Scanning 5 x 4 on Epson 3170

[nickc1]

I cannot scan or enlarge 5x4 until September when I am back at college. My

home scanner is an Epson 3170, bought before the LF bug bit, which will only

scan up to 6x9 cm MF.

 

I thought that if I upended my battery powered lightbox on top of the 5x4 neg

I could scan it, but the`scanning software (Epson Scan v2.55) will only allow

a strip 66mm wide to be scanned. The same software will scan a larger width on

an alternative scanner model, but when you try to select that model of scanner

Windows objects (quite rightly as that model is not there.....)

 

Does anyone know if it is possible to fool the software into scanning a larger

width, or do I wait until college starts again in September, or horror of

horrors, will I have to spend some (more) money?

 

Any suggestions appreciated.

 

Nick

[custom film holders for fl]

You wouldn't get even light illumination scanning much wider than 57 mm due to light falloff from the narrow light lid source even though you say the software will crop to 66 mm. Scanning in strips and assembling with software that assembles panoramas might be a possibility (many digicam software packages include this, so maybe you already have something). If you have to resort to spending money, Epson may still have refurbished 4870 scanners for $199.

<p> Doug<p>

<a href="http://www.betterscanning.com">BetterScanning.com</a>

[paulh]

I've scanned 5x4 and 9x12cm film on my 3170 by doing as Doug mentions.

 

I made up a cardboard holder/guide with a cut-out for the light strip and a guide at right angles which i use to align the negative. Then scan the negative in two halves. This gives a reasonably good overlap, and the two scans can be stitched together either in PS or via most panorama stitching packages. You can try Hugin (free) or similar.

 

It's a bit of a pain, but does the job for occassional scans.