Has anyone tried the betterscanning.com film holders?

[mr_phillip]

I really like my Epson V700 scanner, with the exception of the medium format holder. It's as flimsy as hell and nearly impossible to get film to lie flat.

So I'm thinking about springing for the betterscanning.com holder and a couple of plates of their anti-newton ring glass (I really like ADOX/Efke fillms but they curl like fly-paper). Has anyone tried these holders and care to comment on the benefits?

Cheers

 

[dazedgonebye]

I have the medium format single strip hoder from them.
It took my scanning from "difficult and dismal" to "much easier and acceptable."
I know that doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement, but I've got a cheap old refurb scanner and I can be pretty haphazard in my technique...so my shortcommings are mostly my fault.

 

[rich815]

My god are the V700 holders worse than the ones for the 4990? I have not seen the holders for the V700 but find the ones for the 4990 more than adequate. Especially vs, the ones for the 1200U and 2450. They got progressively better I thought maybe with the V700 that continued...

 

[mr_phillip]

The 35mm holders for the V700 are ok but the MF ones are the suck!

 

[DCourter]

I got Doug Fisher's Dual Channel MF Holder for my V750 in January. I hated the Epson ones. Doug's are very well made, easy to use and keep the film much flatter. Well worth the 75.00.

Dan

 

[AusDLK]

Ditto. Doug's a great guy and very helpful in the use of his products.

If you have medium format film to scan, you cannot spend a better $75 (or whatever it ends up costing you).

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

but the MF ones are the suck!

Ach! Methinks I'll borrow dar phrase from now on. Thanks!

 

[NickTrop]

Great thread. Thanks for the endorsements. Was thinking of picking one up for MF. Think I will.

 

[Madrigal]

The guy I bought my Epson 4490 from sold me the 120 holder he'd gotten from Doug as well. I haven't even tried the stock holder. At some point I may get the glass Doug offers, too, if I get good and tired of the occasional Newton rings 🙄

 

[palec]

I have MF holder for v700. The original Epson is unusable. If you have curly films then glass insert(s) is(are) must-have, too.

 

[clintock]

On this thread- http://flickr.com/groups/tlr/discuss/72157594237812986/
there's a clever trick using flat toothpicks in a canon MF holder to tame curly 120..

 

[mfogiel]

I also confirm the usefulness of Doug's holders and the anti Newton glass. I actually scan now with a Nikon CS 9000 and I have adapted the Nikon holder to use Doug's glass to keep my film flat, thus saving about 450 euros on the original Nikon glass film holder... quite a deal 🙂
Just remember to order some t locks more than you need, because some of them are tighter than others, and some fitting work is necessary...

 

[Jamie123]

I have one of doug's fixed height dual channel holders with anit-newton glass for my Epson 4990. While the holder (obviously) doesn't turn a flatbed into a dedicated film scanner, it does make a lot of things easier. I rarely use the glass insert because most of the times the T-locks are enough to keep the film flat. However, every once in a while my film has some crazy double S-curve to it and when this happens I get out scotch tape and the glass insert.

One thing that doesn't get mentioned very often about the Epson 4990's film holders is how annoying it is that it only takes 2-frame (6x6) strips. I hate to cut my film this way because archiving sleeves are made for 3-frame strips. Doug Fisher's holder solved this problem.

 

[mr_phillip]

Ach! Methinks I'll borrow dar phrase from now on. Thanks!

Heh, you're welcome 🙂

Thanks for all the recommendations guys, I think I know what I need to do...

 

[Simon Larbalestier]

I got Doug Fisher's Dual Channel MF Holder for my V750 in January. I hated the Epson ones. Doug's are very well made, easy to use and keep the film much flatter. Well worth the 75.00.

Dan

I second this as well and have the same set up with the AN glass inserts for my V750. Doug's holders are very conceived and come with excellent user instructions. I'll be ordering his 10/8" film holder on my next return to the UK. Email communication is also excellent with Doug. This qualifies for 100% endorsement in my book. 🙂

 

[srtiwari]

Interesting thread ! I bought the v700 with the Fisher MF Holders and glass, from someone on RFF. They are all good, but (aside from the loading), do not find much difference in output from the Epson ones. The scans are 'okay', but I don't know how good they can be. And I have not tried the Glass , or adjusting the height.
Any recommwenstions ? Also, I have the Vuescan (complicated), Epson (Ok), and the Silverfast (can't decide) software. Love to know what you folks have found the best combinations...
Subhash

 

[srtiwari]

"....Any recommwenstions ?.... "
OOps ! "Any recommendations ?", I meant.

 

[KoNickon]

Does Doug Fisher have a website? Thanks.

 

[KoNickon]

OK, I forgot the title of the thread. I'll assume betterscanning.com is Doug's site. Sorry about that.

 

[jamiewakeham]

To resurrect an old thread: I'm about to get a MF holder from Doug for my V700, but just before I spring for it, it there any reason I shouldn't try sandwiching the negs between two sheets of anti-newton glass? Damn sight cheaper than the new holder, and I could get them rather faster too... 3mm glass would put the negs at pretty much the same height as the holder. Am I being cheap or wise?

Cheers
Jamie