stewmander
Established
I just got a new Epson V500 and have tested it out with some 35mm film I shot using an XA, Rollei 35S, and Nikon FE on a couple different films. Below are some scans of images straight from the V500, and then edited in PS (auto tone/color/contrast, curves, levels, brightness/contrast). USM, ICE, and grain reduction was turned on, 48-bit, 4800 dpi.
I have trouble getting pure black, and see lots of "fuzz". Will ANR glass help with the "fuzz" I am seeing (fuzz is most noticable in the sky and dark shadow areas it seems). Also, are my basic PS tweaks the correct ones? I tend to mess around until the image looks better, but I dont know im going about it the right way, or if there is something I am missing. Let me know what you guys think! The second image is the one edited in PS.
Watermelon 1 by astewart, on Flickr V500, Rollei 35S, Konica Centuria 400
Watermelon 2 by astewart, on Flickr V500 + PS, Rollei 35S, Konica Centuria 400
I have trouble getting pure black, and see lots of "fuzz". Will ANR glass help with the "fuzz" I am seeing (fuzz is most noticable in the sky and dark shadow areas it seems). Also, are my basic PS tweaks the correct ones? I tend to mess around until the image looks better, but I dont know im going about it the right way, or if there is something I am missing. Let me know what you guys think! The second image is the one edited in PS.
Watermelon 1 by astewart, on Flickr V500, Rollei 35S, Konica Centuria 400
Watermelon 2 by astewart, on Flickr V500 + PS, Rollei 35S, Konica Centuria 400
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stewmander
Established
kuzano
Veteran
What now????
What now????
Set aside many, many, many, many hours and get to it.
I decided to scan/convert a few hundred transparencies and bought a V500. I make no assertions to quality or lack of on the V500.
Frankly, I found scanning after the first 100 or so, to be so tedious, time consuming and a task with virtually no redeeming or rewarding value. I quit and sold the scanner.
Regarding your "fuzz", it seems to me that using ICE can cause such problems....
But what do I know... I gave up.
What now????
Set aside many, many, many, many hours and get to it.
I decided to scan/convert a few hundred transparencies and bought a V500. I make no assertions to quality or lack of on the V500.
Frankly, I found scanning after the first 100 or so, to be so tedious, time consuming and a task with virtually no redeeming or rewarding value. I quit and sold the scanner.
Regarding your "fuzz", it seems to me that using ICE can cause such problems....
But what do I know... I gave up.
thegman
Veteran
What software are you using? I use Vuescan with my V700, I always use ICE where I can, and the blacks always look pretty good.
Try the 30 day trial of Vuescan if you've not already, I would not buy a scanner if it was not compatible with it, it's that good.
ANR glass is unlikely to help the noise/fuzz, that will just get rid of newton rings, which I don't see on your shots anyway. It will also hold the film flat, but I don't think that is your problem either. I would say it's some sort of auto-adjustment in the software trying to brighten that blacks, where in fact they should simply be left alone as black. Vuescan tends not to mess around too much with the colours, and you can take multiple passes at different brightnesses.
Never used a V500, but I'd say the results should be a lot better than that.
Try the 30 day trial of Vuescan if you've not already, I would not buy a scanner if it was not compatible with it, it's that good.
ANR glass is unlikely to help the noise/fuzz, that will just get rid of newton rings, which I don't see on your shots anyway. It will also hold the film flat, but I don't think that is your problem either. I would say it's some sort of auto-adjustment in the software trying to brighten that blacks, where in fact they should simply be left alone as black. Vuescan tends not to mess around too much with the colours, and you can take multiple passes at different brightnesses.
Never used a V500, but I'd say the results should be a lot better than that.
stewmander
Established
Thanks for the replys. I used the Epson software to scan these...I do have the vuescan software, and did try it but found it a bit more work than the Epson software. I also found a process of scaning using vuescan then using a colorperfect add on for PS somewhere on these threads.
I will give vuescan another try, could you quickly tell me your vuescan settings/work flow? I do have time to fiddle around with the scans, but, my main problem is fiddling around and getting nowhere...I have no problem spending a few hours a night to get good quality images...its spending hours and hours and not getting any improvement that I want to avoid. Thanks again for the help!
I will give vuescan another try, could you quickly tell me your vuescan settings/work flow? I do have time to fiddle around with the scans, but, my main problem is fiddling around and getting nowhere...I have no problem spending a few hours a night to get good quality images...its spending hours and hours and not getting any improvement that I want to avoid. Thanks again for the help!
goffer
Well-known
Are you adjusting brightness levels inside the epson software or in some other post processing application? I try to let the epson software do as little as possible except scan the image and leave sharpening and contrast adjustment to either photoshop or lightroom.
stewmander
Established
I do the brightness levels with PS, I let epson do USM and ICE...
charjohncarter
Veteran
I get the fuzz with ICE on the V500 also. But what I can't get over is that when I turn off all the Color Correction and ICE and Unsharp Mask the Slides are dark in the preview and also in the file that is produced. I can deal with the 'fuzz' but not he dark scans of slides.
venchka
Veteran
1. Scan at 1,600 SPI. If you find something WONDERFUL and you want a print, come back and scan at 2,400 MAXIMUM. These machines never ever have real optical resolution higher than 2,400. In point of fact, they may be streteched at 1,600-2,000 spi.
2. Turn off ICE. I find that color hides a lot of defects.
3. USM set to Low, maybe medium. You will know when you go too high. Capture and out put sharpening in PS or LR.
4. Follow Ken's guide to scanning.
http://www.kenleegallery.com/html/tech/index.html
I must be lucky. I'm scanning a bunch of Kodachrome now. I almost always have to set exposure at -0.5 stop.
2. Turn off ICE. I find that color hides a lot of defects.
3. USM set to Low, maybe medium. You will know when you go too high. Capture and out put sharpening in PS or LR.
4. Follow Ken's guide to scanning.
http://www.kenleegallery.com/html/tech/index.html
I must be lucky. I'm scanning a bunch of Kodachrome now. I almost always have to set exposure at -0.5 stop.
Michael Markey
Veteran
I use a V500 but I`ve only seen results like that if I try and adjust brightness levels too much.
The only Epson controls that I use is USM set at med and sometimes I make adjustments to the contrast.
Never used Ice.
I find a lot of these adjustment tools very heavy handed in their application.
The only Epson controls that I use is USM set at med and sometimes I make adjustments to the contrast.
Never used Ice.
I find a lot of these adjustment tools very heavy handed in their application.
stewmander
Established
Thanks again for the help guys. I tried scanning with ICE and USM off in the Epson software, then I adjusted the histogram of the preview like ken suggests, and get less "fuzz". If i dont adjust the histogram in the Epson software I get the same fuzz. There was less fuzz using vuescan, but the imag also came out darker...I am not 100% familar with vuescan tho. I will continue working on it, thanks for all the help guys!
thegman
Veteran
I use Vuescan with pretty much out of the box settings, I put ICE on "medium", and sometimes "correct faded colours", but that's it. I try to use the film profile which I'm using, but if it's not available, just pick a similar one, i.e. if you're shooting Ektachrome, some other Kodak slide profile will likely be fine.
For strong colours, I use the multiple-pass function, which I find fixes blocked up shadows.
I use it on my Canon FS4000 and V700, Vuescan makes both of these scanner easy to work with, I find.
Maybe also try "Neat Image", on the PC, it's available as a stand alone app, on the Mac, only as a plugin, but it remove noise *extremely* well, I use it when my scans look a little ropey sometimes.
For strong colours, I use the multiple-pass function, which I find fixes blocked up shadows.
I use it on my Canon FS4000 and V700, Vuescan makes both of these scanner easy to work with, I find.
Maybe also try "Neat Image", on the PC, it's available as a stand alone app, on the Mac, only as a plugin, but it remove noise *extremely* well, I use it when my scans look a little ropey sometimes.
venchka
Veteran
I'm scanning with an ancient Epson 1680 and Epson software for the 1680.
My workflow:
1. Set window inside black margin.
2. Hit Auto Exposure button.
3. Open adjustment window. Set outputs to 0 & 256 (full left & full right). Set black point-pointer at left end of histogram. Set white point-pointer at right end of histogram. Move middle slider to suit image, my mood, the alignment of the stars, etc. I wish there was a hard & fast rule for this. I don't touch any other adjustments, no matter what type of film I'm scanning.
3-A. Set window outside image area.
4. USM-I'm still experimenting. I used HIGH on a roll of Kodachrome 64 that worked well.
5. Scan as TIFF at 2,400 max. I will back off to 1,600 and see if I can tell any difference.
6. Open in Lightroom. Apply a pinch of Wayne's Mojo semi-preset. Spot as required.
7. Done.
ps: I scan 1:1 at whatever DPI works for the format I'm scanning.
My workflow:
1. Set window inside black margin.
2. Hit Auto Exposure button.
3. Open adjustment window. Set outputs to 0 & 256 (full left & full right). Set black point-pointer at left end of histogram. Set white point-pointer at right end of histogram. Move middle slider to suit image, my mood, the alignment of the stars, etc. I wish there was a hard & fast rule for this. I don't touch any other adjustments, no matter what type of film I'm scanning.
3-A. Set window outside image area.
4. USM-I'm still experimenting. I used HIGH on a roll of Kodachrome 64 that worked well.
5. Scan as TIFF at 2,400 max. I will back off to 1,600 and see if I can tell any difference.
6. Open in Lightroom. Apply a pinch of Wayne's Mojo semi-preset. Spot as required.
7. Done.
ps: I scan 1:1 at whatever DPI works for the format I'm scanning.
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j.scooter
Veteran
Have a look at this http://aop.thepublicbroadcast.com/episodes/episode-24-scanning-negatives/
I found it very helpful, although I know my scans need improvement, I am a lot closer to where I want to be.
I found it very helpful, although I know my scans need improvement, I am a lot closer to where I want to be.
charjohncarter
Veteran
j.scooter, that was good. I helps to see the process on a screen.
venchka
Veteran
Show me!
Show me!
Various formats and emulsions. One Epson 1680 scanner.
Kodachrome 64
35mm Plus-X
Kodak 160VC-6x7
4x5 Arista/Fomapan 200
I'm the biggest klutz in the world. If I can scan, anybody can scan. The best part is how little work these files need in Lightroom. Not bad for a $175 3 format scanner.
Show me!
Various formats and emulsions. One Epson 1680 scanner.
Kodachrome 64
35mm Plus-X
Kodak 160VC-6x7
4x5 Arista/Fomapan 200
I'm the biggest klutz in the world. If I can scan, anybody can scan. The best part is how little work these files need in Lightroom. Not bad for a $175 3 format scanner.
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j.scooter
Veteran
He promised to show his color workflow in a latter episode, unfortunately it hasn't happened yet.
Hey Venchka, that is how I want my scans to come out!!! Great work!
venchka
Veteran
Thanks. I beat my head against the monitor and keyboard for about a year. Then things began to fall into place. I'm not intimidated by color now. Not perfect. But passable.
Stuart John
Well-known
With some work you can get good scans from the V500 but it does not really resolve much above 2000ppi. Once in a while with the wind in the right direction in the afternoon of the third Sunday in March you may see an extra detail by scanning at 4800ppi or maybe it was caused by a hangover. I don't use the digital ICE or any of the other settings just the auto exposure which I then adjust the levels to remove the clipped highlights becasue they can't be removed after the scan.
j.scooter
Veteran
I have revisited your post and am impressed by the level of sharpness your scans have. Do you use the provided film holders or do you have aftermarket holders or scan from the bed?
Thanks