Epson V850 Pro Scanner

[Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS]

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Hi

Has anyone got a Epson V850 Pro and if so how is it for scanning 4 x 5 Negs

Thanks 

 

Neil

[LorenzoLandini]

Neil,

 

I don't have a V850, but I do have the previous model V750. According to Luminous Landscape "It’s overall performance is similar to that of the V750, except that it’s faster and the film holders are more robust; people who already use a V750 would see no other advantage up-grading to the V850." And again" "There is no difference of detail rendition between the V850 and the V750."

 

The quality of the scan of a 4x5 are pretty good and you can get good prints out of it. However, there is a visible and tangible difference in sharpness, tonality and rendition between a scan from a V750 and a drum scan. For prints larger than 16x20 I have my 4x5 negative scanned with a drum scan at a lab. Up to 16x20 the difference is there but less noticeable and it largely depends on the negative (subject with more or less details, contrast, etc.). 

 

Cheers,

Lorenzo

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[chris_livsey]

 

 

I don't have an extensive large format collection but I do have a half plate that is challenging to shoot, for my purposes the V850 does the job.

 

This a half plate negative (6 1/2 x 4 3/4 inch) flat on the scanner bed. No post work this is straight out of Epson Scan, dry mounted under a sheet of museum glass. This negative about 15 years old, happy with my fix and wash routine 

Waterhouse stops and no shutter, remove the cap and count!! Lens dated 1904.

How far have we come?

 

Whilst I agree about the drum scan or an Imacon/Hasselblad it rather depends on your output requirements, personally with no other intervention a contact print is hard to beat on a lot of levels and doesn't require an enlarger, rather obviously, so is home doable. 

Edited January 19, 2017 by chris_livsey

[250swb]

I use a V700 for scanning 4x5 and it can make very good scans if you use some common sense.

 

The light source is more diffuse than a drum scanner, similar to the difference you get between using a diffusion enlarger or a condenser enlarger for printing 4x5. So the detail is there but the micro contrast is low, you can either give it a boost in the film and developer you use, or simply pay particular attention to it in post processing. And of course sharpening needs care as well, because of the scan size give it much more than usual but remaining gentle with the settings. But the lower contrast can be a very good thing because the scans don't look 'digitised' and working your way up from low contrast in post processing is much easier than trying to remove 'clarity' or 'structure'. And the lower contrast is unlikely to spoil the tonal gradation which is what 4x5 is all about.

[Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS]

I use a V700 for scanning 4x5 and it can make very good scans if you use some common sense.

 

The light source is more diffuse than a drum scanner, similar to the difference you get between using a diffusion enlarger or a condenser enlarger for printing 4x5. So the detail is there but the micro contrast is low, you can either give it a boost in the film and developer you use, or simply pay particular attention to it in post processing. And of course sharpening needs care as well, because of the scan size give it much more than usual but remaining gentle with the settings. But the lower contrast can be a very good thing because the scans don't look 'digitised' and working your way up from low contrast in post processing is much easier than trying to remove 'clarity' or 'structure'. And the lower contrast is unlikely to spoil the tonal gradation which is what 4x5 is all about.

 

Hay Steve

Thanks for the write up..........I used to use SEP 100% of the time, I have now learnt how to get better results using tools in the PScc suite. I will think about what you have written here when doing that

Cheers

 

Neil

[Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS]

I managed to get one from Amazon UK and should arrive in KL on Monday