Epson V750 as high-volume slide scanner?

[Dante_Stella]

I have about 4,000 slides to scan, and the desired output is 3000x2000 - so not crazy resolution. Can the Epson V750 do a serviceable job of 35mm slide scanning to achieve this? All I need is something sharp at that resolution.

...and before you even start, yes, I know that the best scans at 4000 or 5000dpi come out of dedicated film scanners.

I have a dedicated film scanner, but I can't realistically babysit it to do 1,000 changes of the 4-slide carrier - and automatic slide feeders present some jamming/damage risks I'd rather not take. I can always use the dedicated machine to redo ones that need critical enlargement.

Thanks

 

[maddoc]

The V700 can batch-scan slides very well and the V750 with coated optics should do better. 🙂

The only thing to do at first is finding the optimal height of the holder (adjustable via the plastic feet). Once tested and set, it works like charm (using the V700 since one and a half years for everything in 135 and 120).

 

[Dante_Stella]

Gabor -

Thanks. That's encouraging.

How is the 120 scanning with the carriers? Same story? I have a 120 scanner with a glass carrier, but it would also help to have a "cheap and dirty" solution too.

I was actually thinking about slapping down the Print File pages on the glass to make digital contact sheets... Ever tried that?

D

The V700 can batch-scan slides very well and the V750 with coated optics should do better. 🙂

The only thing to do at first is finding the optimal height of the holder (adjustable via the plastic feet). Once tested and set, it works like charm (using the V700 since one and a half years for everything in 135 and 120).

 

[Tuolumne]

The Epson scanners do excellent batch scanning. It's too late for images already mounted as slides, but I no longer have chromes mounted so I can batch scan them in strips on the Epson scanner. Just a suggestion for the future, since very few people actually project slides anymore.

/T

 

[mfogiel]

Dante,
There are a few problems:
- to get an optical 2000 dpi scan you need to scan at 6400 dpi on V750
- this will take ages
- even if you will live long enough, you have to "focus" the scans well, so you need to adjust the height of the holders somehow , MF is hopeless, unless you get a glass holder and you figure out how to use it with 2 glasses... When I was doing a double pass scan of MF slides, it took me 2 1/2 hours for each frame...
- even if you do all that, the Dmax will be crappy and the colours will need correcting

To sum it up: get the Nikon CS 9000, and if you don't like it by the time you are finished, you can sell it back here at a little loss.

Frankly, I was not suspecting this kind of question from YOU.

 

[Tuolumne]

Dante,
There are a few problems:
- to get an optical 2000 dpi scan you need to scan at 6400 dpi on V750
- this will take ages
- even if you will live long enough, you have to "focus" the scans well, so you need to adjust the height of the holders somehow , MF is hopeless, unless you get a glass holder and you figure out how to use it with 2 glasses... When I was doing a double pass scan of MF slides, it took me 2 1/2 hours for each frame...
- even if you do all that, the Dmax will be crappy and the colours will need correcting

To sum it up: get the Nikon CS 9000, and if you don't like it by the time you are finished, you can sell it back here at a little loss.

Frankly, I was not suspecting this kind of question from YOU.

I just pop mine in the scanner and let her rip. My results are fine by me. Perhaps I have weak standards, tho.

/T

 

[venchka]

Obviously different folks have different quality criteria. To my fussy but not obsessive eyes, 8x10 prints from either my ancient Epson 1680 or my friend's newer 4990 are perfectly acceptable. These prints come from heavily cropped 35mm, 120 or full sheets of 4x5. Theorectically, the 700/750 near twins shouldbe an improvement over the earlier scanners I have used.

YMMV

 

[benlees]

If you don't require fantastic quality the Epson is a great machine. I scan all my films as a contact sheet in Printfiles. Works great. Scam 'em at 720ppi. The quality is quite good. Can do 12 slides at once or 24 frames from strips with the film holders. Quite convenient, really. 120 film does not stay flat in the holders but it is very close.

Not sure if 6400ppi on the Epson works out to 2000ppi. Would love to see documentation on that. Once you get past the flatbed vs. film silliness the Epson reveals itself as a valuable tool. Keep in mind I don't print gallery stuff (not even sure what that means!) and am not that picky. I have printed 11x14 from 6x4.5 negs that looked good. I have also printed 12x18 from 35mm scans. One thing my wife did NOT say was "That looks like crap!" Again, ymmv.