Epson v600 Dilemma

Meerkieker · Feb 8, 2018

Hello folks,

I just received an Epson v600 to scan my 6x7, 6x6 transparencies. I got it from that large e-commerce company from Seattle, listed as used but in near mint conditions it sold for €200, which is a good price for european standards. Still, after opening the box i noticed something's missing, not only the scanner software and the image editing software, but it got surprsingly delivered without the medium format film holder, often regarded as a piece of crap that i wanted to replace with something better anyway.
Feeling a tad ripped off, I wrote back to the company and i asked if they could try to compensate for the lacking items. They gave me two options: return the item or get a 10% discount off the sum.

Considering my low budget I'm thinking the following:
-Return it and get a new V550 for €217 that includes all + the disappointing film holders. (Still couldn't get all this difference with the v600)
-Ask for the discount (trying to get more since 10% is low for a useless scanner as is), download the drivers from the epson website and buy the betterscanning film holders+ANR Glass.

Considering the good deal i got for the V600 I'm more keen on keeping it, get a discount and work on the rest. Getting the betterscanning holders is costly towards Europe and maybe not worth the expense only to show the photos on the web, but they would help me value more my medium format system. Could i get around it by building my own film holders? Scanning with film directly on the glass? Is there any difference between ANR and non reflective glass (i could get them for cheap)?

what would you do? Thanks

ced · Feb 8, 2018

If I can help with the software let me know.
If you have the 35mm strip mask then the 6X6 is there too (part of the same strip) you could cut one of the spacers to make place for a 6X7 but make your own selection(if possible) or drill another 3 holes in the 6X6 mask and cover up 3 holes.
We might have to take this subject off line.

Frank53 · Feb 8, 2018

You can order the original epson holders from scandig.de. I think your 10% discount will be just enough to order 1.
You can always decide later if you want the better scanning holders. I only use the anr glass from better scanning, which you can order separately and adapted the v700 holders to use that glass. It keeps the film flat.
The scanner software on the cd/dvd will be an old version anyway, so you’ll be better off downloading the latest version from epson.
Regards,
Frank

blacksquare · Feb 8, 2018

You can download SW from epson site as already mentioned.
I have a v550 and OEM 120 holder is usable with really flat film. Otherwise I use Digitaliza 120 from lomography (https://shop.lomography.com/en/digitaliza-120-scanning-mask)

Wallendo · Feb 8, 2018

The Epson holders do not work well in 120, especially if you use TX400. I purchased one of the better scanning holders 9 http://www.betterscanning.com/scanning/models/v600.html ).
The software is available on-line, but I prefer Vuescan (a test version is available at Hamrick.com).
I would take the discount, but request enough of a discount to buy a nicer film holder.

dabsond · Feb 8, 2018

I use the V600 for scanning 35 and 120. I personally like the Epson Scan software. I scan with no adjustments to tiff and import into lightroom for adjustments.

Meerkieker · Feb 8, 2018

ced said:
If I can help with the software let me know.
If you have the 35mm strip mask then the 6X6 is there too (part of the same strip) you could cut one of the spacers to make place for a 6X7 but make your own selection(if possible) or drill another 3 holes in the 6X6 mask and cover up 3 holes.
We might have to take this subject off line.

This is a good idea actually, didn't had the time to think about it. Still, i'm ought to think that, just by handling and looking at them, they aren't the best for 120 film. They look floppy, and i have some slightly curved film that may be problematic.
I couldn't get what you mean by drilling holes, when i come back home i'll give a look and double check what you said. Thanks

Frank53 said:
You can order the original epson holders from scandig.de. I think your 10% discount will be just enough to order 1.
You can always decide later if you want the better scanning holders. I only use the anr glass from better scanning, which you can order separately and adapted the v700 holders to use that glass. It keeps the film flat.
The scanner software on the cd/dvd will be an old version anyway, so you’ll be better off downloading the latest version from epson.
Regards,
Frank

Thought about that, still considering the shipping costs it may be worth to have the variable height holders aswell. There's some confusing info on the internet over this, i can't get if an anti-reflective glass behaves (or is) the same as an ANR sheet. If yes, I'd then get the former from any picture framer for some euros. Scandig.de is a fine website but i'm in Italy now, and they send with DHL which is pricey here, not worth for a cheap piece of plastic.

Wallendo said:
The Epson holders do not work well in 120, especially if you use TX400. I purchased one of the better scanning holders 9 http://www.betterscanning.com/scanning/models/v600.html ).
The software is available on-line, but I prefer Vuescan (a test version is available at Hamrick.com).
I would take the discount, but request enough of a discount to buy a nicer film holder.

Actually they just ended up giving me €35,- discount, total around €175 which is nice and pushing me to invest in a decent holder. But i'm open for alternatives that lend themselves to a quality job (not pretending that much from a cheap flatbet, but i want to get the best out of my gear)

Ko.Fe. · Feb 8, 2018

I can't tell about Epson editing software, all I need is LR.
I'm using V550 since I purchased it new, instead of more expensive V600. Absolutely no problems with MF film holder. I have no idea from where these crap talks are coming from.
Vuescan is not suitable for flatbed, it doesn't supports batch scanning. At least, I didn't find it in VueScan. And Epson scanning software is superior to VueScan. But if for MF single frames only, I guess it will works.
Still, Epson scanning software is so good, here is absolutely no need to pay significant amount of money for VueScan.

So, IMO, you were not only ripped of, but scammed as well.

BMbikerider · Feb 8, 2018

Meerkieker said:
Hello folks,

I just received an Epson v600 to scan my 6x7, 6x6 transparencies. I got it from that large e-commerce company from Seattle, listed as used but in near mint conditions it sold for €200, which is a good price for european standards. Still, after opening the box i noticed something's missing, not only the scanner software and the image editing software, but it got surprsingly delivered without the medium format film holder, often regarded as a piece of crap that i wanted to replace with something better anyway.
Feeling a tad ripped off, I wrote back to the company and i asked if they could try to compensate for the lacking items. They gave me two options: return the item or get a 10% discount off the sum.

Considering my low budget I'm thinking the following:
-Return it and get a new V550 for €217 that includes all + the disappointing film holders. (Still couldn't get all this difference with the v600)
-Ask for the discount (trying to get more since 10% is low for a useless scanner as is), download the drivers from the epson website and buy the betterscanning film holders+ANR Glass.

Considering the good deal i got for the V600 I'm more keen on keeping it, get a discount and work on the rest. Getting the betterscanning holders is costly towards Europe and maybe not worth the expense only to show the photos on the web, but they would help me value more my medium format system. Could i get around it by building my own film holders? Scanning with film directly on the glass? Is there any difference between ANR and non reflective glass (i could get them for cheap)?

what would you do? Thanks

I am using an Epson V500 which I have had for years. Following a house move I lost all of the film holders so I got in touch with Epson and I was able to buy replacements relatively cheaply. Certainly less than the 10% offered by the company you bought the scanner from. Take the 10% and buy replacements.

Meerkieker · Feb 21, 2018

Ko.Fe. said:
I can't tell about Epson editing software, all I need is LR.
I'm using V550 since I purchased it new, instead of more expensive V600. Absolutely no problems with MF film holder. I have no idea from where these crap talks are coming from.
Vuescan is not suitable for flatbed, it doesn't supports batch scanning. At least, I didn't find it in VueScan. And Epson scanning software is superior to VueScan. But if for MF single frames only, I guess it will works.
Still, Epson scanning software is so good, here is absolutely no need to pay significant amount of money for VueScan.

So, IMO, you were not only ripped of, but scammed as well.

I tried Vuescan with a friend's scanner and i found it much more intuitive and complete than the epson software. He had the Pro version which may be a reason for that difference. I still have to get into the epson software as i'm not having enough time to yet. I don't think ripped of is the most adequate word here, sure i'm disappointed but consider that the only holder i got with looks and feels very fiddly and cheap, i'm ought to replace it anyways. Having an about 40 euros discount for it is fairly good and i can invest the difference in a decent holder. I'm happy so.

BMbikerider said:
I am using an Epson V500 which I have had for years. Following a house move I lost all of the film holders so I got in touch with Epson and I was able to buy replacements relatively cheaply. Certainly less than the 10% offered by the company you bought the scanner from. Take the 10% and buy replacements.

Yes, new holder are definitely a need. Still, i want something more modular and reliable like the variable height holders from betterscanning as i said before.

Now the question is, is it worth getting the ANR glass with or avoid it to spare a bit and buy a normal Anti reflection glass from any picture framer for cheap? Will i notice ANY difference?

Thanks

Alan Edward Klein · Feb 21, 2018

I use Epson software on my V600 and their holders for 120. But the film has to be flat. I get mine processed by a lab so I have flat film. If your film isn't flat then another holder might help. I tried the Betterscanning holder and didn't find any difference. But then again, my film is flat. I could see an advantage if not flat especially with the Betterscanning glass. The Digitaliza 120 seems like a good option, but I never tried it.

Note that I scan flat and do all adjustments in post in LR. Good luck.

klownshed · Feb 21, 2018

I have a V700 and I use the Lomography Digitalizer 120 holder and it’s prettty good.

I used a little sticky backed foam to get the height just right and it works much better than the Epson holder. The holder clamps the negative on both sides and does a pretty good job of keeping the negatives flat for me.

It’s a much cheaper solution than the betterscanning holder — I bought mine used for cheap.

As for the scanning software, I find the EpsonScan software to be the best. I turn off all the auto settings and adjust afterwards which gives the best results for me. And the Epson software does a better job at that than the alternatives. And it’s free.

Ko.Fe. · Feb 21, 2018

you can't scan film in non Pro VieScan, only documents
With Epson software here is nothing to be intuitive. All you do is press preview and scan. On my V500 it gives best possible results ready for processing.

MattKing · Feb 21, 2018

Ko.Fe. said:
you can't scan film in non Pro VueScan, only documents

Not accurate I'm afraid.
From my point of view, the primary advantage of the Pro version is lifetime free upgrades.
But this dpreview post describes the situation well: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/51385445

Ko.Fe. · Feb 21, 2018

MattKing said:
Not accurate I'm afraid.
From my point of view, the primary advantage of the Pro version is lifetime free upgrades.
But this dpreview post describes the situation well: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/51385445

You know, I just went on VueScan site, before posting about what is Pro
and isn't. I hit "purchase" button. And it was right where.

Or are you talking about different modes, while you are in the Pro Version?

Mode or Version?

MattKing · Feb 21, 2018

Ko.Fe. said:
You know, I just went on VueScan site, before posting about what is Pro
and isn't. I hit "purchase" button. And it was right where.

Or are you talking about different modes, while you are in the Pro Version?

Mode or Version?

Sorry - I don't know where my edited version of that post disappeared to ????
After making the post originally, I did the same as you did, checked the Vuescan website, noticed the fundamental change, and then within about three minutes of the original posting edited the post to indicate that things have changed since I started using Vuescan.
Or at least I tried to!
Until very, very recently the "Standard" version of Vuescan was very useful, and the ease and low cost involved in upgrading to the "Pro" version meant that both versions were highly desirable. Now, not nearly so.

Epson v600 Dilemma

Meerkieker

ced

Frank53

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Wallendo

dabsond

Meerkieker

Ko.Fe.

BMbikerider

Meerkieker

Alan Edward Klein

klownshed

Ko.Fe.

MattKing

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Ko.Fe.

MattKing

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Epson v600 Dilemma

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