4x5 8x10 Epson 4990 scanner - what's out there for LF now???

[chase canadé1664880639]

<p>Hi -<br>

I understand they no longer make the Epson 4990 - and what i liked was a full 8x10 transparency as well as the 4x5 holders and MF holders and 35mm holders - an all round scanner. Heard the pro's and con's about it - but heard it was descent too.<br>

Stating the obvious and being out of the loop about scanners for a while, and putting it simply,<br>

What's the best quality for my budget range of $500.oo that can handle transparencies up to 8x10 that in your experience and combined wisdoms is worth a dang these days?<br>

and yes to those that need know or haven't figured it out yet<br>

- I shoot film, live in a cave, in the corner, in the dark - hence i haven't a clue about how far scanners have come these days.</p>

<p>thanx for any help<br>

chase</p>

 

[john_shriver]

<p>You might get an Epson V700 for that money. It and the V750 are both very good for flatbeds.</p>

[leicaglow]

<p>Canon no longer makes a 4x5 scanner. HP introduced a new one recently, but I bought it and returned it because the software was so bad and the DMax just awful. I ended up buying an old 2450 Epson for 4x5 personal scanning. Eventually I may buy a V750 though, but it seems like the price has jumped a lot lately.</p>

[chase canadé1664880639]

<p>I just saw a sample scan of a 8x10 using the V700 @ 720dpi and a search reveiled that the price of the V750 is down now as well.<br>

Fluid Flat bed?? interesting... ?<br>

My search also reveiled supposedly some Epson 4990's are still out there<br>

all these Epsons mentioned claim a DMax of 4.0. not bad though i thought it woudl be higher by now.<br>

Canon's out you say - and Microtek?<br>

Are al the companies getting out of scanners for transparency?<br>

All LF photogs going to scan backs now?<br>

See what happens when you're in the cave too long like me<br>

- man am i out of the tech loop!</p>

[jeff_guthrie]

<p>I use an Epson 750M, which I bought actually quite cheaply because it was on clearance sale. Epson may be bringing out an updated model, or discontinuing the current ones. I live in Japan, so these changes tend to occur here a couple of months ahead of America. Before the 750, I used a 4870, which I found to be entirely adequate.</p>

[john_shriver]

<p>Sure enough, the V700 is $499 at B&H at the moment. In-budget. <br>

The V750 is $719 there. Includes a full 48-bit version of SilverFast (Ai), rather than the crippled 24-bit version (LE) that comes with the V700. It also includes the tray for fluid mounting. I like SilverFast, so I bought the V750 to replace my 2450.<br>

Of course, you can buy the V700, and if you take a liking to SilverFast, upgrade later to the Ai version.<br>

On the other hand, if you wind up with a preference for VueScan, then there's not much advantage to the V750. (Well, I've never tried the fluid mounting tray.)<br>

For either scanner, you will eventually want the LF film holder system from http://www.betterscanning.com</p>

 

[rashed]

<p>I just bought recently the Epson Perfection V750 Pro, I scanned many 6X7 films so far and it is designed to scan 4X5 and 8X10 , the result is so great.<br>

One problem with this scanner it do not hold the film uniformally as the top of the scanner to not close to the bottom part glass, thay why I have made a carton frames holders for the film strips, the scanner comes with the necessary frames but these frames for me I did not know how to set them tight to the platform of the scanner, they all of the time loose and not holding tight, also when I use them the scanner do not see my film, that why I use only the large black strip they have provided.<br>

I bought this scanner from the Epson main dealer here, they could not be of any assit to me with frames, I did write many emails to Epson, they never bothered to answer my emails, I did find them also like this in the past, they have no after sail interested at all.</p>

 

[rashed]

<p>Thank you</p>

[chase canadé1664880639]

<p>Not to bump this thread up but i jsut got through reading about the film holders from the afore mentioned <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.betterscanning.com" target="_blank">http://www.betterscanning.com</a>.<br>

They sure do look to be an advantage especially when using the adjustable height versions. Huge difference in the scan results from what i saw on the Better Scanning site as well as iPhoto site review of the holders.<br>

I did find a great site with many scanners compared - including dedicated scanners for MF to LF film... sorry thought i saved the link but don't have and am trying to refind it via search. Huge difference in the scans there too. But also a huge price difference in the dedicated scanners versus flat bed scanners.<br>

After viewing all i could find - and reading what i could - i t certainly puts much new meaning to the reviews of Film versus Digital and Film scanning. Alot more hype and miss-direction/miss-conceptions than i origanally thought. Very confusing to the average consumer let alone myself as to what is capable of what compared to what. Interesting as well.<br>

What some claim is film grain - is not film grain at all but rather simply a crappy soft scan showing digital grain... at least from what i'm reading imo and others that have looked into it more thoroughly.<br>

I guess simple apples to apples and oranges to oranges doesn't fit certain profit margins still.<br>

That one site i mentioned really looked at it all - apples to apples /oranges to oranges - i'll try to find it and post it's link - I beleive anyone shooting will find it interesting. As it doesn't take a side or pose and argument for Digtial versus film but simpley states the facts and capabilities of both and the capabilities to date of converting Film to Digital.<br>

Thanks all for the responses...<br>

sorry for the delay in getting back here to post - been busy and off line.<br>

chase</p>