artifacts color neg scans epson 3200

What are the spots on a portion of my color negative attached below?

Facts: Portra 160 nc 6x6, scanned on Epson 3200 using vuescan

software and using the epson film holder. I think the emulsion side

was down, if that makes any difference - didnt have to flip after

scanning. Scanned at 3200 dpi, no sharpening or grain alteration

effects used in vuescan. What is shown is about 10% of the entire

negative. On a lightbox with an 8x loupe, nothing is seen on the

negatives, they are clean. The glass of the scanner is spotless

also. The 5x5 proofs that came from the lab do not have these spots,

checked under magnification. Also scanned some 6x12 b&w negatives in

the same session that i developed myself, had none of this. Thanks

for your help.<div></div>

All the clues say dirt on the film, to me:

1. Light spots on (inverted) negative film scan.

2. Random, non-uniform in nature.

Film can look pristine, and scan looking like a snowstorm.

Looks like good, old fashioned dust to me. The lighting mechanisms in most affordable

scanners tend to make flaws in the film far more apparent than they would appear to when

viewed with a light box. I've found that shining an LED flashlight on film at varying angles

will reveal where the dust is.

I use a 3200 sometimes, used it a lot for 35mm color neg before I got my Nikon. I was very happy with it, had no complaints other than sharpness. I still use it for low rez 35mm proofing because it's much more efficient than film-only machines.

It's impossible to see many scannable flaws in color neg film when using a fine lupe on the best of light sources. I don't think we're seeing film problems.

The 3200 did have an internal dust-on-glass issue when it first came out. That's specifically why I bought mine as a refurb...I believed it'd be cleaner than new. Mine's spotless.

Alternatively, it may have gathered internal dust due to its location and the fact that it's not dust-tight. Needs a dust cover...

You probably won't be able to clean it inside unless you're the boy in the bubble. If it's new, return it. I think that scanner is the deal of the century if still available as a refurb from epson.

"hey, that LED flashlight tip is a good one - not thought of that before..."

It quickly became my favorite toy:)

"t's impossible to see many scannable flaws in color neg film when using a fine lupe on the

best of light sources. I don't think we're seeing film problems."

High quality light boxes won't help you much for see dust or scratches. Light boxes give

off a more diffuse light than most desktop scanner lamps. With more directional lighting,

dust and scratches will produce more profound shadows and other aberratoins. Even if we

can see the dust or scratch with a good loupe, we can't see the awful shadows, reflections,

and other aberrations produced by very directional lighting. That's why Digital ICE has

become such a desireable feature on desktop scanners, and that is also one reason why

wet mounting is used on many high end scanners.

I recommend a decent bilb blower as well as expecting to use at list a certain amount of

healing brush and/or dust filtering in Photoshop with even the most flawless film

specimens.

for all the comments. Looked at it this weekend, and after turning room lights off, there was quite a bit of dust on the scanner glass, clearly visible using the scanner light. Time to stop cleaning with paper towels too....thanks for the help.

Tom in Seattle