Flatbed MF holders

[wintoid]

I used to have an Epson 4990 and struggled with the 120 film holders. I bought Doug Fisher's Betterscanning holders with the anti-newton glass, and saw some improvement. I still have the Betterscanning holder, but the Epson went about a year ago.

My question is this.... Ignoring the Betterscanning holder, which recent flatbeds have really good holders for 120 that don't let the film sag?

 

[sleepyhead]

Hello, I'm sorry I can't answer your question as I also have the Epson 4990. I'd like to buy your MF Fisher holder if you're interested in selling it, though.

Will send PM in a moment.

 

[kaiyen]

I have never seen a good stock holder that doesn't have major limitations one way or another. Get another epson and hopefully still use doug's holder.

 

[kuzano]

I tried to get that answer... no luck

I tried to get that answer... no luck

I looked and read and came to the conclusion that the manufacturers of consumer level flat beds regard the film holders as an afterthought. Since their scanners are multipurpose, they do not seem interested in creating really good film holders and pricing the scanner accordingly. So, I bought my scanner based on also buying aftermarket holders. I was going to get a V750, but I decided to get a V500 for $200, plus another $100 for the holder and then get professional scans for the limited amount of 4X5 that I shoot. At that, I'm in medium format, with a good holder for half the price of the V750 for which I would still have to spring for two aftermarket holders... medium and 4X5.

I think it's a waste of time to make a consumer flatbed scanner purchase in the hope that they will send along a holder that actually holds film flat.

 

[wintoid]

What a pity. I've gotten so far down the wet printing route, and found that the Durst enlarger I picked up has fantastic holders, including anti newton glass. I suppose that's its primary purpose, so you would expect it, but even so it's disappointing that there isn't a good flatbed holder.

I'm considering the V500 actually, but also this weird Durst Colorcopy 350 thing which would let me scan negs with my DSLR. I'll hang on to my Betterscanning holder for now until I've made up my mind.

 

[rogue_designer]

The glass holder for the Epson 9000 is pretty good. But the holder is rarely in stock. And the standard holder is woefully inadequate.

As for recent flatbeds with good holders. I've not found any. I've been using low tack tape and doug's holders with the ANR inserts.

 

[lZr]

I also have 4990. I never got Newton rings. I think the holder is very good as is for good negatives/positives

 

[Arvay]

I had 4870 Epson with Betterscaning frames but then sold it as I bought Nikon 8000.
Recently I step into LF and felt I had done smth wrong havng 4870 sold.
Last week I came across HP G4050 in some shop for a USD 220 price and took it. Althoug I was quite sceptic on this flatbed performance I thought that ot will be fine to have previews on computer to decide what to print.
I can say I was impressed with the quality of the first tests of it. Using it with the VueScan I got some results that are quite close to Nikon's quality (not similar, but...)
HP G4050

Nikon 8000

 

[rich815]

I also have 4990. I never got Newton rings. I think the holder is very good as is for good negatives/positives

Right there with you. Never had a problem with the stock holders for 120 with my 4990.

 

[joachim]

I can say I was impressed with the quality of the first tests of it. Using it with the VueScan I got some results that are quite close to Nikon's quality (not similar, but...)

What Filmstock are you using? Colour neg or slide? -Ta-

 

[Arvay]

What Filmstock are you using? Colour neg or slide? -Ta-

This was a color neg film Kodak Portra 400 NC

I've just tested my LF Toyo with 6x9 filmback with Acros 100 and Rodenstock Geronar 210 wide open. HEre it is (without after cleaning). Just a test, so the object is weird but has lines to check the sharpness🙂
HP G4050

 

[kaiyen]

Wow - the 4990 holder must be pretty good, then. The one for the 4490...not so much.

The option of the AN insert for the BetterScanning holder was the deal-maker for me.

 

[rich815]

Wow - the 4990 holder must be pretty good, then. The one for the 4490...not so much.

The option of the AN insert for the BetterScanning holder was the deal-maker for me.

The 4990 holder is certainly adequate. I think perhaps some of my satisfaction with it comes from comparison to the awful, and I mean awful, 120 holders that came with my earlier 1200U unit and 2450 unit. I had ordered and used the betterscanning.com holder for my 2450 and liked it well enough but found the t-lock bracket pieces used to hold the film in place would too often pop out and also varied in their tension-holding abilities over time.

I considered the holder that allows adjustment of height but after an experiment using differing thicknesses of post-it notes under my Epson holder found that anything above the height of the holder without adjustments was actually softer for my unit so that would have been useless. The betterscanning.com unit I have now certainly works with my 4990 but only holds a single strip of 120 film while the Epson holder holds three and allows me to scan six 6x6 frames without having to adjust or change out the negs. The Epson holder is of a flimsier plastic than the betterscanning.com unit but as said is much more sturdy than the 1200U and 2450 holders and does the job well-enough without any problems. For $70 + shipping and going from 3 channels of strips to one it simply was not worth the extra cost to me. And of course that cost without any of the AN glass even if I had newton rings problems which I do not.

 

[kaiyen]

Rich
I forgot that the transparency section of the 4990 is so big. That makes sense.

The T-locks were never good for me. I got the AN insert as soon as it came out.