Epson V850 scanner review

[Keith Cooper]

I've just written up a review/overview of using the new Epson V850

http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/reviews/scanner/epson_v850.html

Since I've still got the scanner here for a while yet, if anyone has any specific issues or questions that I've missed, please do let me know.

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bye for now
Keith Cooper

 

[Keith Cooper]

After posting the review, I was asked for more details about how it compared with a dedicated film scanner.

I've fired up my old Canon FS4000 and have some sample image that may be of interest.

The FS4000 probably wins in sharpness, but the V850 more easily handles wide dynamic range. Of course if you're looking to scan 120 or larger film, the V850 is the only option of the two...

The sample images have both had slight deconvolution sharpening using Focus Magic (less on the FS4000), and I've resampled one version of the V850 scan to the same dpi as the FS4000















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bye for now
Keith Cooper

 

[Vernon D Rainwater]

After posting the review, I was asked for more details about how it compared with a dedicated film scanner.

I've fired up my old Canon FS4000 and have some sample image that may be of interest.

The FS4000 probably wins in sharpness, but the V850 more easily handles wide dynamic range. Of course if you're looking to scan 120 or larger film, the V850 is the only option of the two...

The sample images have both had slight deconvolution sharpening using Focus Magic (less on the FS4000), and I've resampled one version of the V850 scan to the same dpi as the FS4000







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bye for now
Keith Cooper

Just curious, what is the purpose of scanning the image with the 850 at 6400 dpi. It appears like a heavy snow storm and the grain is as if the drops of snow are very large. Also, with such small amount of detail in the image neither scan will help to reveal comparisons for capturing details.

I believe you may have a more logical comparison between the two scanners (for a same image) if you had also scanned with the 850 at 4000 for the same as the other scanner. Just my opinion and of course that does not make it correct.

I have never had the chance to scan with a dedicated film scanner since my scanning has been limited to using the Epson (earlier with 2450) then most were scanned with the V700. Both using the included Epson scanning software. My many negatives ranged in size from Minox (8mm) through 4 x 5 and all slides were 35mm primarily from a Leica m3 and some from a Minolta. Medium format images were from Hasselblad plus a Twin Lens reflex with Nikkor Lens.

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Vernon...

 

[Keith Cooper]

Scanned at what is listed as the optical maximum for this scanner, since this is what several people asked me for.

The size of the images is just a concession to not posting big files ;-) Look at the examples in the review. Even with the 'bigger blobby grain' I feel there is actually more detail in the roof from the V850 - of course this is an image an scene I know well, so what I can see in it is probably a bit more

I'm aware that the grain is not so clear in the V850 scan. This is at the default height setting for the film holder (which isn't covered in the documentation as far as I could see).

A few experiments didn't show any improvement but since I've got the scanner for a bit longer I'll have another go at seeing how to get it better (if possible)

I'll try some other films, but I don't have any samples bigger than 35mm or not taken in the 20th century ;-)

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bye for now
Keith Cooper

 

[Keith Cooper]

After several other comments about the softness of the V850 scans, I got my USB microscope out and grabbed this view of the chimney on the negative (inverted here)

I'm minded to think that the V850 gives a more accurate version, and might well ultimately give a better print - of course this depends on how much your taste is for showing obvious grain.

The film is 1986 FP4 (and may have been pushed - I've no records at all from 1986).

Hope this info is of use for people considering the V850...





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bye for now
Keith Cooper

 

[filmrescue]

Hello Keith...thanks for making that helpful review. We're currently using a couple of v750s for film scanning and one question that I'm having a hard time finding an answer to is how the V850 compares to the V750 in scan time with identical settings not counting warm up time. Actual scan time. With and without Digital Ice would be helpful but I fully understand if you didn't have that available. Thanks!

 

[Keith Cooper]

Sorry, it's gone back to Epson, so I can't test it...