Xpan II: Which Filter Set and Which Scanner?

[dalhart]

Hi to all Forum members,
I have recently splashed out on an xpan II and want to get the best results possible out the camera, i thought i would try and get some advice from you guys first, if that is okay. I am planning to use the camera for landscapes and i am using velvia 50.
Are there any xpan users out there who can recommend an ND filter set to me, i was considering Lee filters ND soft graduated? Is it a hassle using the filter hood etc?
Secondly i would like to buy a scanner to scan the trannys once processed. But i want something with top notch results where i can scan the complete panoramic slide in one hit, not in two parts that have to be nitted back together in photoshop.
Although photography is a hobby to me I am very keen on getting professional results and would rather pay extra for the right equipment rather than save money and get inferior results.
I hope someone can point me in the right direction.
DAL.

 

[panandscan]

I have been very pleased with the results of the Epson 4990 photo scanner. It has a full set of negative holders that allows you to scan full Xpan images in one shot and scans are of a very high quality especially for this price range. My brother is a professional photographer with high end scanners at his disposal and is always blown away when I send him images shot with the Xpan and scanned with the Epson 4990. It also includes the Silverfast software which gives you additional control when you scan. As for Velvia, I prefer the Velvia 100 to the 50. The grain structure in my opinion is actually better, it develops accurate colors more reliably and is less sensitive to the light fall off often produced from shooting with the Xpan. Try both and see for yourself which you like better. I hope this helps!

 

[dalhart]

Hi Panandscan
Thanks for taking the time to help, i will check out the Epson Scanner and have a trial run with the 100 asa velvia.
sooner or later i might even get some work onto a website!
Cheers
DAL

 

[kbg32]

Ditto for the Epson 4990. It is a great scanner.

 

[berci]

Hey,

I use a Konica Dimage 5400 II for scanning my XPan slides.
It works well with the Scan Dual IV too, tested it as well.

Check out my signature.

 

[dalhart]

Hi Keith and Berci,
Thanks for the advice it's much appreciated.
DAL

 

[szekiat]

if u really want to, get a used drum scanner off ebay or one o the newer hassy flex scans. The best in the market for scanning. Nothing quite comes close. As for filters, the b/w grads or schneider ones should be good too. I think linhoff makes grad filters for the xpan as well..

 

[photogdave]

If you can find a good price on a Minolta Scan Multi, that would be a good choice. It can do formats up to 6x9. Everything in my gallery has been done with this scanner.

 

[rardinger]

I use a Nikon 9000. You would also have to buy one of the glass negative carriers. Either version will work (one allows a bit of rotation, one does not). The carrier with the rotation feature has an xpan negaive mask (easy to deal with with the other carrier). Very good scans with thee nikon software and vuescan (I do mostly B&W xpan and will find different negatives do better with one program than the other but not always the same one gives teh best results). I do not have Silverscan . The Nikon 9000 is a medium format scanner that does the xpan scan in one pass (no stitching).

I am not sure at all how one would use graduated ND filters with a small rangefinder camera. I have used these filters with SLR's and 4x5's and find the placement of the breakpoint (ND to no ND) fairly precise with larger negative sizes I cannot imagine a good, reliable, method of using them with an rangefinder unless you wish to set the camera up without film, use a small peice of groundglass and with the camera on "B" look at the small inverted image on the groundglass, adjust filter and then load camera and shoot. Everything else is just guessing. Better to take a couple of exposures (one with well exposed shadows and another with well exposed highlights/sky, taken without moving the camera) scan both and merge in PS OR in a pince scan the same negative twice with Highlight emphasis on one and Shadow emphasis on the other and merge.

The center ND filters that hasselblad makes for the 45mm and 30mm lenses are specific to the lens (perhaps other center filters are availible and will work) and of course have a different function than a graduated ND. For negative film with the lens wide open the light falloff is mostly compensated for by the falloff of the enlarger light if conventionally printing. However whan scanning this "built in" correction is not there and there can be noticable falloff. This does not look bad much of the time. If lens is stopped down a bit when taking the picture the falloff is even less and the filter may not be needed (it is not needed for the 90mm lens).

 

[quigley13]

Xpan Scans

Xpan Scans

I have Minolta 5400 (35mm dedicated) and an Epson 4990 Pro (Flatbed). I MUCH prefer the scans I get with a stiched 5400 but it is quite annoying to stich all the time. Epson just announced (at PMA) 2 new sacnners that I am very interested in and perhaps the forum will agree. They are reasonably priced ($550 and $800) and will scan an ehtire xpan neg (and then some) at 6400 DPI. The more expensive V750 pro comes with a glass mount for wet mounting! This looks to be a nice product, I guess time will tell. Here is a link to Ken Rockwell's account of PMA. Scroll down to Epson to see the scanner:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/pma06.htm

Enjoy!
Mike

 

[SHERPA]

Iuse Epson 4990 photo scanner
please see gallery: http://www.pbase.com/xpan

 

[BlackCloud]

Yep

Yep

I am not sure at all how one would use graduated ND filters with a small rangefinder camera. I have used these filters with SLR's and 4x5's and find the placement of the breakpoint (ND to no ND) fairly precise with larger negative sizes I cannot imagine a good, reliable, method of using them with an rangefinder unless you wish to set the camera up without film, use a small peice of groundglass and with the camera on "B" look at the small inverted image on the groundglass, adjust filter and then load camera and shoot. Everything else is just guessing. Better to take a couple of exposures (one with well exposed shadows and another with well exposed highlights/sky, taken without moving the camera) scan both and merge in PS OR in a pince scan the same negative twice with Highlight emphasis on one and Shadow emphasis on the other and merge.

Yep. I guess, guess, and guess again, taking several exposures w/ the filter at different positions.