Has the Epson V850 been going up a lot in price lately?

[DDTJRAC]

I got an old V750 that I paid about $700- $800 for. Has the Epson V850 been going up a lot in price lately? This seems pretty high. But I have not been keeping track of them.

BH

Epson scanners seem to be pretty pricey nowadays...

BH

Does this give any better results with negs and chromes for the price?

 

[blee1996]

They are the only games left in town.

 

[Tel]

The 850 seems to have gone up a few hundred dollars, but so has everything else.

 

[MTGseattle]

The last time I was considering one, it was $1k. That was likely a year ago on the Epson website.

 

[analogwisdom]

I got one for $1149 brand new from Epson in February 2021.

 

[Sebastian_F]

That's crazy, I also bought mine new five years ago for about $500 less! I don't think its worth $1500, considering the digital camera scanning setups that are available these days.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

I paid $1149 in 4/2020 for my V850. Now it is $1499 or 31% higher. That's about right for inflation increases over the last 6 years.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

That's crazy, I also bought mine new five years ago for about $500 less! I don't think its worth $1500, considering the digital camera scanning setups that are available these days.

First, you need a good digital camera and lens. That's expensive Then you need a good setup with light, easel, etc. That's also pricey. The other issue is Epson has automatic dust removal through ICE and will also use ICE when scanning photo prints removing creases and other blemishes and restore color automatically. Do camera scans have software that do these things automatically?

 

[loccdor]

I bought my Epson 4490 in 2010 for $100. I bought another one in 2023 for even less (used). It doesn't do 4x5 though. At this point, I've almost entirely switched to digicam scanning and mostly keep it around just in case, and for documents.

 

[Sebastian_F]

First, you need a good digital camera and lens. That's expensive Then you need a good setup with light, easel, etc. That's also pricey. The other issue is Epson has automatic dust removal through ICE and will also use ICE when scanning photo prints removing creases and other blemishes and restore color automatically. Do camera scans have software that do these things automatically?

Fair enough. I've seen folks use some relatively affordable digital cameras and achieve great results.

 

[romosoho]

Fair enough. I've seen folks use some relatively affordable digital cameras and achieve great results.

If you're scanning 35mm, you could probably pull something together for about $500 (I'm putting numbers together quickly off the top of my head; please no need to get into arguments if I'm off somewhat), from camera to lens to holder. But if you want larger sizes, then you're a lot more expensive if you aren't going DIY, and you still don't have dust removal. I've gone back to scanning 120 on my v750, and have never had a usable alternative solution for my 5x7 work.

 

[250swb]

What is the question? The Epson is only game in town for medium format 'for the price' without going to the better option of a suitable digital camera and macro lens which costs a lot more if starting from scratch. That is why the price is going up, and it's born again film photographers driving it. If you have a digital camera with pixel shift you can do any format better than an Epson V700/V800 except perhaps putting an 8x10 on the bed and scanning with the Epson.

 

[gbroadbridge]

If you have a digital camera with pixel shift you can do any format better than an Epson V700/V800 except perhaps putting an 8x10 on the bed and scanning with the Epson.

... provided that you are prepared to spend a ridiculous amount of time getting everything all set up and then having to spend more time doing dust removal and fiddling around in image editors. Sure you can.

Most folks (maybe not in pixel peep paradise) have better things to do with that time, like taking pictures.

 

[Taylor K Nankervis]

Save your money, time and brains by taking your film in for an Imacon drum scan.
Epsons...I have a 750 and an 850 and both are good (very good when used competently) but it is nowhere near a patch on an Imacon and then profiled to print for exhibition.

My time is very limited sitting at a computer fiddling with scanners etc; make the picture, upload it to the the bureau and it's all done for me, far quicker than I can manage, even for a person with my skills and experience.

 

[mshchem]

I wouldn't give half that money. Very well known. I have a Canon scanner I purchased several years ago new from B&H, cheap. Works great for all I need. I have Nikon Coolscan really nice machines, rarely fiddle with them.
I need to stay somewhat competent, at least to scan reversal film. Color negative scanning is torture for me.

 

[250swb]

... provided that you are prepared to spend a ridiculous amount of time getting everything all set up and then having to spend more time doing dust removal and fiddling around in image editors. Sure you can.

Most folks (maybe not in pixel peep paradise) have better things to do with that time, like taking pictures.

I think if you find editing your own photographs tiresome it really is the writing on the wall.

I've never known a scan from an Epson V700/V800 or any other scanner come out perfectly formed, anybody with darkroom skills knows that light is not automatically balanced in nature and there is such a thing as dodging-and-burning to make a harmonious photograph on a basic editing level. Besides which even for a great photographer, say Bresson, there is only an average of three or four good photographs on a roll of 36, so for anybody who has developed any self control and can cull out the weakest ones it doesn't amount to hard work if it's a good photograph worthy of some time and effort.

As for 'dust removal', well good darkroom practice doesn't stop when it comes to digital scanning, look at your technique if there is dust everywhere. And dust removal in software does not remove dust from B&W negatives, so your argument is limited at best.