epson v500, $125/free shipping

[astrosecret]

For this price why not? Can anyone NOT recommend it at this price for 6x7 scanning on a budget? I also intend on getting a plustek scanner for 35. this duo-scanner setup sounds like a great, inexpensive way to share my photographs online. Of course I will stick to wet printing for prints though.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/496399-REG/Epson_B11B189011_Perfection_V500_Flatbed_Photo.html

looks like a holiday special, since the rebates/shipping ends in several days

 

[bolohead]

I use the v500 and am happy scanning both 135 and medium format. If you are just sharing online, why wouldn't you just use the v500 to scan 35mm, too? With the savings, you could get the betterscanning film holders and maybe vuescan or silverfast.

 

[Nescio]

There's a shop in Barcelona that's offering the same machine at an outlet price of... 300 euros... Lucky you!

 

[astrosecret]

I already have vuescan so no splurging there. aftermarket holders will definitely be on my shortlist of things to buy. 35mm on flatbeds have never looked up to snuff for me when viewed large. I went ahead and ordered the v500 though for MF, maybe use it for 35 until i decide on a dedicated scanner. Looking at the scans of 6x7, I'm really psyched to start doing my own scanning instead of going to the lab!

 

[jmooney]

I'm looking at this as well.

I'd be scanning 6x6 or 6x9 and printing no bigger than 12X12 or 12X18 on an Epson 2880 (those would be the max print sizes, more common would be 8X8 or 8X12) would this scanner do the job?

 

[jordanstarr]

For $125, I don't think you'll beat it. Anything you intend on digital printing will need a better scanner though (if you want professional quality). I went from a Canoscan 9900F (similar specs to the v500) flatbed to a Nikon 8000, but will probably go back to a flatbed because it's overkill for web-viewing and I go to the darkroom for my printing escapades.

Show us some examples when you've started scanning.

 

[raid]

I am looking for a film scanner right now. My main goal is MF film scanning.

 

[Stuart John]

Well here's a sample from the V500, 35mm TriX

 

[raid]

Now that is a good scan.

 

[HuubL]

That's a great offer. I'm seriously considering buying one. Anybody knows if the AC adapter can be used with 220V in Europe as well? Anybody experience with importing to Netherlands from B&H, customs charges?

 

[andersju]

That's a great offer. I'm seriously considering buying one. Anybody knows if the AC adapter can be used with 220V in Europe as well? Anybody experience with importing to Netherlands from B&H, customs charges?

B&H has made it easy for international customers. If you add the scanner to your cart and go to checkout, choose country under "Calculate Shipping & Tax" and it will figure everything out for you. You can also choose whether you will let them handle the customs charges for you. The actual charges are probably unavoidable.

 

[LeicaM3]

Currently I am using a 3170.

Questions:
1) How much real world difference is there if I use a V500 for scanning MF and print 12x18?
2) The MF holder on the 3170 is suboptimal, is the V500 better?
3) How many 6x6 negs can I scan at one time?

Appreciate any feedback.
Thank you!

 

[HuubL]

B&H has made it easy for international customers. If you add the scanner to your cart and go to checkout, choose country under "Calculate Shipping & Tax" and it will figure everything out for you. You can also choose whether you will let them handle the customs charges for you. The actual charges are probably unavoidable.

Argh... Shipping + tax would add up to almost 300$. Than it's better ordered in Holland. Kamera Express charges 183 euro.

 

[jmooney]

Currently I am using a 3170.

Questions:
1) How much real world difference is there if I use a V500 for scanning MF and print 12x18?
2) The MF holder on the 3170 is suboptimal, is the V500 better?
3) How many 6x6 negs can I scan at one time?

Appreciate any feedback.
Thank you!

I'd love answers to these as well if anyone can share!

 

[Wahoo]

Currently I am using a 3170.

Questions:
1) How much real world difference is there if I use a V500 for scanning MF and print 12x18?
2) The MF holder on the 3170 is suboptimal, is the V500 better?
3) How many 6x6 negs can I scan at one time?

Appreciate any feedback.
Thank you!

I have the 3170 and the v500 but sorry, I can't answer any of your questions.

Reasons :
1) I've never printed any 12 x 18
2) I think the 3170 MF holder is Okay - I have never opened the v500 holders
and have no idea what they look like.
3) I only scan one 6x6 neg. at anyone time.
4) My 3170 is non-standard but lightly upgraded,
new caps, all joints re-wet with good quality solder etc.

I would say the v500 is better than 'my' 3170 but not by very much, IMHO
of course.

Top photo is 35mm > v500 and the other two are 3170 6x6 negs., apologies
because all have been posted before.

 

[PentHassyKon]

Curious how the V500 compares relative to the $190 V600 and Canon 9000
What features does one get by bumping up the extra $60 for either of these 2 scanners which are also via B&H Photo

 

[nolasafari]

For $125, I don't think you'll beat it. Anything you intend on digital printing will need a better scanner though (if you want professional quality). I went from a Canoscan 9900F (similar specs to the v500) flatbed to a Nikon 8000, but will probably go back to a flatbed because it's overkill for web-viewing and I go to the darkroom for my printing escapades.

Show us some examples when you've started scanning.

Picked up a Refurbished V500 from the Epson store for $109.00 to the door last week, it works great with the Epson Software. The scanner is pulling out details from negatives I shot back in 1980 that were so bad that I didn't even try to print them in 1980. I alos picked up a R1900 for $249.00 (New) to the door. The B&W prints are excellent. I know the V700/V750 and the R2880 are the best way to go but for $359.98 to the door how can you go wrong. I also bought some Red River sample packs, do a search for their discount code. Life is good.

 

[astrosecret]

Just set up the scanner. here's a scan of a MF negative through the epson software. I'm still playing with the specs but for a 1/30s photograph i find it to be a very sharp scan. RFF keeps resizing it and i don't know why, so here's a link to a bigger file: http://www.flickr.com/photos/recognitions/5285540477/lightbox/

 

[kuzano]

Currently I am using a 3170.

Questions:
1) How much real world difference is there if I use a V500 for scanning MF and print 12x18?
2) The MF holder on the 3170 is suboptimal, is the V500 better?
3) How many 6x6 negs can I scan at one time?

Appreciate any feedback.
Thank you!

The Medium Format holder is a POS. I'm on my second V500 and like the scanner, but the holders are SubSubOptimal. It takes forever to position the MF negs/trans, and the curl puts the film almost down on the glass in the center.

Based on the structure of the MF holder you can scan two 6X6 or one 6X9.

I am going to get the betterscanning holders, which will double the price of my scanner and still inexpensive at that. I paid $100 on Craigslist for my current V500 last week... LNIB with all docs and holders and software.

 

[astrosecret]

This is my initial test scanning with 35mm.

The first picture is the scan I got from the walgreens lab. i am pretty happy with the color balance and sharpness overall:

This is the initial, untouched scan by epson, not vuescan, with digital ICE:

you can see the rendition of color is not only different but in my opinion inferior to the lab scan. it's also not nearly as sharp. after some lightroom work, it looks more like the lab scan, and is also sharper than the initial scan:

I still think the lab scan is superior, in terms of color balance, resolution, etc. However, from a consumer level scanner, this is pretty good! You can also see that the lab cropped the negative without instruction to do so.