I hate my V500 ;)

[ColSebastianMoran]

>>I can use an V500 (it isn't mine) and I want to scan film, so I select "Professional Mode" and I try to select "Film" in document type, but it isn't available.<<

Have you tried completely unplugging the pigtail connector for the lid of the scanner from the base of the scanner and then plugging it back in firmly?

Doug

Hmm... I think I remember the same thing. Resolved by removing the white padded reflector from within the cover. That reflector blocks the trans illuminator.

 

[siracusa]

Output-wise, I am more than happy with my V500. In the wider scheme of things it is relatively inexpensive and flexible, allowing me to scan MF as well as 35mm. If I require a better quality scan I will pay for an image to be professionally scanned.
My bigger bugbear is with quality control. My first V500 arrived with a faulty power supply and was returned to the store. The replacement (which I got from eBay) has an intermittent fault by which it will sometimes begin to scan when I click 'preview', but will then suddenly display a message that the computer cannot communicate properly with the scanner. I've tried a different USB cable, and firmly seating the cables at the back of the scanner, but to no avail. The curious thing about this fault is that when it manifests, I can restart the scanner and get it to work fine in full auto mode, but to try to scan in any other mode (including, most annoyingly, professional mode) simply results in the same error message and a refusal to scan, so the fault only manifests in certain modes. I've tried reinstalling the Epson software, again to no avail. Overall I am happy with the V500 scan quality, but do find its intermittent quirks rather frustrating.

 

[cabbiinc]

Output-wise, I am more than happy with my V500. In the wider scheme of things it is relatively inexpensive and flexible, allowing me to scan MF as well as 35mm. If I require a better quality scan I will pay for an image to be professionally scanned.
My bigger bugbear is with quality control. My first V500 arrived with a faulty power supply and was returned to the store. The replacement (which I got from eBay) has an intermittent fault by which it will sometimes begin to scan when I click 'preview', but will then suddenly display a message that the computer cannot communicate properly with the scanner. I've tried a different USB cable, and firmly seating the cables at the back of the scanner, but to no avail. The curious thing about this fault is that when it manifests, I can restart the scanner and get it to work fine in full auto mode, but to try to scan in any other mode (including, most annoyingly, professional mode) simply results in the same error message and a refusal to scan, so the fault only manifests in certain modes. I've tried reinstalling the Epson software, again to no avail. Overall I am happy with the V500 scan quality, but do find its intermittent quirks rather frustrating.

I'd suspect that your USB bus, even though you've looked at that aspect of it. Plug the scanner into a side of the computer that doesn't have anything else USB plugged into. I have a problem with my scanner because my Microsoft Keyboard (of all things) reports that it is self powered to the computer, but it requires a power draw. If the scanner is on the same bus it draws the power from it, resulting in erratic behavior from scans and even previews.

Isolate the scanner on a USB bus (clear one side of your computer's USB and use that) or get a good self powered USB hub.

There's a utility that will show what USB devices you have connected as well as ones that aren't currently connected but are registered to your computer. http://www.majorgeeks.com/USBDeview_d6115.html

 

[siracusa]

Thanks cabbiinc, I will give this a try. The scanner was playing up again this evening, so I'll try this tomorrow. I'm using a laptop (Macbook Pro), so I guess it's worth trying a self-powered USB hub - a friend has one, so I'll try it with that before buying one. Cheers again!

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

One more time.............with one possible change: Set the output range to 0-248, instead of 0-255. This will avoid blown highlights. something Ken Lee probably doesn't have to worry about since his negatives are perfect. Good luck.

Ken Lee's Scanning Tutorial

Thanks to you and others for this link. Should be bookmarked.

Good luck. Scanning is an acquired art. Practice. Practice. Practice.

Very very very (bis as needed) true. People are too used to just "pressing the button" and magic happens. CSI actors type a few keystrokes and complicated database table correlations happen to be interpreted with awesome Vulcan Mindmeld accuracy, in a few seconds, to top it off!

Fred Astaire got to dance by more than just shaking his feet and moving about his legs, and Rome didn't do hostile takeovers with stock options -- hostility, surely, but not as quickly as the History sub professor so boringly made it sound while reciting out the footnote from the answer key book.

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

One more time.............with one possible change: Set the output range to 0-248, instead of 0-255. This will avoid blown highlights. something Ken Lee probably doesn't have to worry about since his negatives are perfect. Good luck.

Ken Lee's Scanning Tutorial...

Thanks, Wayne, for the pointer to Ken Lee's tutorial which is excellent.

He comes to the same conclusion about samples per inch ("you get slightly more resolution by scanning at 4800 and downsampling to 2400, but the real resolution is still less than 2400 spi") and about enlargability ("up to 6x the linear dimension of the film for critically sharp prints").

I'm happy with critically sharp prints at 6x with my V500. A V700/V750 might be a little better.

Happy New Year to everyone.