Really discouraged about scanning with my Epson v500 - color/grain problems.

(first, sorry if this is in the wrong forum!)

I bought an Epson v500 almost two years ago because I wanted to have more control over how my negatives came out by scanning them myself. I use the Epson Scan software.

I've always used it on Professional setting at 6400dpi (I know that's unnecessarily high), with the Thumbnail box checked, and with automatic exposure adjustment. I am somewhat satisfied with these results but I always noticed that there was a lot more grain than what I see in other peoples' pictures (even people with the exact same camera/film/scanner, such as this picture: www.flickr.com/photos/sealegssnapshots/4946605824/). So recently I finally got fed up with what I perceieved as an unusual amount of grain so I started experiementing with different settings on my camera. Lo and behold, I found out what a different experience it is when you DON'T check the Thumbnail. Mostly it is a lot more work, but I noticed that the grain is a lot finer and the picture's texture is just smoother overall.
Example:
With thumbnail checked: http://i46.tinypic.com/mimp1.jpg
Without thumbnail checked: http://i47.tinypic.com/14436l0.jpg

So, at first I got excited, but there was another problem - the colors are way off, as you can see. I know the process should be: select inside the picture and press the auto exposure, and then increase the selection if you want to get the black borders (which I do). But I always end up with bad colors, no matter what.
Example:
With thumbnail: http://i49.tinypic.com/2l9ii4p.jpg
With thumbnail (post-processed in Lightroom): http://i45.tinypic.com/11t1pg2.jpg
Without thumbnail: http://i50.tinypic.com/2yn5xna.jpg
Without thumbnail (post-processed in Lightroom): http://i45.tinypic.com/ivbneb.jpg

As you can see, even if a post-process the crap out of the "without thumbnail" image, it still doesn't look quite right, color-wise.

So, my question is, what is your procedure for scanning? Any advice you could offer I would be really grateful for, I am very lost and discouraged about scanning my own negatives... it seems that no matter what I do, I can't get them to both have less grain and correct colors.

Holly K said:

I've always used it on Professional setting at 6400dpi (I know that's unnecessarily high)

Click to expand...

You appear to be a 35mm shooter from your profile. Saying 64000 ppi is 'unnecessarily high' says it all! Work we did at Kodak suggests that a 25 megapixel file is pretty much the most you can really expect to get from a 35mm image. This only requires you scan at about 2000 ppi. Resolution overscanning can lead to problems. Try scanning at 2000 ppi and see if you like things better.

If you are scanning black & white film, then turn off the ICE. ICE causes the silver to glow.

Your question would be better served on DPUG.org or hybridphoto.com which are sister websites.

Wow, scanning too high would cause problems??!! I would never have imagined...

Thank you both!! (and yes, I shoot 35mm, and no, I don't have trouble with b/w, only color)

Just to put my bit in. I have a Epson V500 too and I scan at 300dpi but set the size of the print I wish to make in the drop down menu. But set one size larger.This doesn't waste any time/effort in scanning and as 300 dpi is what I would use for printing (Not that I do a lot of digital prints anyway).

I don't think I have ever used a scan of 6400 it just takes too long. I did the same thing when I had a Nikon LS5 film scanner but that was a different ball game anyway.

With my V500 doing the b&w negs @ 1200 dpi works well and I can do a few rolls without having to wait too long.

Thank you, guys. I've never minded the time thing because I just do other tasks while they scan, but if it's causing my color/grain problems, I will be so happy.

Hi Holly, welcome to APUG. We are just about film and darkroom here. Scanning topics are over on our sister site, DPUG.