Epson V700 - Scanning medium format

pschauss

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When I try to scan my medium format negatives using the holders which came with the scanner some of them come out misaligned. The first one or two on each row usually come out correctly but the others part of one frame appended to part of the next one.

I have this problem with 6x6 as well as 6x4.5. My 35mm negatives scan perfectly even when the images are not spaced evenly on the film. I did check that I had the correct film sized setting on the configuration page.

What am I missing?

Thanks,
 
Peter,
I presume you are using Epson Scan? I don't mind it in general, purely on the basis of my results, although it does get some bad press, and can be glitchy. I've had the same problem you're experiencing with both 35mm and medium format at times. The issue is confined to the thumbnail view, which I prefer using most of the time because of the ability to flip images pre-scan etc. I don't have an answer to your question, sorry, but you can select the Normal tab at the top of the preview window, which will always give you the view of the full scanner bed from which to select multiple frames and crop them manually.
Cheers
Brett
 
Scanning is a learned skill. The Epson software is fine you just have to learn how to use it, and as you have to learn how to use any scanning software. I think that Chris Crawford has a scanning tutorial on you tube. Take a look at it, and try to learn. But basically anything that does not let the software choose the results for you is the best method.

As Keith says you will not get great results unless you use Professional Mode.
 
What am I missing?

Are the images properly exposed?

If you are allowing the scanning software to automatically select each frame, it can get confused if part of the frame is very underexposed. There won't be enough contrast between the underexposed frame and the blank space before the next frame.

If you can show an example if would be easy to see if this is the issue.
 
I only have this issue if
-the framesize is defined wrong (you have to tell hinm whether it is 6x4.5 or 6x6 or 6x9 or...)
-there is severe underexposure on part of the frame (evenm if not a faulty exposure but e.g. a concert scene with spotlights and a dark fore/background)

otherwise my V700 medium format scans are great (epson sw, original holders)
 
I get this with my V800. Unless the first is absolutely bang on, the rest just seem to get progressively out in Professional mode, whether or not they are very thin and indeed, with the correct framelines suggested. Scanning software seems to have so many quirks it drives me potty at times (or pottier).
 
It happens sometimes - just scan in (I think it's called) area mode, where it scans the entire scanner surface, film holder and all, and then manually select a frame, zoom in, and then set your histogram as usual. After scanning the frame, simply drag the scanning area dotted outline to the adjacent frame and zoom in again, making any small adjustments to the scan area. Repeat.
 
@OP: If you are using EPSON Scan, you may have failed to set the film size correctly. The control is manual and located "in a locked filing cabinet in a disused man's lavatory with a sign on the door saying 'beware of the leopard'" (read: Professional Mode: Configuration: Film Size tab).
 
Thanks for all of your suggestions. I clicked on the "Normal" tab on the preview screen. This shows all of the negative strips and allows me to crop the images as needed.
 
Related problem. In professional mode my V800 in thumbnail mode has recently started cropping all 35mm to 35mm x 20.4mm, which means a loss of a lot of negative. However hard I try I cannot adjust to the correct dimensions. In normal mode I can individually create the correct frame, but how do I automate it to scan the entire 18 individual 35mm frames on the template?

Help much appreciated!
 
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