Espon V850 and Better Scanning wet scan holder

[Steven Ruttenberg]

So, I just got my replacement V850, the other two Epson sent had dirt on the inside of the glass. This one does, but not in image area. Any, I am trying to calibrate the focus using the Better Scanning set up again only this time, I have run the range of 0 adj all the way out to 3 or 4 full turns and the image doesn't seem to get better or worse. In fact, in Vuescan, the preview images look great, but the image after scan looks like crap and when I open in PS, looks like crap. What I am I doing wrong? The slide is absolutely focused tack sharp over the entire depth of field.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

Here is what I am doing. I am doing the preview scan then selecting an area to do final scan on to scan at output resolution faster. Could this be the issue? Because the preview scans of the whole image look tack sharp, even at various height settings the preview looks better than the final image?

[Steven Ruttenberg]

And if I save the whole preview image it is sharp. So I don't get it? Is the scanner busted from the factory?

[minh0204]

This sounds more of a software than a hardware problem. May I suggest that you retry the procedure (scanning a small section at different heights) with Epson Scan?

[Steven Ruttenberg]

Sure. It will be a week though on the road. Interesting comparison I scanned full slide a at 1000 dpi and it was sharper than scanned crop.

[Doug Fisher]

Steve -

Are you sure that you have "film with film holder" selected in the software? This not being set correctly is often the reason for the problem you describe. You have to check this each time before you hit the scan button to make sure it has not changed.

Doug

[Steven Ruttenberg]

I will check this but I don't believe Vuescan has that as an option. When I first got the holder I calibrated it with 1 full turn and things great. Got replacement scanner now being difficult. I was trying to caliber ate at can resolution of 4000 dpi by choosing a section of preview scan. I am wondering if this is the issue in that it is not only scanning just that area, but it is enlarging it as well. I did a quickie 1000dpi full scan with Better scanning glass directly on scanner be film between the t would and that looked better.

I am starting to think a scan of the full image needs to be done in order to properly calibrate and could use lower scan dpi like 1500-2000 for expediency. Just a thought.

[Doug Fisher]

>>I will check this but I don't believe Vuescan has that as an option. <<

While it sounds like you have solved your issue, for future reference, Vuescan does have this setting although it uses slightly different wording compared to EpsonScan. This is how the scanner knows which of its two lenses to use.

For the Epson flatbeds, a piece of exposed and developed film with a cross-hatch pattern lightly scratched across it with a very fine/sharp needle can be a useful focus testing pattern. Run your test scans at 3200 ppi. The ripples along the edge of the scratch often provide the best detail to use for judgement. That way, you don't have to worry about whether you had your camera lens focused well and/or that you are choose an evaluation subject in the scene that was in the intended plan of focus (which seems might have been what tripped you up during your last test).

Doug

[Steven Ruttenberg]

>>I will check this but I don't believe Vuescan has that as an option. <<

While it sounds like you have solved your issue, for future reference, Vuescan does have this setting although it uses slightly different wording compared to EpsonScan. This is how the scanner knows which of its two lenses to use.

For the Epson flatbeds, a piece of exposed and developed film with a cross-hatch pattern lightly scratched across it with a very fine/sharp needle can be a useful focus testing pattern. Run your test scans at 3200 ppi. The ripples along the edge of the scratch often provide the best detail to use for judgement. That way, you don't have to worry about whether you had your camera lens focused well and/or that you are choose an evaluation subject in the scene that was in the intended plan of focus (which seems might have been what tripped you up during your last test).

Doug

That sounds like a plan. I was gonna buy a test target, but your method is a lot cheaper! What does Vuescan call it? Maybe I have it set wrong and dont know it.

Thanks for the help!

[IanBarber]

can you show screen shots of the Input and Output tab of VueScan