Scanner help please!

[Robert M.]

I just need the following advice and would appreciate any help. I have many old b/w 8x10, 5x7, and 4x5 negatives. What scanner within a decent price range would allow me to scan these and make quality enlargements say up to 16x20? Dose Epson make a scanner that some would recommend? Price range up to $1500.00. Thanks again!

[Greg Lockrey]

An Epson V750 will do a pretty decent job up to 16x20" for under $780.00. The 10,000xl for around $2800 is the next level, then used pro flat beds like Howtec and Creo for $3-5000 and up. New ones at $25-50K. Some will tell you that you need a drum scanner @ $15k and up but that all depends on your present needs.

[Robert M.]

Thanks but do I need some special holders for the film or can I just them flat in the scanner?

[Greg Lockrey]

Thanks but do I need some special holders for the film or can I just them flat in the scanner?

The Epsons come with holders, but there is an after marker holder maker that makes better ones (the name escapes me now, slight oldtimers). You can also wet mount with the V750 too, but for me it isn't worth the hassle, but others swear by it.

[Robert M.]

Just so I can scan 8x10 b/w negatives. Back when I was a news photographer I always ended up in the backshop after hours using a scanner made by Umax which worked great. I just layed the negatives in the scanner and scanned them just like prints. Have you ever tried the Umax? I have been retired about 6 years and the newspaper I worked at had two of them.

[Greg Lockrey]

Nope, I'm just a poor country from Michigan, I have just the Epson V750 and 10,000xl. I use the V750 for slides and negs with Silverfast and the 10,000xl for reflective artwork with the Epson program. Macs don't like to run both scanners with the Epson program, but that's another topic for a thread. It's capable of film also but the V750 is slightly better with 35mm film in Dmax range. The issue with laying the film on the platten is sometimes you pick up these contact rings.

[David Curtis]

I'd go for the V750. Not shure if they come with 8x10 holders. No shure but under the holders there are little white patches that tell the scanner what holder your useing anyway ive allways been happy with Epson.

[Ron Marshall]

An Epson 4990, the predecessor to the 750, would do well also, if you can find a refurb or used; it would be cheap.