Epson V700 Issue

[asd]

I scan films by V700 with the following settings:

Scanning software : Silverfast (Epson SE)
Scan type : 24 bit color
Image type : Landscape
Filter : Auto Sharpen

My film : 6x8mm (Fujifilm velvia 50)

1st scan : 6400 dpi that gives a 733 MB file. Open it in Photoshop 7.0 and enlarge to see the actual pixel, i.e. 100%, the image is not clear and sharp!

2nd scan : 2400 dpi that gives a 103 MB file. See it at actual pixel, image not clear...

Then, I try to scan at different dpi, such as 1800 and 1600 dpi, no luck...

Finally, scan at 1200 dpi which gives a 25 MB file, the image is sharp at actual pixel.

My questions are:

1. if I bring that 733MB file to printing company to get a 24"x30" print by photo paper, will the image be sharp?

2. if I bring that 25MB (1200 dpi) to have a 24"x30" print by photo paper, will the image NOT sharp?

3. Why not the image be sharp when scanned by high resulotion?

[Joanna Carter]

I scan films by V700 with the following settings:

Scanning software : Silverfast (Epson SE)
Scan type : 24 bit color
Image type : Landscape
Filter : Auto Sharpen

Don't use auto-sharpen.

My film : 6x8mm (Fujifilm velvia 50)

Well, I hope your film is not 6x8mm - 1/4" wide film??? I think you mean 6cm x 8cm.

1st scan : 6400 dpi that gives a 733 MB file. Open it in Photoshop 7.0 and enlarge to see the actual pixel, i.e. 100%, the image is not clear and sharp!

Scanning at anything more than 2400ppi is a waste of effort on a V700, there is no more detail to be had.

2nd scan : 2400 dpi that gives a 103 MB file. See it at actual pixel, image not clear...

Then, I try to scan at different dpi, such as 1800 and 1600 dpi, no luck...

Finally, scan at 1200 dpi which gives a 25 MB file, the image is sharp at actual pixel.

My questions are:

1. if I bring that 733MB file to printing company to get a 24"x30" print by photo paper, will the image be sharp?

2. if I bring that 25MB (1200 dpi) to have a 24"x30" print by photo paper, will the image NOT sharp?

3. Why not the image be sharp when scanned by high resulotion?

You are trying to scan 6cm x 8cm film and that has its limitations as to the maximum size that can be printed easily.

Scanning a 6cm x 8cm image at 2400ppi will give you a working image of 60cm x 80cm (24" x 32") at 240ppi.

If you view such an image on screen at 100%, then you will start to see softness simply because you are seeing close to the grain level of the film and, thus, not be able to see the image for the grain.

Instead of trying to sharpen at the scanning stage, you need to sharpen in Photoshop and, but don't expect the image to appear sharp when viewed at 100% on screen; this is the equivalent to viewing a print with a powerful lupe.

[Ken Lee]

"Scanning at anything more than 2400ppi is a waste of effort on a V700, there is no more detail to be had".

Very nicely stated !

At higher settings, you will get a larger file, but for all practical purposes, there is no more detail to be had: Just more pixels.

One way to squeeze a little more detail out of the Epson scanners, is to adjust the height of the film, to place it in optimum focus. See BetterScanning.

[Joanna Carter]

One way to squeeze a little more detail out of the Epson scanners, is to adjust the height of the film, to place it in optimum focus. See BetterScanning.

Thanks for mentioning that Ken, I have one of Doug's mounting stations and cannot recommend it highly enough; it really makes a noticeable difference.

[asd]

Thanks for replies.

Then, I don't know why produce a scanner with scanning resolution higher than 2400 dpi...

[Kuzano]

Thanks for replies.

Then, I don't know why produce a scanner with scanning resolution higher than 2400 dpi...

Typical scanner double speak... Can't think of a scanner I have ever had that acheived the stated resolution. It's all interpolation, smoke, and mirrors. If you reverted to a scanner that stated 2400, you wouldn't get that, either.

Even if the scanner reached top resolution, none of your peripheral devices could take advantage of the increase.

Get a better medium format holder. Wonderful scanner which came with HORRIFIC film holders. Get the BetterScanning MF holder with the ANR glass. You'll hardly ever get a good scan with what came in the box. Incredible mistake on Epsons part, and the only real mistake in the package.

Forego the Silverfast SE and open Photoshop first. Then "acquire" your image (file menu) from within Photoshop (it opens the basic scanner SW), and see what you come up with.

Scan at 2400.

[Ken Lee]

Manufacturers of consumer-grade flatbed scanners over-state their numbers for marketing purposes, and/or they use a different testing methodology than we do. At the same time, their scanners are affordable, available, and portable - so it's hard for us to complain.

For Medium Format and smaller film, you can purchase a Nikon Super COOLSCAN 900 ED, a non-flatbed film scanner which will give you 4000 spi. It will let you scan down to the film grain (or dye clouds).

You can also have your film scanned by a competent professional who uses a much more expensive scanner like a drum scanner or high-end flatbed - or you can move up to a... larger format

The same Epson scanner you are using, makes lovely images from 4x5 and larger.

[Clement Apffel]

Then, I don't know why produce a scanner with scanning resolution higher than 2400 dpi...

The Epson marketing line on low-end flatbeds is smoke and mirrors indeed.
On their website you can read that the v750 optical resolution is 6400x9600 dpi...

Non-sense

They give the optical definition using "dpi" unit instead of pixels... and calling it resolution... just random mixed infos.
(Actually I’ve seen the error being quoted as truth by many online tests !)

The optical rez is actually around 840dpi in the width and 960dpi in the length. Anything above this is interpolation.
A scan made at 840dpi upsized to 2400dpi on photoshop and a scan made at 2400dpi look like twins. Same quality. Actually same blurry soup.

I have the same problem that you are facing now : I own the 4870 and I’m VERY disappointed. it suffers the exact same misinformation from Epson and almost the same optical rez. 840dpi.
To my quality standards any scans that come out from that thing can't be printed larger than 8x10". (from 4x5" negs)
I'm thinking about purchasing the betterscaning fluid mounting kit for the 4870.
But I would like to test it before or see scan samples from users.
And I don't know if this scan worth a 100$ additional accessory anyway.

But so far each scan on this device is a disappointment.
In the end, those scanners are ok for contact scans or x2 enlargements. But certainly not above that.

That said, I have to remind that I cannot wait more quality from a 500$ scanner.
You pay for what you get. No matter what the Epson tech doc says.

I’m just waiting to have the $$$ to purchase a Premier or an IQsmart 3.
Meanwhile I have my scans done by pros that own the scanners I want… which is a quite expansive solution as well if you ask me...

[Ken Lee]

"The optical rez is actually around 840dpi in the width and 960dpi in the length. Anything above this is interpolation.
A scan made at 840dpi upsized to 2400dpi on photoshop and a scan made at 2400dpi look like twins. Same quality. Actually same blurry soup."

When I get home this evening, I am going to try this on my Epson 4990.

My recollection is that others have tested these scanners using resolution targets, and have concluded that when set to 2400 and above, they deliver around 2100 spi.

[venchka]

Clement,

Take a look at Ken Lee's galleries. He uses the Betterscanning fluid mounting station with an Epson 4990. That is what I remember reading in his technical area.