Scanner purchase decision

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Scanner purchase decision

Postby GregGp » Mon Jun 14, 2010 5:28 am

Looking to buy a scanner for photos, slides, and negatives. Amateur photographer (hobbyist with a passion to grow but at the front end of the learning curve), also new to proshow. Would like to dig into the past and create shows from the pre digital age so I am considering purchasing a scanner, mid price range. Research I have done on the internet leads me to the Epson Perfection V600 Scanner for $219.99 at Epson. The next step up is the V700 for $599.99.

Does anyone have any hands ons experience with the V600 or V700, or any other models I should be looking at?
Thanks for your input.

Greg
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Re: Scanner purchase decision

Postby Bart_B » Mon Jun 14, 2010 5:39 am

I have had a V600 for about six months and love it. Quality and versatility are tremendous. However you have to place a template onto the bed to hold slides in place for scanning which makes scanning slides a slow a tedious process. If you are planning on scanning mostly slides I would look seriously at scanners which are set up with slide feeders to make scanning slides a much faster and simpler process.

Bart

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Re: Scanner purchase decision

Postby dnmilikan » Mon Jun 14, 2010 7:51 am

Depending on how much detail you want to capture and the film formats you wish to scan. A lot of those at another forum in which I participate use the Epson V750...but they routinely scan 4X5 inch negatives.

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Re: Scanner purchase decision

Postby HunnyB » Mon Jun 14, 2010 10:56 am

I love my Epson 4990. I am sure there is a newer model -- I have had this one for a few years with NO problems at all. Scans slides, negs, has photo restoration, etc. :D
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Re: Scanner purchase decision

Postby VernonRobinson » Mon Jun 14, 2010 11:13 am

I have the V700 for 3 years. Great scanner. My only complaint is that if you use the edge of the scanner to align your photos, it will cut a portion of it off. The scanner does not scan edge to edge. It is fast, reliable, and does a really good job.

Now if it only had an automatic document feeder and a bigger bed :lol: .

I went overboard and bought the SilverFast software for it. It is nice, but not neessary.

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Re: Scanner purchase decision

Postby HunnyB » Mon Jun 14, 2010 11:36 am

Yes, I agree Vernon. Did not think of those issues. :shock:
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Re: Scanner purchase decision

Postby gpsmikey » Mon Jun 14, 2010 1:22 pm

Something to be aware of is that a number of manufacturers are dropping support (or not going there in the first place) for the newer 64 bit OS's. Nikon is a prime example. I have the Nikon Coolscan 5000 for film and slides - Nikon is not going to give us any kind of driver for 64 bit. Some people have managed to make them work with some other software, but Nikon is not going to support it. Others are doing the same - everybody is shooting digital these days and the money just isn't there in film or print scanners. Yes, lots of people have old slides etc, but what many of them do is buy a scanner on ebay or something, scan in the old slides and sell it again (which brings 0$ to the manufacturer). I think the print scanners will be around longer, but it is an issue to be aware of.

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Re: Scanner purchase decision

Postby lynn1102 » Sun Jul 25, 2010 3:50 pm

I have an Epson 4890 that I've had for for over 3 years. I have run 10's of thousands of slides thru this thing and it still going. I like it because it's fast and I can put in 16 slides at a time. I think the newer one's only do 4. I know the 4890 has been updated several time so it not available in it's present form.
I do lots of slide transfers, so I hope it hang on for a long time. I would like to find a second form for the slides so I could load one while the other scans. Epson only wants to sell me the whole photo package, which I don't need.

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Re: Scanner purchase decision

Postby Bob R » Sun Jul 25, 2010 4:08 pm

I have an Epson 4870 for my general scanning work. It also does slides, but the flatbed is pretty slow. I also have a Coolscan 5000 for slides with an automatic slide feeder. As Mikey says, you have to go third party (read Vuescan) for the Nikon Coolscan 5000 with Win 7 64 bit. But then, although it is a good scanner, I never thought Nikon cared much about supporting that unit in the first place (There have been problems with the autofeed for a long time. Nikon never did address them. You have to find solutions to that and any other problems on the Internet).

I got my Epson 4870 at the Epson Clearance center after lightning destroyed my original 4870. They sell refurbished units at a good discount. I've had no problems with my refurbished 4870. I see they have V700 refurb right now for $415. That includes free ground shipping. BTW, refurbished units do come with a one year warranty. Check out this link: http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/BuyE ... oid=-13268

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Re: Scanner purchase decision

Postby gpsmikey » Sun Jul 25, 2010 4:22 pm

VernonRobinson wrote:I have the V700 for 3 years. Great scanner. My only complaint is that if you use the edge of the scanner to align your photos, it will cut a portion of it off. The scanner does not scan edge to edge. It is fast, reliable, and does a really good job.

Regards,
-Vernon


Been there, done that - cut a 1/2 inch wide strip of thin cardboard. Tape it to the edge of the scanner then reference your photos against that new "edge" created with the strip of cardboard (for you in other parts of the world, use a 12mm strip of thin cardboard :D )

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Re: Scanner purchase decision

Postby briancbb » Sun Jul 25, 2010 11:49 pm

Mikey wrote:(for you in other parts of the world, use a 12mm strip of thin cardboard )


I'm old enough to still work in inches :lol: , as many do in the UK (only the kids use cms).

That was a good tip Mikey, obviously an engineer of the old brigade. As I usually photoshop my scans I just align the photo using the 'ruler' tool in Photoshop.
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Re: Scanner purchase decision

Postby joemav57 » Fri Aug 06, 2010 7:40 pm

HunnyB wrote:I love my Epson 4990. I am sure there is a newer model -- I have had this one for a few years with NO problems at all. Scans slides, negs, has photo restoration, etc. :D


I have to agree with Hunny. My Epson 4990 has been going strong since 2007. Great scanner!!!!
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Re: Scanner purchase decision

Postby GregGp » Sat Aug 07, 2010 9:14 am

Thanks for all the info and tips, ordered and recieved the Epson V600 and cant wait to find time to play with it. Arrived just in time to start working on a 60th wedding project! Over 250 photos to scan in, hope the learning curve is low :D


Greg
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Re: Scanner purchase decision

Postby haloliver » Sat Aug 07, 2010 9:38 am

Although I have a Nikon 5000 with a SF-200 for scanning a number of slides at anyone time, the cheapest way which is used for presenting a slides show entered into a competion, is to copy the slides with a camera. It is easy and quick. You can also make a simple light box with a viewing window. With a foil lining and an opening in the top for a flash light the slides can be easily copied with the camera. This is the way I used to copy slides before the digital age came into being. The light box can be made fron quarter inch ply. The box 12X12X12. Also have asmall electric bulb inside the box so you can see the slide. The flash will over power the effect of the bulb. Contact me if you need further details.
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