Plustek OpticFilm 7600i white spots on images (dust?)

[bcuzz]

I bought a Plustek OpticFilm 7600i a couple of years ago and did a lot of slide scanning with it. I got it back out this week to start scanning some 35mm negatives. The images I am getting have white spots everywhere (see attached). I put the same negative in my Epson v500 and the white spots are NOT there.

This makes me think there are dust bunnies in my 7600i. I took the shroud off, but I can't figure out how or if there is a way to clean the insides. It seems the light source shoots through the negative into this sealed up black, rectangular box that I am guessing has some mirrors and the sensor in it. If the dust is in there, it looks I need a dremel to open it up.

Does this look like a dust problem to anyone?
And, does anyone know if I can clean the scanner to fix? And how to accomplish this cleaning?

Otherwise I guess I will just buy a new 8200.

Thanks,
BC

 

[chikne]

I was having similar problems with a plustek 7200, switched back to the epson flatbed and no more white spots.

It is weird because the scanner is marketed as being 'dust sealed', whatever.

I wouldn't buy an 8200 because of that, or a 120 for that matter.

 

[hanskerensky]

How about a test.

Put that negative 180 degrees rotated in the Plustek and see if the dots stay on the same spot (dust in scanner) or also have rotated 180 degrees (dust or bacteria on filmlayer).

btw Could be that these spots are not visible on a V500 because of its optical resolution being lower then that of the Plustek and/or the scanlight is less harsh.