Old Epson Perfection V700 Photo scanner

[kentrush]

I have the above scanner (it may be 10 years old) and it seems that the focus has gone soft. I have tried adjusting the feet pads to no avail.

I use the standard Epson driver. Does Silverfast or another software work better? would I be able to tweak the focus with Silverfast or other?

Thanks for any feedback on this.

Kent

[sanking]

The Epson V700 is a fixed focus lens scanner with two different lens that are positioned at fixed position depending on whether you choose focus area or film holder. When you choose focus area the position of best focus is directly on the glass, with holder the position of best focus is about 2-4 mm above the glass.

The standard Epson driver should work just as well as any other with the Epson V700. If the focus is really soft as you mention it is highly unlikely that the scanner will give sharper results with another software. People often prefer for one reason or another software such as Silverfast or Vuescan to the Epson software, but in terms of sharpness there should be no difference.

Sandy

[kentrush]

The Epson V700 is a fixed focus lens scanner with two different lens that are positioned at fixed position depending on whether you choose focus area or film holder. When you choose focus area the position of best focus is directly on the glass, with holder the position of best focus is about 2-4 mm above the glass.

The standard Epson driver should work just as well as any other with the Epson V700. If the focus is really soft as you mention it is highly unlikely that the scanner will give sharper results with another software. People often prefer for one reason or another software such as Silverfast or Vuescan to the Epson software, but in terms of sharpness there should be no difference.

Sandy

[kentrush]

Thank you so much for that - maybe I'm getting more critical (or asking for more perfection) in my old age! Are you the Sandy King of carbon transfer fame?

Kent

[Alan Klein]

Your post is confusing.

I'm assuming from it that you just bought a ten year old scanner and using it for the first time. Scans are very soft and required a lot of sharpening. Different programs do not scan better than others. Each program allows sharpening during the scan or will scan without it reserving sharpening for after the scan with your image editing program which is what I do.


If on the other hand, your meant that you had been using this scanner for ten years and suddenly the sharpening went too soft, then you could have a scanner problem.

[sanking]

Thank you so much for that - maybe I'm getting more critical (or asking for more perfection) in my old age! Are you the Sandy King of carbon transfer fame?

Kent

Yes, I am Sandy King, and a long time carbon printer.

BTW, I have owned and used an Epson V700 since about 2007, bought mine refurbished from Epson.


Sandy

[kentrush]

Your post is confusing.

I'm assuming from it that you just bought a ten year old scanner and using it for the first time. Scans are very soft and required a lot of sharpening. Different programs do not scan better than others. Each program allows sharpening during the scan or will scan without it reserving sharpening for after the scan with your image editing program which is what I do.


If on the other hand, your meant that you had been using this scanner for ten years and suddenly the sharpening went too soft, then you could have a scanner problem.

[kentrush]

yes, it seems to me the scans are not as sharp as they used to be! But maybe my expectations have become more acute!

[kentrush]

Sandy,

I did a bunch of carbon transfer printing a while back when I could not use my printing press. I used your incredible instructions and had excellent results - thanks for your great instructions and your dedication to the process!

I use my press to print collotypes, both traditional home-made gelatin matrices and using sheet film as the matrix.

Kent Rush

[Steve Sherman]

Nice to catch-up Sandy King, I too have the V 700. Since upgrading to a new I Mac 24" M Chip model I am not able to access the V-700 with any thing I have tried or learned from the internet. Any experience or wisdom you can offer would be appreciated. SS

[Bill Poole]

Nice to catch-up Sandy King, I too have the V 700. Since upgrading to a new I Mac 24" M Chip model I am not able to access the V-700 with any thing I have tried or learned from the internet. Any experience or wisdom you can offer would be appreciated. SS

VueScan says it supports Apple silicon. Have been using their software for years, Might be worth a try. https://www.hamrick.com/blog/vuescan-on-apple-silicon.html

[Alan Klein]

Nice to catch-up Sandy King, I too have the V 700. Since upgrading to a new I Mac 24" M Chip model I am not able to access the V-700 with any thing I have tried or learned from the internet. Any experience or wisdom you can offer would be appreciated. SS

Epson has a separate scan program called Epson Scan 2 for Apple. The regular Epsonscan is for Windows computers.
https://www.scanyourentirelife.com/epson-scan-2-windows-mac-compatibility/
https://epson.com/Support/wa00928
https://epson.com/Support/Scanners/Perfection-Series/Epson-Perfection-V850-Pro/s/SPT_B11B224201?review-filter=macOS+12.x

[Tin Can]

Nice to catch-up Sandy King, I too have the V 700. Since upgrading to a new I Mac 24" M Chip model I am not able to access the V-700 with any thing I have tried or learned from the internet. Any experience or wisdom you can offer would be appreciated. SS

Viewscan works my New IMac V700

But I hate the Mac

Love iPhone and iPads

So I use...

[Steve Sherman]

Epson has a separate scan program called Epson Scan 2 for Apple. The regular Epsonscan is for Windows computers.
https://www.scanyourentirelife.com/epson-scan-2-windows-mac-compatibility/
https://epson.com/Support/wa00928
https://epson.com/Support/Scanners/Perfection-Series/Epson-Perfection-V850-Pro/s/SPT_B11B224201?review-filter=macOS+12.x

Thanks very much I will look into these options. Have no interest in the Hamrick option as that carries a monthly fee.

[Steve Sherman]

VueScan says it supports Apple silicon. Have been using their software for years, Might be worth a try. https://www.hamrick.com/blog/vuescan-on-apple-silicon.html

Thanks very much Bill, I believe the Hamrick option carries a monthly fee, I only scan for social media use, never make D prints so the fee aspect is a no go. Appreciate your feedback, SS

[Tin Can]

Wrong

Hamrick is lifetime, he has younger family to carry on

So far it has made every obsolete and au currant scanner work

I bought it years ago

[sanking]

Sandy,

I did a bunch of carbon transfer printing a while back when I could not use my printing press. I used your incredible instructions and had excellent results - thanks for your great instructions and your dedication to the process!

I use my press to print collotypes, both traditional home-made gelatin matrices and using sheet film as the matrix.

Kent Rush


Kent,

Thank you for your kind comments about my teaching and work. I am also familiar with your work with collotype, though I did not make a connection earlier. It is wonderful to see the continuing interest in old historical phtograhic processes such as carbon as well as gravure work such as collotype and gravure.

Sandy

[Roger Cole]

Thanks very much Bill, I believe the Hamrick option carries a monthly fee, I only scan for social media use, never make D prints so the fee aspect is a no go. Appreciate your feedback, SS

I don’t think so. I paid for Vuescan once years ago and have been using it ever since on an even older Epson, even got a free new code when I got a new computer.

Edit: checked out the page and now I remember. I just bought the lifetime once and done, several years ago. But you definitely can do that instead of monthly. Totally worth it to me.

[kentrush]

Kent,

Thank you for your kind comments about my teaching and work. I am also familiar with your work with collotype, though I did not make a connection earlier. It is wonderful to see the continuing interest in old historical phtograhic processes such as carbon as well as gravure work such as collotype and gravure.

Sandy

You may also be mixing me up with Kent Kirby who wrote the book on collotype. I'm just a humble artist/printmaker/photographer. (I did write a technical paper on film matrix collotype for Tamarind Papers years ago)

I've been experimenting with old processes since I learned cyanotype in 1980-81 in San Francisco. Also learned photogravure at the same time. A student and I made an oven and used Arnold Hassan's book to make our first collotype on gelatin on glass while I was teaching at the old California College of Arts and Crafts.

I would be doing more carbon transfer (I love the look) but I haven't seemed to be able to make the right color tissue I want - a black/red). I have built an 11x14" camera so I can get actual size negatives for my collotypes!

All the Best, Kent

[PRJ]

If you've had the scanner for a decade then you probably need to clean the optics. That includes the back of the scanner glass and the mirrors. That could easily account for the lack of sharpness.

[Steve Sherman]

Hi again, I really do appreciate all the suggestions, I get this error messages since I purchased the new IMac M-1. Someone suggested I needed to get an OEM cable, I did, direct THunderbolt to the Epson V700 The entire process happens with Vue Scan 2. I get a preview, I can adjust and change the Histogram and hit scan, I hear the scanner engage and the scanner travels across the neg. and then get the Screen Shot photo I have attached here. Shows an Error message, E581-B319, same one I have always gotten. Google search of that Epson error message has not yielded a solution. Also, why would I have an interest in purchasing software or a tutorial when the scanner works fine on the old I Mac 2011 machine. I only scan for social media reproductions, the quality is not the issue. Thanks for any further suggestions. SS

[kentrush]

If you've had the scanner for a decade then you probably need to clean the optics. That includes the back of the scanner glass and the mirrors. That could easily account for the lack of sharpness.

That's a good point - thanks for that!