Is there something wrong with my Epson V700?

Rjstep3, what I (and perhaps a few others) are having trouble understanding is what you mean when you talk about scanning "as if" for the film area guide - I use Vuescan and see no way to scan "as if" anything, the scanner automatically chooses the height to scan. Is this choice between two scan heights an Epson Scan feature?

I'm considering the betterscanning holders and ANR glass for 35mm film on the V700, since the film curling seems to be the culprit. Scans done the same day I develop give me images that are sharp at the top and bottom, but blurry in the middle due to film curling. I have a few dozen LPs stacked on top of some negatives overnight, but I doubt they'll get entirely flat.

The Vuescan Bible might also help, since I'm not really getting the dynamic range I see in my negatives either. After applying s-curves to the extremely flat scans, the final result just doesn't show the dynamic range that's there.
 
Athiril said:
If you want to see what the camera system is capable of, at least in terms of fine detail. You simply cannot do that with a flatbed.
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Yep, couldn't agree more.

That is simply not to say that you can't get acceptable results that you like with it, but it won't come close to matching your camera system capabilities. Your Mamiya 7 is regarded to have some of the finest lenses. I know my 180mm C for my RB67 hit over 100 lp/mm. CoolScans hit up to 75-80 lp/mm, and that is usually enough for to satisfy purposes.

Filmscanner.info were able to test the V700/V750 at up to 2300 dpi (others usually peak at 1600 dpi, some others only 1200). I find this a very generous figure, but I am quite critical.
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Some relative figures to keep in consideration:

lp/mm = dpi/(25.4mm/in * 2d/lp)
dpi = lp/mm * (25.4mm/in * 2d/lp)

mamiya: 100lp/mm * 25.4 * 2 = 5080dpi (needed, and one could possibly argue twice that is truly needed)
coolscan: 80lp/mm * 25.4 * 2 = 4064dpi
epson best case: 2300/(25.4*2) = 45lp/mm
epson typical case: 1200/(25.4*2) = 24lp/mm

These are just numbers, but they do give you a general idea of capabilities and what to expect.

If I used my Epson v700 for anything other than prints I'd definitely use an ANR insert of some sort and trial and error to determine the right scanning height (and maybe even a ruler elevated on one end to determine focus point).
 
I'd like to add that 50 lp/mm is 4 times the detail than 25 lp/mm, as a picture is in 2 dimensions and it is double in each.
 
Users of an Epson V700/V750 are aware that when using film holders, or glass, it is necessary to set the scanner driver accordingly? Although the focus of the Epson lenses is not adjustable in the conventional context of setting a lens focal point, it has to be set the correct one of the two lenses depending where the film is placed.
Cheers,
Brett
 
So basically what it is coming to is that I am probably getting something like what is possible out of the V700, except that I still need to keep experimenting to find that "sweet spot" for focusing. It looks like using the light for the film area guide at the same time as using a film holder promises the best results for me.

The other thing coming across loud and clear is to change to VueScan for better results - I have the software and the book mentioned, and I need to work on that too.

Thank you everyone for your help, it is much appreciated. I have a stack of old films which need scanning in, plus I keep shooting more!

rjstep3
 
Allegedly, there is a lens change when scanning at 6400 dpi as well, so that may make some difference to focus position too.
 
Raise it even further with tape shims until it gets really sharp, then blurs. Then back of some.

That or get it repaired as it is clearly broken.
 
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