Epson V600 - tips on getting started right?

jay moussy · Sep 28, 2020

An Epson V600 arrived at my door, and I may need a few tips to get started or avoiding rookie mistakes.
This will be used for 135 strips, slides and 120 formats, and only for my own enjoyment.

Not sure what software is in the box, how current it is, or if I should straight to the Epson support page and work with latest?

From readings here, it seems the native Epson scan software is plenty for me, correct?

I would love to run this on a Linux machine (Mint!), but maybe gambling on Epson having done their homework, or locking myself out of Windows-only companion programs provided?

shutterfinger · Sep 28, 2020

1. Go to Epson's web site and download the driver from there. I just checked and they have a Linux driver for the V600 Photo.
2. Install the software then connect the scanner and turn it on unless the installation directs you otherwise.
3. With the scanner turned on lanuch Epson scan. Select Professional mode.
4. At the bottom of the window click on the Configuration box. Select the Color Tab. Make your choices as desired. With Auto Expoure selected any adjustments you make will be reset on the next preview even if you preview to see if you changes give the results you want. Auto exposure will clip the deep shadows and bright highlights to give a predetermined contrast range.
Image Size Tab will determine if the Auto Frame Detection detects the correct image size.
5. Select film type, scan resolution, destination folder, then preview , adjust, then scan.

jay moussy · Sep 29, 2020

Thanks @shutterfinger for this guide

so I just let it rip, without any other care, possibly learning for small mistakes along the way, as always!

StepheKoontz · Sep 29, 2020

The best thing I did for my scanning was to purchase Silverfast for my V600. The epson software works OK, but IMHO was slow and clunky with some options, like resizing the scan size, not available. It will crop out part of the frame. I have no idea on how well this works with Linux, I'm sure any support will be limited.

Pentode · Sep 29, 2020

jay moussy said:
From readings here, it seems the native Epson scan software is plenty for me, correct?

I have your scanner's older sibling, the V500. The native Epson software, EpsonScan has always worked fine for me.

Take a few hours with one well exposed negative and just play with the software to get a feel for how the settings affect the outcome. Stay in professional mode. All I ever need to do, 90% of the time, is adjust the output to the full 0-255, move the black and white points to the ends of the histogram and move the mid point to wherever it seems to look okay. In rare cases I might go to the sliders and adjust contrast. That's it. I've only very seldom had to mess with anything else.

I don't know if this is true for the V600 but the 500 negative holders are pretty annoying to use. There are aftermarket alternatives, but I wouldn't bother with them until you get the hang of the scanner.
Don't sweat this: it's a very easy machine to use.

Alan Edward Klein · Sep 29, 2020

Pentode said:
I have your scanner's older sibling, the V500. The native Epson software, EpsonScan has always worked fine for me.

Take a few hours with one well exposed negative and just play with the software to get a feel for how the settings affect the outcome. Stay in professional mode. All I ever need to do, 90% of the time, is adjust the output to the full 0-255, move the black and white points to the ends of the histogram and move the mid point to wherever it seems to look okay. In rare cases I might go to the sliders and adjust contrast. That's it. I've only very seldom had to mess with anything else.

I don't know if this is true for the V600 but the 500 negative holders are pretty annoying to use. There are aftermarket alternatives, but I wouldn't bother with them until you get the hang of the scanner.
Don't sweat this: it's a very easy machine to use.

+1
I've used Epsonscan with my V600 for ten years with both 35mm and 120 format. Check my Flickr page for samples. Flat film is important. I scan at 2400, 48bit, Pro mode. Other then the black and white histogram adjustments mentioned by Pentode, I leave all other settings off and do all edits in post processing program.

Alan Edward Klein · Sep 29, 2020

Good luck and don't forget to post samples.

macfred · Sep 29, 2020

Alan Edward Klein said:
+1
I've used Epsonscan with my V600 for ten years with both 35mm and 120 format. Check my Flickr page for samples. Flat film is important. I scan at 2400, 48bit, Pro mode. Other then the black and white histogram adjustments mentioned by Pentode, I leave all other settings off and do all edits in post processing program.

+2 !
Epson V600 + EpsonScan is my choice too.

russell_w_b · Sep 29, 2020

Alan Edward Klein said:
+1
I've used Epsonscan with my V600 for ten years with both 35mm and 120 format. Check my Flickr page for samples. Flat film is important. I scan at 2400, 48bit, Pro mode. Other then the black and white histogram adjustments mentioned by Pentode, I leave all other settings off and do all edits in post processing program.

I have an Epson V600 and I'm happy with the Epson scanning controls; input / output histogram modes, etc... and leave all the settings off. I use an older version of Photoshop (7) then Lightroom 3 to manipulate the image and sharpen it. How do you mount your negs on the scanner? I find the Epson neg carrier a bit 'flexible' and some film trickier than others and so I tried placing negs directly on the bed with a sheet of glass over. No 'Newton's Rings' so far (I've only scanned B&W) and the image was no different regarding sharpness than it was raised slightly by the thickness of the carrier. I'm aware that Newton's Rings could be a problem.

I scanned a clear plastic rule at a slight angle to see where the optimum focus point was but it seems inconclusive! I'm still getting used to the scanner after several years photographing 6 x 6 negs on a lightbox with a Sony RX100 II digital camera on manual focus and RAW and mounted on a tripod, where I was really pleased with the results, and I can't help comparing the two: sometimes the scanner is better for detail but mostly the camera is. I feel I'm missing something and perhaps not getting the best from the scanner. I scan 6x6 and 6x9 in 3200 48 bit colour mode.

I open the scanner through Photoshop and save scans as a PSD file but wondering if that's better than a TIFF?
--

R.

Pentode · Sep 29, 2020

Alan Edward Klein said:
Flat film is important.

+100!
I find the stock film holders very difficult to work with. I switched to a Betterscanning holder for medium format, which I used for a while, and now I mostly use the Lomography Digitaliza holders for both MF and 35mm. They're really good at holding the film flat. For 127 4x4 negatives I use a little holder I found on the auction site that's sort of okay. I wish there was something better available.

Alan Edward Klein · Sep 29, 2020

Regarding flat film, a pro shop develops my film and I won't use one that returns them curled. I have them cut it and insert in a single plastic sheet. For 6x7, they cut it 3-3-2-2 for the ten shots. For 35mm, they'll cut them 6x6 for the 36 in one plastic holder sheet. Never let them roll the film and ship it back to you. The film won't sit flat in the holders. Also, use holders when scanning, not the glass platen. Holder thickness dIstance from the glass platen is important for best focus accuracy. Good luck.

Deleted member 88956 · Sep 29, 2020

I'll just add that QC is not consistent from unit to unit, so don't be immediately disappointed if your scans appear out of focus. If so, it is easy to at least see, if film is too close to the lens by shimming the holder off the glass with anything thin, Post-It pieces (trimmed to size as needed of course) stuck to bottom of holder work fast for this, first one layer, then another and so on until at least 4 or 5are stacked, while re-scanning with each new height. It should be fairly easy to see if increasing height improves sharpness. If it only gets worse, then it's easy to tell holder needs to go down instead, which sadly is also possible with production inaccuracies involved, and with no down adjustment on the holders, it's another solution to be tried at that point.

russell_w_b · Sep 29, 2020

Pentode said:
'...and now I mostly use the Lomography Digitaliza holders for both MF and 35mm.'

I've just ordered one of those. Thanks for pointing them out!

fs999 · Oct 15, 2020

For 120 films I use the Betterscanning holder with ANR glass. It flats all films.

radiant · Oct 15, 2020

Epson V650 - 120 film straight on glass. Fast to setup and film is flat.

Alan Edward Klein · Oct 15, 2020

vedostuu said:
Epson V650 - 120 film straight on glass. Fast to setup and film is flat.

V650?

Andrew O'Neill · Oct 15, 2020

We use the V600 at my school and have for several years. Great little scanner. We don't bother with the holders. Kids broke them, anyways as they have the touch of a gorilla. Negatives laid directing on the glass, with glass on top. Have yet to see Newton rings.

fs999 · Oct 15, 2020

Alan Edward Klein said:
V650?

It's a V530 (650-120)

radiant · Oct 15, 2020

Alan Edward Klein said:
V650?

(facepalm)

Yes. V600.

jay moussy · Oct 15, 2020

What care do you take in placing piece of glass on the platen?
Is the glass prepared in any way?

Alan Edward Klein · Oct 15, 2020

The issue with putting the negative on the glass, is that the optimal focal point is somewhat above it where a negative would be held in the V600 film holder.

If you're using a V700/V750 or V800/850 series, there are two different lenses in these scanners. One lens for prints and for 5x7 or 8x10 negatives placed on the glass platen. This lens has less optical quality. There's a second lens with better better quality for 35mm, 120 or 4x5 film scanned in the scanner's film holders. These can be adjusted to fine tune the height for best focus.

Wallendo · Oct 15, 2020

Once you unbox your scanner, visit this link: https://www.silverfast.com/show/bundle-epson/en.html

This will allow you to download free SilverFast software for Epson. Works on Mac and Windows. This software isn't optimized for beginners, but can be useful to have when you need it.

Apparently Windows users are still happy with Epson Scan but on the Mac, Epson Scan no longer works with newer OS's and Epson Scan 2 is a very weak program (almost unusable). I also use VueScan for my V600.

macfred · Oct 15, 2020

Wallendo said:
...Apparently Windows users are still happy with Epson Scan but on the Mac, Epson Scan no longer works with newer OS's and Epson Scan 2 is a very weak program (almost unusable). I also use VueScan for my V600.

True ! I'm glad the first version of EpsonScan is still running on my Mac (Mojave - 10.14.6).

Andrew O'Neill · Oct 15, 2020

jay moussy said:
What care do you take in placing piece of glass on the platen?
Is the glass prepared in any way?

We use plain old 1/4 inch plate glass. No A/N coating. Have not seen any newton rings.

jay moussy · Oct 15, 2020

I was thinking about positioning the glass without marring the scanner bed.

Epson V600 - tips on getting started right?

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