Scanner That Supports Large Format Film?

[BTilson]

Does anyone know of any "reasonably" priced scanners that can scan all sizes of negatives, from 35mm all the way up to large format 4x5 and 8x10? I consider reasonably priced at below $500. I currently don't shoot large format, but I want to expand into it someday, and I am currently in the market for a film scanner, so I figure I'll go ahead and get one that I won't have to upgrade as soon as I start shooting LF.

Much thanks in advance!

 

[Sjixxxy]

Epson Perfection V700/V500. My V700 cost like $480 a year ago. V500 should be a bit cheaper.

 

[BTilson]

I was actually looking at the V500 earlier today, but it only listed 35mm and medium formats as the films it could scan. Can you confirm that the V700 can scan large format negs? What do you think of it's performance? Have any sample scans to share?

Thanks!

 

[compur]

There's the Microtek i800 but note that Microtek has stopped marketing
scanners in the USA (they still offer support/service though).

 

[Dwig]

I was actually looking at the V500 earlier today, but it only listed 35mm and medium formats as the films it could scan. Can you confirm that the V700 can scan large format negs? What do you think of it's performance? Have any sample scans to share?

Thanks!

The EPSON V500 is limited to 35mm and 120 film and 35mm mounted slides with the supplied carriers. It can handle formats smaller than 120 either with adapted carriers, custom carriers, or simply placing the negatives directly on the scanner's glass.

The V700 and V750 (nearly identical scanners) come with carriers for 35mm, 120, & 4x5 film and 35mm mounted slides. They can scan film up to 8x10 directly from the scanner glass (an alignment mask is provided to properly center the 8x10 film on the 8.5x11" glass). Other film sizes can be scanned from either the glass directly or, if smaller than 4x5, can be scanned from adapted carriers.

I own a v700 and I'm very satisfied with the scan quality. I've scanned an rather wide range of modern and antique formats from 16mm sub-minature through 4x5 sheet and 3.5x5.5 roll film. I've made adapters for scanning various old formats using the standard carriers (127 in the 120 carrier and 116, 120, & 115 in the 4x5 carrier.

I don't have a hi-res scan posted anywhere to see, but all of the scanned images in the posts (not "Barb's Visit) listed on this page:

Dwig & Karen » Family Pix

were done with my EPSON v700.

I

 

[Sjixxxy]

The EPSON V500 is limited to 35mm and 120 film and 35mm mounted slides with the supplied carriers.

Whoops. My bad on the incorrect info about the V500.

No hi-res scans to share though. I do have a 16x20 print of my photo Wall of Vacuums hanging in my living room which originated as a scan from my v700. Looks really nice.

 

[djacobox372]

Another vote for the v700... just makes sure you adjust the film carrier height to it's ideal sharpness!

Here's a crop from a 4x5 shot scanned with the v700

 

[Dick Sanders]

I have the Epson V750 Pro. Supposedly this gives even better neg scans than the 700, but I wouldn't know that for sure. I do like my scans. It comes with 4x5 holder, plus 8x10 film guide. It has a separate 8x10 wet mount plate (supposedly the best quality scan). You can't put the 8x10 negs directly on the platen glass without getting newton rings. But... there's a way around this. You put the emulsion side down (the negs usually scan emulsion up) flat on the platen glass, then put a piece of Anti-Newton ring glass on top of the neg. You'll need to flop it in PhotoShop, but this method eliminates the newton rings. You buy ANR glass at the following place:

https://linux19.domainnameservers.net/~fpoint5/store/agora.cgi

I will say the Epson V750 Pro is a great all-around scanner. Good luck.

 

[Dwig]

I have the Epson V750 Pro. Supposedly this gives even better neg scans than the 700...

The glass plate on the V750 Pro is optically coated to reduce reflections. Also, there is some provision made to allow the 750 to do wet scans. Other than that, the only difference is the included software, a full rather than "SE" version of SilverScan.

The only time I've see any issue with my v700 that might have been better with a v750 was when scanning some glass mounted Kodachrome duplicates from the '40s which has some deep shadows and some slightly burned out highlights. The seemed to be a very very slight "glow" on some contrasty boundaries in the image.

 

[Idasho]

I picked up a used Microtek Scanmaker 5900 for scanning my 4x5's. Got it for dirt cheap.

It does fantastic. Still working out the kinks, and fiddling with settings, but it performs well. My computer hates me for scanning 80 megabite Tiffs

Max neg size it 4x5 though. For up to 8x10, prepare to pay big $$

 

[Mitica100]

Second the Epson! I have an older model, the 4990 Perfection and it's very good with the 4x5. It can also do 8x10.

 

[Dick Sanders]

It's interesting but the highest quality negative holder that Epson supplies with the V-750 Pro is the 8x10 wet mount device -- really solid piece of gear. Everything else is cheap plastic. I haven't done the wet scans yet, but I'm going to try it with my 8x10s (been using the anti-newton ring method described in earlier post until now). For everything else, you can get improved neg holders for Epson, Canon, Microtek, and Agfa scanners here:

Custom film holders for Agfa, Microtek, Canon and Epson film scanners.

I use their 120 Dual MF film holder with my Epson and it's way better than what Epson provides for 120 film.