Best settings for Epson V550?

[campy51]

I recently started to take b&w photos and tried scanning them into my computer but they don't come out anywhere near as good as what I see online that people post. What settings on the V550 should I be using for 120 film to get best results?

 

[REAndy]

Can you give any information about how your scans are 'bad'?
I have a V600 and when scanning b/w negs, I use the scanning software that came with the scanner (updated to the latest drivers from Epson website). In that software I use the "Professional" tab. Then B&W negatives; 8 bit gray scale (debate here on forums about 16 bit or 8 bit); I scan for an output of the same size as the negative and select a resolution of 6400. I have had good results with both 35mm and 120 roll film.

What settings are you using?

 

[shutterfinger]

What software? Epsonscan?
16 bit scans gives more information to work with when editing vs 8 bit.
Good scanning takes practice like good photography.
Scan for the most detail from the negative, edit in post for the best image.
Epsonscan: Professional Mode; 48bit RGB; Configuration box at the bottom color tab set to NO Color Adjustmen=Raw scan - adjust in post.
Alternative 16 bit Grayscale.

 

[jim10219]

What's wrong with your scans? Are they unsharp? If so, how are you mounting them? Is it the correct height for your scanner? Each scanner is different so you have to calibrate your workflow to your individual scanner. Also, are you applying an unsharpening mask to your images (or some other sharpening step)? Scans will always be blurry when first scanned and can benefit from some sharpening.

Are you having issues with color balance? I don't know about the Epson software, I prefer Vuescan. But in my software, there are options to adjust the exposure level for each color. That helps to resolve all of the shadow detail without blowing out the highlights. Also, it's often a good idea to adjust the colors and/or the dynamic range further in some photo editing software afterwards.

Scanning is a learned skill. It took me a long time to get good at scanning film. I had to find the optimum film height, figure out a way to secure the film flat, figure out how to mask the film, figure out how to avoid Newton Rings (if applicable), figure out what all of the options in the scanning software do, figure out how to properly sharpen a photo, figure out how to properly expose a scan (tricky with slide film), figure out how to correctly color calibrate a photo (done in the scanning software and the photo editing software), and do that for every type of film I use (because the same settings for Portra 800 will look pretty bad with Ektar 100). Plus I had to figure out how to deal with problems like missed exposures and dust removal, which often require additional techniques in order massage a good final product. And that's not even getting into real photo editing, like removing power lines!

My point is, to make a really good scan is a lot of work and takes a lot of skill. That's also why repeating someone else's settings isn't a good idea. So be prepared to spend some time with it if you want your scans to look as good as other people's. Then, come back here with some more specific questions, and preferably pictures of what you're working with, so we can offer advice that's more helpful than "turn all the knobs to 11!"

 

[campy51]

I am using Epsonscan and the last ones I did were not bad. I am having a terrible time with the curl of the negatives. The last film I used was HP 4 and they were a lot flatter than the HP5.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Use it in Professional mode. Leave all exposure part in auto.
Scan as Tiff and... learn how to use Lightroom.
All scans you see as good were post processed.
With Epson you must keep negatives in the book until they are flat.