Scanning MF with Epson V600

[hsandler]

I'm about ready to order Betterscanning. There are .5mm and 1mm holders for the V600. The 1mm is standard. Which do you guys recommend? See Variable Height Epson Film Holder Thickness Choice

Also, I have my film processed by a lab. They return the 120 film ten shots cut 3-3-2-2. Is that going to be a problem. Should I have them cut differently?

Alan, I got the 1mm holder. What I did was experiment with my scanner a bit before ordering. I tried scanning a sharp negative while propping up the Epson holders on business cards, and also tried it flat on the glass without the holder, and it seemed to get a little sharper when high, so I knew the optimal height for mine would be on the high side. A simple experiment should reveal if yours has optimal focus on the high or low sides of the stock Epson holders, which I think are at about 1 mm.

Concerning the negative strip size, the Betterscanning holder permits me to scan four 6x6 cm square images in one strip, with a fairly thick separation of about 8mm between negatives, and a bit of space left on the end of the strip. The scanner covers the entire length of the betterscanning holder at least.

One last thing. I didn't order any T locks with my betterscanning holder, but now I wish I had. With some films, like Kodak Portra, they are quite flat and don't really need the ANR glass to hold them flat. In such cases, I would rather not have to use the glass, because it's just more surfaces to keep dust free. The T locks would have been sufficient to hold the negatives flat in such cases.

 

[Alan Klein]

I checked and got sharper detail with the negative on the glass than when I scanned using the Epson holders. So I ordered the .5mm holder from Betterscanning instead of the 1mm. Also, I believe the T locks are no longer available.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

First off, apologies if this is a redundant topic, I am having trouble finding 'clear' answers to my questions regarding this scanner.

I just purchased the v600 to scan my 120 film and I want to try to make sure it's going to meet my standards before the return policy period lapses.

I went with the v600 because it's cheaper than the 700s but I am having trouble getting sharp scans, and I'm not certain if it's my technique or if I'm just unimpressed with the v600's capabilities. I have been using the minolta dimage IV for my 35mm and I'm generally very happy with the results, but as it stands the IV is able to resolve more information from my 35mm negatives than the v600 can from 120. Having said that though, the IV is pretty cut and dry when it comes to scanning, and the v600 seems to require some trickery to get sharp scans.

At first I was putting the 120 in emulsion side up, which resulted in blurry scans (perhaps because the film won't stay flat), but then flipping the film over and scanning emulsion down, so that the film curled towards the glass, resulted in slightly sharper scans. So now I am wondering if I should invest in the betterscanning glass and mount (which I've read mixed reviews about) although I think these accessories may just be a pricey addition to a device unable to produce good results.

I am aware that there are very limited options when it comes to medium format scanning, but since my minolta seems to be doing a great job with 35, I'm thinking of just getting a dimage multi to scan my 120, regardless of the lack or support. I do want to like the Epson though, since drivers and software are available for it. So basically I'm wondering out of the people that use epsons on this board, what is the 'best' technique to render sharp results, and do the betterscanning accessories actually provide a significant improvement when scanning 120 or is it not worth it? $80 for the mount and $30 for the glass seems pricey to me, and I haven't found many example photos of 120 scans with and without, so that's why I'm posting here.

I am strictly concerned with the sharpness and resolution of the scans and not the color representation (a separate issue).

Any insight is appreciated.

Minolta IV w/ Ektar 35
View attachment 1157

Epson V600 w/ Ektar 120
View attachment 1158

ALSO, you may note the highlight clipping in the V600 photo. I don't know how to fix this.

sorry; no experience with that scanner.I use an Epson 3200 for all formats35-4x5with good results.Keep in mind scanning film is a transitional technology.Using a digital camera will be the most sensible option and eventually the only choice for quality conscience users.:cool2:

 

[artobest]

Keep in mind scanning film is a transitional technology.Using a digital camera will be the most sensible option and eventually the only choice for quality conscience users.:cool2:

Is this some kind of trolling?

 

[pschwart]

Ralph has some strong opinions -- they don't all require a response

 

[removedacct1]

This is a bit off topic, I'm afraid, but I have tried for weeks to post a new topic thread and it never appears, so....

I am using an Epson V750 and I'm getting that banding artifact effect that I see is an issue with this and the V700 models. You can see an example here: https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7627/16882513726_e41631da3e_b.jpg

Research has shown me that this problem comes from the hardware when scanning a neg that leaves a relatively large unexposed border around the image area, as the Hasselblad does. Has anyone found a way to get past this problem without resorting to blacking out a narrow strip section of the neg carrier? Its a very clunky workaround, and doesn't always work well.

Also, I am suddenly having a terrible time getting negs to scan sharply, no matter which side of the film is up, or how carefully I place it in the film holder. (I'm using the default film holder that came with the scanner. I know, I know - I should buy the betterscanning film holder) Other suggestions? Can these devices lose their focus calibration?