Epson V 500 anyone?

[ScottsGT]

About to purchase a flatbed scanner. Wanting to keep budget around $200.
So far the Epson V500 looks like the scanner for me. 35mm negs/slides and 120 negs/slides a must. Scanning home photos mostly, noting on a professional level. Just want to get my old family photos on disc and slide shows.
Sound like a good scanner to fit my bill?

[Tony-S]

I use mine to scan 6x7 cm slides and negatives, but not too many 35mm films. I also use it to scan 4x5" film in two passes, then use Photoshop to stitch them together into one file.

You should consider getting VueScan. It's much better than Epson's software, IMO.

[jmcder53]

Tony-S, you got any examples you could show of the film scans you've done?

[jimz66]

I have one too. I haven't been able to try it too much yet but it seams like a good scanner for the money. If you Don't have to have it RIGHT NOW wait sometimes it goes on sale at Staples. Thats where I got mine from. I saved around fifty bucks I think. Can't remember so many things have happened since I purchased mine.

[Tony-S]

Here're a couple with crops. I use VueScan and do three-pass scans at 3200 dpi for ISO 100 and below, 1600 for ISO 400 (you easily see grain with 400 films at 1600, so 3200 is kind of pointless) and as 16-bit TIFF grayscale or 48-bit TIFF color. The files are huge for my 6x7cm - typically 120 and 360 mb, respectively. You have to do curves/levels, spot healing and a bit of USM for all. I usually do a low res single-pass for image evaluation, then those that I really want to work with I rescan as described above.

This shot was with Ilford Delta 100 @ 100 with Perceptol 1+3.

[Tony-S]

And another with the Delta 100 as above. I had a little uneven development on this one.

[gjl711]

I've had my V500 for a bit over a year and have scanned hundreds of negatives, slides, prints. I'm vary happy with the scanner and it's results.

[ScottsGT]

Glad to hear....Mine will be here on Tuesday from B&H