Lower cost scanner for 4x5 slides

[trink408]

I'm looking for opinions/advice on a lower cost scanner that would work well for scanning velvia 4x5 slides and printing up to 11x14 images at home. I'm not sure how high quality the scanner has to be in order to print a nice image that size...

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

thanks

[Skorzen]

I picked up a used epson 3200 and it does pretty well. For slides ICE might be nice, you can find the 4990's for not too much I think (I do mostly B&W and ICE doesn't work on that).

[Jim Jones]

Skorzen is right. My Epson Perfection 2450 Photo has given years of good service in scanning 4x5 B&W negs. It's all that's need to work with an Epson 3800 printer.

[Ron Marshall]

Epson sometimes sells refurbished 4990s on its website:

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/BuyEpson/ccProductCategory.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=-13268

[elliotwr]

Since Epson's discontinuation of the 4990 I've found it increasingly difficult to find a lower cost scanner. The cheapest scanner Epson offers us now is the $500 V700. Hardly what I consider cheap, but that's just me. Try looking on Amazon or ebay for used 4900's or the Epson 3200. The 2450 should also be sufficient for 11x14 prints. Good luck!

[trink408]

Thanks for the replies guys!

I didn't realize the 4990s were discontinued until I tired finding one online, I noticed the newer epsons were either much more money, or pretty cheap.

I was reading some about the microtek i800 pro, but the reviews didn't look that positive...

[vinny]

This question comes up about once a week.
I purchased an epson 3200 several years ago when it was new and opinions of it were high. It's a good paperweight. It doesn't handle velvia very well that's for sure. Forget about sharpness. I replaced that with an imacon and the difference was very noticable all around. I began shooting 8x10 and needed something bigger so last year i picked up a screen drum scanner for less than the price of the epson. Results are identical to tango scans from west coast imaging. Sharpening will only get you so far. Shooting 4x5 seems a bit overkill when you throw mediocre scans in the middle of the process. Using a roll film back and using one of the nikon scanners would yield better results. Do plenty of research.

[Brian Ellis]

For 11x14 and smaller prints from 4x5 film a 4990 or 700/750 will do about 95% of what a drum scanner will do with most images. In other words, assuming operators of equal ability and prints 11x14 or smaller you wouldn't be able to see the difference between a print from those scanners and a print of the same image from a drum scan except with a side-by-side comparison and then the difference would be minimal, mostly a little more detail in a deep shadow area if there was detail there to begin with. At least that's been my experience with having drum scans made from negatives that I had previously scanned on my home scanner (a Heidelberg flat bed something or other back then, a 4990 now). Then again, maybe the operators of the drum scanners were incompetent. I'd much rather have a scan from a 700/750 operated by someone who's very good at what they're doing than a drum scan from someone who doesn't know what they're doing or doesn't care.

[Alan Davenport]

The Epson 2450 does a decent job for making up to 16x20 prints from 4x5 film. Any newer model should be better.

[Rider]

On advice of folks here, I got a refurb Epson 4990 from Epson's website. I have a 20x24 print on the wall that looks pretty darn nice.


For 11x14 and smaller prints from 4x5 film a 4990 or 700/750 will do about 95% of what a drum scanner will do with most images. In other words, assuming operators of equal ability and prints 11x14 or smaller you wouldn't be able to see the difference between a print from those scanners and a print of the same image from a drum scan except with a side-by-side comparison and then the difference would be minimal, mostly a little more detail in a deep shadow area if there was detail there to begin with. At least that's been my experience with having drum scans made from negatives that I had previously scanned on my home scanner (a Heidelberg flat bed something or other back then, a 4990 now). Then again, maybe the operators of the drum scanners were incompetent. I'd much rather have a scan from a 700/750 operated by someone who's very good at what they're doing than a drum scan from someone who doesn't know what they're doing or doesn't care.

[coops]

shooting 8x10 and needed something bigger so last year i picked up a screen drum scanner for less than the price of the epson.

What is a screen scanner?
I have an Epson 3200 and get very soft scans with anything other than prints. I figured it didn't focus because of the extra height of the image while in the holder.
Perhaps it's just getting old.

[Wayne]

I'm looking for opinions/advice on a lower cost scanner that would work well for scanning velvia 4x5 slides and printing up to 11x14 images at home. I'm not sure how high quality the scanner has to be in order to print a nice image that size...

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

thanks

Better get in line, see my recent thread. I've already scoured the web for new or used 4990s and there aint any. I called at least 10 places that list them on their website as "in stock", but of course they arent. Epson only updates their used stock list and web site once a month according to a supervisor there, they wont put anyone on a waiting list, and there are probably a dozen of us waiting to pounce when one shows up there. I'm starting to reconsider the Microtek i800 despite the dreadful reviews, because it may be a very long wait for anything better for less than $550.

Wayne

[trink408]

Better get in line, see my recent thread. I've already scoured the web for new or used 4990s and there aint any. I called at least 10 places that list them on their website as "in stock", but of course they arent. Epson only updates their used stock list and web site once a month according to a supervisor there, they wont put anyone on a waiting list, and there are probably a dozen of us waiting to pounce when one shows up there. I'm starting to reconsider the Microtek i800 despite the dreadful reviews, because it may be a very long wait for anything better for less than $550.

Wayne

I had a feeling that would be the case, I was browsing around online some and couldn't find any at all. Wonder why Epson didn't come out with a comparable model in the same price range, it seems pretty obvious that the 4990 was popular?

I was debating on the i800 as well, but some of the reviews I found were rather disheartening...

[Matus Kalisky]

What about the Canon 8800f ? Does anybody here has an experience? I found a review on : http://www.stockholmviews.com/ (http://www.stockholmviews.com/canon_8800f_review/8800fpage1.html)

I would be also interested ..

[mrladewig]

What about the Canon 8800f ? Does anybody here has an experience? I found a review on : http://www.stockholmviews.com/ (http://www.stockholmviews.com/canon_8800f_review/8800fpage1.html)

I would be also interested ..

That Scanner will not scan 4X5. It maxes out at 120 film. I'm kicking myself now that the 4990 is discontinued and the V700/V750 cost an arm and leg.

[Scott --]

I started out with an HP ScanJet 5370C that'd do 4x5. Scans were good enough for some full-page publications. Bought it used for $30. Would sell it for that, too, plus shipping (wink wink)... :D

[steve barry]

scott - the HP ScanJet 5370C will do a 4x5 neg in one shot?

[Scott --]

Yeah, the transparency window is 5x5".

[steve barry]

scott - you wouldn't have any example scans would you? I mean, ive got a cheap flat bed scanner that if it had a bigger light in the lid, i would be more than happy with for my 4x5 stuff....this sounds pretty much just like what i have, but with a bigger light in the lid.

[stompyq]

What about the EPSON Perfection V200 it looks like a cheaper alternative to the v700 with out all the fancy software?
http://www.creativepro.com/story/news/25636.html

[gari beet]

I have a Canon 9950f and am more than happy with it, around the same cost as a 4990 afaikr.

Gari

[steve barry]

stompyq - i dont think that scanner will cover 4x5 in one pass???? if it will please let me know. but from what i can see on epsons and others website - it will cover the width of two strips of 35mm film + holder. i am in the same spot with my epson scanner I have now - its fine for 120, but anything wider and you have to devise a holder for the 4x5 film, and scan one side of the film, then flip it, scan the other side - then stitch it in PS. alot of work considering with a proper scanner you could scan a sheet of 4x5 in 30 seconds by just pressing go.

[Dave Moeller]

As I post this (Monday, 1:20pm Eastern time), Epson is showing refurbished 4990's in their Clearance Center.

[Wayne]

Those are 4490s

[Dave Moeller]

On my screen, the 2nd scanner in the 2nd row has this name: Epson Perfection 4990 PHOTO - Refurbished. (That's copied-and-pasted from the site.) It's still there as of now. The link on the scanner name goes to: http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/consumer/consDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=63063319

[steve barry]

god damn, someone beat me to it, but it was there for sure. i saw it, ordered it, but by the time i could fill in my credit card info, it was sold and now they are out again.

[Wayne]

On my screen, the 2nd scanner in the 2nd row has this name: Epson Perfection 4990 PHOTO - Refurbished. (That's copied-and-pasted from the site.) It's still there as of now. The link on the scanner name goes to: http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/consumer/consDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=63063319

You were right Dave, I saw it too.


Wayne

[Kuzano]

people are bidding them up to V700 prices... every time.

[Bjorn Nilsson]

What about the EPSON Perfection V200 it looks like a cheaper alternative to the v700 with out all the fancy software?
http://www.creativepro.com/story/news/25636.html

It only takes 35mm negs. You have to start at V700 to get 4x5 capability.

//Björn

[Mark Carstens]

god damn, someone beat me to it, but it was there for sure. i saw it, ordered it, but by the time i could fill in my credit card info, it was sold and now they are out again.

Sorry, Steve. That was me. :o

If it's any solace at all, it took me a near-miss a few months back to land one myself -- saw one in inventory, and mulled it over just long enough to miss it. Since I had already pre-registered this time round with my shipping address, it was just a matter of logging in and adding payment info.

Also, for future reference, when I tried to order earlier in the day yesterday, I couldn't get the scanner to load in my cart, but kept checking back. I thought I'd missed the boat again, but when I re-visited later, refurbed 4990's were still listed. WTH! Maybe Epson had a small multiple of refurbs that they listed in succession, or something like that...who knows? In short, if it's listed, but won't load in your cart, persist and you may luck out like I did.

~Mark

[steve barry]

Hey Mark - no need to apologize for being quicker than me. :) i did the same thing - mulled it over JUST long enough. ill find something though.

[Mark Carstens]

Thanks, Steve. Better luck in the future!

[Wayne]

Sorry, Steve. That was me. :o
~Mark

No, it was you AND me. When I made my order they said there was one more. That must have been you. Poor Steve. :eek:

[Mark Carstens]

So you lucked out too, then, Wayne? Sweet.

Glad to see these are going to forum members. :p

[walter23]

V200 looks like it's 35mm only. I might be wrong.

[John Hannon]

I gave up looking for the 4990 and just ordered a V700 based on all the good reviews I have read. I have been suffering with an old Kodak RFS 3570 (scsi) film scanner and a Microtek Scanmaker 6000 (flatbed).

[steve barry]

good news - i found an epson 3200 scanner at a thrift shop here for, big money. five bones. here is my first test scan - the problems with the photo are on the negative - dunno what happened. but i am way more than happy with the scanner. its perfect.

[Kuzano]

I gave up looking for the 4990 and just ordered a V700 based on all the good reviews I have read. I have been suffering with an old Kodak RFS 3570 (scsi) film scanner and a Microtek Scanmaker 6000 (flatbed).

Obviously the mythical magic of the 4990 has stunned some people into senselessness. I have been watching the 4990's refurbd (and not seen any for more than a few minutes on the Epson site), and the used prices on eBay. People are going nuts, often paying as much as new V700's.

My worry is that I would find a slightly used MINTY 4990 on eBay, buy it and have the seller throw it haphazardly into a crap box with styro peanuts, and not lock down the imager. Then ship it ground from Urbana Illinois to Bend Oregon by DHL.

I also really don't want a refurb. I have seen posts on this very forum, and others, about people with refurbs having focus problems. I think there is a risk involved with a dis-assembled scanner being re-aligned properly on assembly, even by Epson. I had a friend who was a wizard technician on Printers, but would never work on Inkjets after doing a couple. He said the shortcuts taken on original assembly, ie tabbed placement, screws without location collars, etc, precluded any "post-assembly line" re-alignment. I suspect that is true of scanners as well.

If I can convince my self I only need Medium Format scanning I am going with the V500. But, I think it's more likely I will wait on the V700.

[John Hannon]

My worry is that I would find a slightly used MINTY 4990 on eBay, buy it and have the seller throw it haphazardly into a crap box with styro peanuts, and not lock down the imager. Then ship it ground from Urbana Illinois to Bend Oregon by DHL.

If I can convince my self I only need Medium Format scanning I am going with the V500. But, I think it's more likely I will wait on the V700.

I know what you mean, I am nervous enough with a new one being shipped.

BTW, I see V700's on Newegg.com for $309 ("open box"-- scratches..hopefully not on the scanning surfaces!) With a limited 15 day refund only return policy. I bought my new one there.

I am glad Steve was able to find a good scanner and I hope the OP finds something good too.

--John

[Wayne]

Good for you Steve! My scanner arrived and the Photoshop Elements software keeps crashing before it fully loads. Hmmm...We're off to a slow start. They are replacing the CD saying its defective but I suspect other conflicts are causing it. As to potential focus issues, I got the 2 year warranty so I'm not worried about that.


Wayne

[Sam Clarke]

I have been using an epson 3200 photo and it seems to work quite well for my purposes, which is printing at home using an Epson 2200. The scanner is a few years old so I expect the model has now been replaced by an equivalent model with a new number.

[Ted Harris]

Over the past 3-4 years the 3200 has been replaced sequentially with the 4870, 4990 and now the V700/750. Each new iteration has had very slightly better performance bu the differences are incremental.