Epson 4990 scanner for 4x5?

[alpenglow]

Greetings all,

 

I'm just ready to get my feet wet in large format, and have just ordered a Wista

4x5 system. I would like to be able to scan my negs/chromes and I have heard

good things about the Epson 4990 for the budget minded (me). BUT, when I look

at the specs at B&H and other stores, it makes no mention of 4x5 capability...

just 35mm and 120. Am I missing something? Is there a special adapter I need

to by for 4x5 scanning?

 

Thanks,

Mike

[mikeodonoghue]

Minolta made a multiple format scanner which I think was discontinued a few years back.

 

I have a HP with the transparency attachment which worked fine until the transformer packed up ? HP won't sell me a replacement.

 

Imacon/Hasselblad make two/three models for which you'll have to remortgage your home.

 

Epson's Perfection series will also scan large format. The Pro version costs ?700/800.

 

Or you make prints to your satisfaction in your darkroom and scan them with a normal flatbed scanner.

 

Cheers!

 

Try ebay.

[frankz]

The 4990 will scan 35mm to 8x10 negs or trans. I use one and love it!

[aaron_muderick]

Yes, it has a negative holder for 4x5. You can also tape to the glass. Make sure you are looking at the 4990 not the 4490 (which does not support 4x5).

[harley]

I also use the 4990 for 4x5. I find it yields very good prints up to 16x20. Images with really tough highlights or deep shadows push this scanner a little past its limits, but for a relatively "easy" image, it does an excellent job. It is a great scanner for the $$.

[alpenglow]

Thanks folks for the help. And you are right Aaron... I was looking at the 4490. Which means that it doesn't appear that I can still get the 4990 new. Gess I missed my window.

 

Thanks again,

Mike

[scott_kathe1]

Mike,

 

The refurbs from the Epsonstore.com are a great deal. I got a couple of photo quality letter size printers and my 4990 scanner at a great discount and they usually do free ground shipping. Check it out they are $279 right now.

 

I did a 16x20 print from a 4x5 Velvia scanned on mine and it looks pretty good to me but it's pushing it. Mostly I've been scanning FP4+ and doing black only printing with MIS Eboni Black on an Epson R220 printer and I've been very happy with the prints.

 

Scott

[roger hein]

I use the 4990 for scanning anything from roll film to 8x10+ (scanned in sections). At 3-4x

enlargement I have been more than happy with the results for printing. One thing though - I

don't use the 'stock' holders but Doug's 'adjustable' wet mount station

[www.betterscanning.com]. It's well worth the added cost.

[alpenglow]

Thank you Scott and Roger.

 

I checked out the refurbished scanners, and I'll probably order one. Of course, since I'm in Alaska, the "free shipping" doesn't apply to me, and it'll cost another $57.00... so it goes. But thanks for the head's-up.

 

I'll also look into the adjustable wet mount station. My main use for this scanner will be for proofing my negs and chromes... not for printing. So the quality of the scan is not quite as important.

 

Thanks so much again,

Mike

[ben_rubinstein___mancheste1664880652]

From my short experience with the scanner the better scanning holder is a must to keep the film flat and at the right height, I've actually given up on the 4990, I wanted a cheap proofing scanner but quickly discovered that without the better scanning holder and expensive software I'm not even going to be getting useable results, can't even see if the photo is properly in focus because the film is wavy in the holder and not properly focused when taped flat to the glass.

[paulh]

Ben

 

Have you tried going to a picture framing shop and getting some anti-reflective or anti-glare glass cut? I did this for my V700 holders for scanning Efke 25/100 which in 120 format can be a bit curly. I had the glass cut so I can just drop it in the channel of the Epson film holder. For particularly curly film, I can tape the negative to the glass, otherwise lay the film in the channel, bowing up in the centre, then lay the glass on top (AR side towards the film). Works a treat.

 

 

You don't need any other software, the Epson software in professional mode works just fine.