scanner would you recommend me?

Thank you, kind regards!

Ig

[Ari]

Look for an Epson 4990.
Pretty reliable, decent scans up to 8x10 film and not too expensive on the used market.

[Vaidotas]

Used Epson scanner is a wise choice as Ari said. But it looks like there is no drivers for Windows 10 for older Epson models.

[Bernard_L]

Used Epson scanner is a wise choice as Ari said. But it looks like there is no drivers for Windows 10 for older Epson models.

vuescan: includes drivers. Plus, pretty good once over the learning curve;

[Alan Klein]

A used V700 from Epson.

[T.Chabry]

Epson 4990 are good but hard to find. I have an older 4490 that's even cheaper, it won't scan wide enough for a 4x5 negative but you can scan it in 2 passes and stich the images together with softwares like Image Composite Editor.
It takes more time but it was the best GPC scanner for me.

Here is an example of an 8x10 negative scanned in 4 passes and stitched together :

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51474295993_449b51dbdd_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2mqBdRX)
Saint John, NB Canada view from Fort Howe's hill (https://flic.kr/p/2mqBdRX) by T. Chabry (https://www.flickr.com/photos/191014911@N03/), on Flickr

[Ari]

Epson 4990 are good but hard to find. I have an older 4490 that's even cheaper, it won't scan wide enough for a 4x5 negative but you can scan it in 2 passes and stich the images together with softwares like Image Composite Editor.
It takes more time but it was the best GPC scanner for me.


There are twelve 4990 scanners on eBay right now. Average price is probably around $200 for a good unit with all accessories.

[Bernice Loui]

Been using a Epson 4990 for years, works good enough for film to digital file scans. About zero motivation or incentive to get another scanner in any way. Be aware the plastics used outgas leaving a film of diffusion on the inside surface of the scanner's glass. Not difficult to remove the glass, clean, re-install.

~Makes a difference.

The later V700 then V750 are much the same making the high value scanner 4990. The 4990 should come with a set of 35mm, 120, 4x5 and "film area guide" mask. Check this before purchase as these are useful.


Bernice

[T.Chabry]

There are twelve 4990 scanners on eBay right now. Average price is probably around $200 for a good unit with all accessories.
That's what I meant, there are none in local ads and I paid $30 for my 4490 scanner with all accessories. :D

[Ari]

That's what I meant, there are none in local ads and I paid $30 for my 4490 scanner with all accessories. :D

Nice!

[_tf_]

I just picked up one of these as the transparency light on my V850 has packed it in, and it's proving difficult to get it fixed ... so, the reason the 4990 are going so cheap is that there are no drivers for them for recent Windows or MacOS, you need old macos (10.x) or old Windows to use it; of course you could run one in a VM, if you really had to. There is a driver/app for Linux that works, it's pretty basic but will do me for now, though I'll give vuescan a go per the suggestion above.

Mine came without the mounts, I was hoping someone could tell me what the height of the negative above the scanner glass is with these mounts (the V850 wet mount glass fits on perfectly, just want to make sure it's not too off distance wise).

[Tin Can]

I bought my V700 nearly 10 years ago, I never turn it off

I have yet to clean the inside bottom glass, I have almost no dust in my scans

Running Vuescan now on Win 10 and iMac 24 latest

[neil poulsen]

Used Epson scanner is a wise choice as Ari said. But it looks like there is no drivers for Windows 10 for older Epson models.

One can find an older computer for older, legacy software. I purchased about a 2009 version of a Mac Pro, and it's been an excellent computer. It runs the High Sierra software, though I also have Snow Leopard running on it. (Two different hard disk drives, one for each operating system.)

I have I Works for word processing, and if needed, a spreadsheet, and Creative Suite 4 for Photoshop. This lets me bypass any cloud software, which I disdain. (And for good reason.)

[Ari]

Agreed, I bought a 2009 Mac Mini for a pittance. It has an SSD and 8Gb RAM, plenty for any scanner.
It runs the 4990 and will run the IQSmart 2 (when I can go and get it), and is about as fast as my main computer.
Keep other software out of the scanner computer, just use it for scanning or downloads, and it will last a long time, while being extremely efficient.

[Tin Can]

I have no desire to ever again use 'Legacy' software or computer

Nor use anything except the 2 dominant OS

I have all my hard drives from the last 25 years, most are now useless, but safe in my possession

I look forward to using my thoughts to operate my computer, hopefully they include a camera, so I can see too




One can find an older computer for older, legacy software. I purchased about a 2009 version of a Mac Pro, and it's been an excellent computer. It runs the High Sierra software, though I also have Snow Leopard running on it. (Two different hard disk drives, one for each operating system.)

I have I Works for word processing, and if needed, a spreadsheet, and Creative Suite 4 for Photoshop. This lets me bypass any cloud software, which I disdain. (And for good reason.)

[Alan Klein]

I bought my V700 nearly 10 years ago, I never turn it off

I have yet to clean the inside bottom glass, I have almost no dust in my scans

Running Vuescan now on Win 10 and iMac 24 latest

Why don;t you shut it off?

[Peter Lewin]

I am using an old Epson 4990 with a Mac running the current 64-bit OS. All you need to do is buy a copy of VueScan software, no need to run virtual anything. Years ago, when the Epson 700 series came out, the rep told me that the main difference from the 4990 was the light source, they had to switch since the older light source was no longer available. My point is that any of the older used Epsons will be fine for your purpose.

[Ari]

That's true, Vuescan will work with a contemporary Mac.
I prefer Epson Scan, and I already had the Mini, so the issue was settled for me.

[Jim Andrada]

My sister just got one of these, but no report yet on how good it is. She just wants to archive old photos so hi quality isn't a high priority for her. But it might work out OK if you aren't using it to make top quality large prints.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1117104-REG/epson_b11b232201_perfection_v39_photo_scanner.html

[Alan Klein]

My sister just got one of these, but no report yet on how good it is. She just wants to archive old photos so hi quality isn't a high priority for her. But it might work out OK if you aren't using it to make top quality large prints.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1117104-REG/epson_b11b232201_perfection_v39_photo_scanner.html

The V39 only scans prints, not film.

[Darren Kruger]

Hi,

I would like to share my 4x5" images with friends, and also for critique here in the forum.

I want to get enough resolution to print my negs up to 5x7", or perhaps to a maximum of 8x10"


I'm going to go a different tack here based on these requirements. For sharing, have you thought of just using a digital camera (like from a cell phone) to take a pick of the film? You could use the light from a monitor with a white background as a light source. It wouldn't be all that precise but be good enough for sharing.

As far as printing, you could do the same idea but with a higher quality light source like a decent quality light box. 5x7" and 8x10" prints are not that big and most of the modern cameras should have enough resolution to make prints at this size. You would be able to have more control and get much better quality with a flatbed scanner but at the cost of the upfront purchase price and the ongoing cost of operating it (driver update, speeds to scan, and the space that it would take up.)

-Darren

[_tf_]

Mine came without the mounts, I was hoping someone could tell me what the height of the negative above the scanner glass is with these mounts (the V850 wet mount glass fits on perfectly, just want to make sure it's not too off distance wise).

Just to answer my own question, in case someone else stumbles on this, the wet mounting accessory for the V850 can't be used with the 4990, focusing distance of the V series is significantly greater than that of the 4990 series, so the scans are out of focus. Officially the 4990 focus distance from the flatbed glass is 1mm (in my case the optimal distance seems somewhere around 1.1-1.2mm), the wet mount accessory surface is 3.2mm above the flatbed. For the same reason wet mounting directly on the 4990 flatbed also produces suboptimal results — as someone else already mentioned, if buying one of these bargains, best to make sure the original film mounts are included.

[Ari]

Just to answer my own question, in case someone else stumbles on this, the wet mounting accessory for the V850 can't be used with the 4990, focusing distance of the V series is significantly greater than that of the 4990 series, so the scans are out of focus. Officially the 4990 focus distance from the flatbed glass is 1mm (in my case the optimal distance seems somewhere around 1.1-1.2mm), the wet mount accessory surface is 3.2mm above the flatbed. For the same reason wet mounting directly on the 4990 flatbed also produces suboptimal results — as someone else already mentioned, if buying one of these bargains, best to make sure the original film mounts are included.

Epson scanners are a pain to deal with, fussy and finicky, and each one is slightly different. Like they were assembled in the Soviet Union on a Monday or Friday.
Case in point: my current 4990 scans perfectly well directly off the glass.
My 4870 from a few years back couldn't get a sharp scan done no matter what. Scans always came out mushy.
A v750 I had did very well only if I used the Betterscanning station.