lines on 4x5 neg scans on epson v700

[Wade Guisbert]

I'm a neophyte. I scanned 4X5 color negs and get a thin blue line on the exterem left side. It does not happen with 35mm or with reflective copies. Anyone else have this problem? Any ideas? I'm going to try some 645 slides (I just now thought to try those). I'll post results sometime this afternoon of the 645 .

[Joanna Carter]

I'm a neophyte. I scanned 4X5 color negs and get a thin blue line on the exterem left side. It does not happen with 35mm or with reflective copies. Anyone else have this problem? Any ideas? I'm going to try some 645 slides (I just now thought to try those). I'll post results sometime this afternoon of the 645.

Check the calibration area of the scanner glass. If there is any mark or dirt in that area, it can produce this kind of line.

[Wade Guisbert]

I scanned 645 slides in the same area of the glass, and there was no problem! I also noticed some "white artifacts" on the negative scan that are definitely not on the negative. These are linear in nature, and don't resemble the "Newtonian rings" I've read about in other posts. Also there appears to be more dust specks on the scan that are defintately not on the negative itself.

I have some 4X5 slides to process in the next couple of days, I'll try those, and relate back.

[Frank Petronio]

The calibration area at the top (rear?) of the glass platen needs to be clear or all kinds of mischief like that takes place. That's why the Epson film holders have that area cut out.

[Joanna Carter]

I scanned 645 slides in the same area of the glass, and there was no problem!

It's not the scanning area that is the problem, as Frank says, it is the calibration area at the rear of the film holder that is where these problems come from.

[Wade Guisbert]

Joanna & Frank,

May God richly bless the both of you in the upcoming decade.

I thought I cleaned that glass as fully as I possibly could have, but because of your posts I looked closer. The funny thing was that since the "line" was on the left of the scan on the picture, I looked on the left of the scanner.

Then it dawned on me to look on the right, and there it was.

I wish they would provide a physical book-type manual with these things instead of an easy start-up sheet, and a downloaded "help". I would have not known what a calibration area was without your description.

I hope this helps others in the future!

[LesA]

Thanks Wade, Joanna and Frank,

I was having the same problem. My 4x5 negs were getting a line in the same position every time. I scanned a document - no line. I scanned a neg laid directly on the glass centered on the glass - line returned. I moved the neg to the far left on the glass - no line. I moved the neg to the far right on the glass - line returned but was positions different than before. I printed this scan and measure the position of the line - 2 1/4" for the right. A friend had sent this link to me and I read through it carefully. Then I looked at the glass on the lid of the scanner. About 2 1/4" from the right and about 1/2" from the hinge edge of the glass and found a tiny piece of lint. I flicked it off and rescanned - no line! It seems strange that a single piece of lint in this area can make a line across the scanning surface.

Thanks to all of you for the help.