Scanning 4x5 Negatives

Hi there,

 

I've been scanning my 4x5 negatives on a friend's Heidelberg Tango drum scanner for 10 years. I wanted to maybe get something comparable to that for my own studio? (at a more affordable price)...and was wondering if the Epson V850 comes close?

 

Does anyone have experience with both of these scanners to compare?

 

I do have an Epson 4990 that I use to view my negs before the final scans on the Tango. However, the detail of the 4990 does not compare to the Tango, but I don't know if the newer models have improved?

 

Also, I scan my 4x5 negs "full" with the black border, but can't find if these newer Epson models allow you to scan without the negative holder? (The negative holder on my 4990 crops the negs).

 

Finally, my output prints are between 30x40 in to 50x60 in in size. Not sure if the Epson V850 scanner resolution scans that high?

I also saw the model Epson V800, but it seems the V850 has newer features.

 

I appreciate any input, thank you!

Maritza

I trust this guy's review of the Epson V850 as well as prior models. He shows close ups of large format scan quality.

 

http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-v850-film-scanner-review/

 

I still don't think it can be as good as a Heidelberg Tango drum scan. That's a VERY expensive piece of equipment used for commercial offset printing. But that review should give you some idea of the trade offs in image quality.

 

If you have problems with that link, just look up Northlight Images and the Epson model on Google.

Thanks so much, Tim, I will check it out. And yeah, the Tango is up there... hopefully one day high-end scanners will come down in price.

I have my positives scanned with a Heidelberg too, before that with a Kodak, and the period dates back at least 25 years.

Stay with the Tango, rather than a limp-foot shuffle. The V850 is a commendable horse for many tasks, but it is not a patch on a drum scanner, and certainly not the 4x5 format.

 

Sometimes used drum scanners pop up on auction sites.

I have my positives scanned with a Heidelberg too, before that with a Kodak, and the period dates back at least 25 years.

Stay with the Tango, rather than a limp-foot shuffle. The V850 is a commendable horse for many tasks, but it is not a patch on a drum scanner, and certainly not the 4x5 format.

 

Sometimes used drum scanners pop up on auction sites.

 

Agreed Silent Street, I've been drum scanning my 4x5's for 15 years because the quality doesn't compare to lower-end models. Was just wondering if these newer scanners were beginning to catch up? Thanks for your input!

* I should say, newer "lower priced" scanners.

Since Canon pulled out of the flatbed film-scanner market, Epson has almost no competition in that field unfortunately.

 

All I can say, on previous experience with Epson scanners, is to take their specifications with a large pinch of salt. 6400 or 4800 ppi "true optical resolution"? ROFL. No way Jose! More like half of those figures if you're very lucky.

 

Actually Epson quote (lie about) their scanner "resolution" in dpi, not ppi, which shows they don't even know the correct unit of measurement to use.

 

Having said that, 2400 to 3000 ppi should be enough to scrape all of the useable detail from a negative or transparency - depending on the type of film used.

Since Canon pulled out of the flatbed film-scanner market, Epson has almost no competition in that field unfortunately.

 

All I can say, on previous experience with Epson scanners, is to take their specifications with a large pinch of salt. 6400 or 4800 ppi "true optical resolution"? ROFL. No way Jose! More like half of those figures if you're very lucky.

 

Actually Epson quote (lie about) their scanner "resolution" in dpi, not ppi, which shows they don't even know the correct unit of measurement to use.

 

Having said that, 2400 to 3000 ppi should be enough to scrape all of the useable detail from a negative or transparency - depending on the type of film used.

Then what are all of these on the Canon USA site?

 

https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/products/list/scanners/

Only one of those Canon scanners will handle anything other than 35mm, and then it'll only go up to 120 film.

 

And what sort of quality can you expect from a $180 scanner?

 

Luckily I bought a Canoscan 9900uf before they were discontinued. It handles 5" x 4", but very slowly. It's no competition for a Heidelberg.

Only one of those Canon scanners will handle anything other than 35mm, and then it'll only go up to 120 film.

 

And what sort of quality can you expect from a $180 scanner?

 

Luckily I bought a Canoscan 9900uf before they were discontinued. It handles 5" x 4", but very slowly. It's no competition for a Heidelberg.

But you said that they pulled out. They obviously haven't. Try to be more specific when you make those sweeping comments.

 

And, how much was that Canonscan and how much is a Heidelberg?

Hello everyone. Marmol, I last wet printed in late 2006, with every thing from Minox to 5x7 via a condenser enlarger. 8x10's were all contact printed. That year I started scanning most of my small-medium negatives with an Epson V600 and the 4x5 & 8x10 with a V800 model. I have no complaints about the quality of either machine . In 2015 I suffered the loss of my house & darkroom during a wild fire in E. Washington. By good fortune, all the negs & scans were not in the house.

The print I have included is from a 70's 4x5 in La Honda, Calif. Last year I had an 16x20 printed from the scan file and I compared it with a Fiber print, same size, I had stashed ages ago. At 10 feet, it is impossible for me to say which one is which.

In your case, a V800 or V850 would give yeoman service for all the "normal" service you might demand of it for prints. Something super, go get a drum scan and use that print. A small fortune would likely do many things for your work place. Aloha, Bill