Scanning Negatives with Epson V500

[RichSnaps]

Hi All,

I was wondering if anyone else uses an Epson V500 scanner for B&W negatives and has any suggestions on setup (Setup is on a MacBook Pro)?

I have scanned 2 rolls films both at 9600dpi however, this produces large file sizes (60mb+).

I interested to know what setting others use and how to get the best results?

Thanks for reading!

 

[louisbrown08]

I believe 2400 is the highest it actually scans at, so just use that and the files should be much smaller.

 

[Photo_Smith]

I have a little guide here:
http://photo-utopia.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/scanning-with-epson-v500.html

I think you're wasting your time at 9600 that resolution is beyond a drum scanner, I have found a more realistic figure of 1200 for medium format gives me OK scans 2400 is a stretch anything above that is just a software interpolation.

It can make passable images even from transparencies

 

[Pickett Wilson]

Good guide, Photo Smith. I use the V500, and have found the Better Scanning holders with the ANR glass to improve 35mm scans. The ANR glass helps hold them flat, which is always a challenge with 35mm.

 

[eurekaiv]

I scan larger formats using my v600 (essentially a newer v500) with the emulsion side facing up and a piece of glass from an old photo frame to hold it flat to the scanner surface. I get lovely scans of larger formats this way and I haven't had any problems with moire's. I use ViewScan as well and have it create a non-color corrected dng which I process quickly in camera raw and then sharpen a bit in Photoshop. You can get fine results with Epson Scan though, it just takes a bit more fussing about in my experience.


Material Collector by eurekaiv, on Flickr

 

[RichSnaps]

Thanks for the replies, very helpful.

 

[Erik van Straten]

I scan larger formats using my v600 (essentially a newer v500) with the emulsion side facing up and a piece of glass from an old photo frame to hold it flat to the scanner surface. I get lovely scans of larger formats this way and I haven't had any problems with moire's. I use ViewScan as well and have it create a non-color corrected dng which I process quickly in camera raw and then sharpen a bit in Photoshop. You can get fine results with Epson Scan though, it just takes a bit more fussing about in my experience.


Material Collector by eurekaiv, on Flickr

Great shot!

Erik.

 

[Ranchu]

I have a little guide here:
http://photo-utopia.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/scanning-with-epson-v500.html

I think you're wasting your time at 9600 that resolution is beyond a drum scanner, I have found a more realistic figure of 1200 for medium format gives me OK scans 2400 is a stretch anything above that is just a software interpolation.

It can make passable images even from transparencies

Beautiful shot, and I'm amazed at the range on the scan. Full sun at the beach is no joke!

 

[eurekaiv]

Great shot!

Erik.

Thanks. 😱

 

[Pioneer]

I scan 35mm and medium format with my V500. Mine seems to work fairly well and I am usually happy with the results. I found Epson's film holders seem to work all right but I am using Better Scanning holders for both 35 and medium format, and they work much, much better with curly film. So far the results are good enough to easily print 35mm, and of course medium format, at 8x10. I haven't tried to print any of my scanned images any larger than that.

I am very happy with this scanner, especially for the price. If you are looking for a low priced, reliable little scanner to digitize your film then it is a good option, particularly if you are not doing real high volume scanning.

As for scan resolution, I typically scan no more than 1200 dpi for my day to day scans, unless I find a particular image I may want to enlarge. I will personally scan as high as 4800 dpi. I know that the software is interpolating the increase from 2400 to 4800 but it does seem to give me a slightly better image to work with. At 1200 dpi it gives me a good image and doesn't take terribly long to get it into a file.

I did receive Silverfast when I purchased the scanner, but so far the basic Epson Scan software has been very good. I can easily scan in a couple different ways and I can adjust the histogram, size, brightness, contrast, etc. before I scan. So far I have not really had any reason to learn to use Silverfast.

Hope you enjoy your scanner.

 

[RichSnaps]

Thanks guys, very helpful!

 

[Muggins]

As we seem to be the V500 owners club here on this thread, can I ask for some help as well please?

I'm happy with the results I get for B&W, after much fiddling and swearing. However, everything colour I scan seems to have a very strong blue cast (or a near-total absence of red, not sure which). I can use the Auto-Exposure button, which makes the colours much better, but still leaves them rather flat and faded-looking (if anyone has used an old Agfa, they look Agnar-esque), and I haven't worked out how to lift them.

Any ideas? All suggestions gratefully received!

Thanks,

Adrian

 

[Photo_Smith]

Beautiful shot, and I'm amazed at the range on the scan. Full sun at the beach is no joke!

Thank you, the metering was quite critical... 😉

 

[Photo_Smith]

As we seem to be the V500 owners club here on this thread, can I ask for some help as well please?

I'm happy with the results I get for B&W, after much fiddling and swearing. However, everything colour I scan seems to have a very strong blue cast (or a near-total absence of red, not sure which). I can use the Auto-Exposure button, which makes the colours much better, but still leaves them rather flat and faded-looking (if anyone has used an old Agfa, they look Agnar-esque), and I haven't worked out how to lift them.

Any ideas? All suggestions gratefully received!

Thanks,

Adrian

Adrian are you scanning colour neg as a slide and then inverting? I get wonderful colours using my standard workflow:
http://photo-utopia.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/scanning-with-epson-v500.html
Just copy my settings as in the article.

 

[Muggins]

No, I'm scanning as colour negative film. Funnily enough the one batch of slides I did, I didn't have too much trouble with, but colour negs...

Here's one:

And scanned from the print I got back from the developers:


TT Kirkwall sunset by gray1720, on Flickr

Now you see the reason for my confusion? It was trying your workflow that led me to this thread...

Adrian

 

[Muggins]

Another example, just scanned these.

Straight off the default settings, no correction.

Auto-Exposure used:

(this isn't bad, but it looks a bit subdued to me)

Using the histogram to correct (hence the trimmed edges, to avoid trying to correct the all-black and all-white bits!) a la Photo Smith:

Any ideas?

Adrian

PS - Kodachrome - as you can see, not too bad.

Kodachrome 032 by gray1720, on Flickr

 

[Muggins]

Anyone?

Adrian

 

[Balto]

Are you using color restoration? I find some shots need it and some don't, but it helps to turn it on and then off again to correct the blue cast. Im using a v600 and was having the same problem when i first got it.

 

[Photo_Smith]

I see from the shot of the guy with the bag pipes the top shot looks as it should straight from the scanner.
You need to take this dulls looking flat scan into photoshop and correct with levels, curves white point correction or any other method you favour.
Make sure you're not trying to make the perfect scan in the Epson software, scan dull and flat all scans need 10 seconds in photoshop.

 

[Muggins]

OK, that sounds good thus far, thanks - I'm glad I've not got a duff scanner.

Do you mind if I keep asking questions? I tend to use the original Elements (no version number!) as my computer only just runs PSE9 that came with the scanner, if the wind is in the right direction and the planets are aligned, so I might be a bit behind on what is where!

I'm happy with adjusting levels, but get a result similar to the one using Auto-Exposure at best - curves I will have to look at PSE9 for, and I don't have a white point to adjust by - trying that just gets me a dirty yellow cast.

Am I missing anything obvious?

Balto - I haven't found Colour REstoration, where is the button hiding?

Thanks guys - I know I sound awkward but I am trying to get there.

Adrian