AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

When my Nikon 9000 died (the second time), I purchased the Epson V850. It's supposed to be the best. I'm really struggling to get decent scans from it, using the SilverFast software that came with it. I'm used to getting beautiful scans with no extra spotting required. It seems that I get a lot of different types of error results. Sometimes, even though I try to tell the program to make a large output, it simply doesn't. And I'll get TIFF files that are only about 10 MB. Not big enough. Or I have to spend hours doing spotting work. It's as though the ICE simply does nothing. In fact, it looks as though it ADDS spots and marks! Today, I actually got it to make large files and it appears the ICE worked, but the colours are reversed! It gave me negatives instead of converting the negatives. One image I did today is of an oriole in a tree (lots of green background). It showed the green as ugly yellow-orange. (The bird was the correct colour.) When I didn't select that image on the strip, it looked fine. The second it was the one selected it went to horrid colour! I know I'm doing a lot wrong, but frankly, I'm ready to give up. Is it really this hard? And yes, I have read the manual - about 5 times!

I scanned a negative. It gave me a negative!

(Download)

The background behind the bird is GREEN! It rendered it as ugly yellow.

(Download)

SteveFranz Loc: Durham, NC

I'd suggest checking into VueScan. I've got an Epson V550 and find that VueScan is much more capable than the Epson software. But VueScan does have a bit more of a learning curve than Epson.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I use SilverFast software with my Epson scanner and have for years. I personally think it's superior to anything on the market today. There are a good many settings within SilverFast that need to be addressed. A lot of what you are mentioning and I see in your examples I've seen myself more than once.

Don't give up. It takes a bit of time to learn.
--Bob

Cany143 Loc: SE Utah

What Bob said (re: SilverFast.) And what Steve said, too (re: ViewScan).

And as for using ICE, I don't. There may be those who disagree, but I find it softens the overall scan.

CamB Loc: Juneau, Alaska

I use VueScan. Have you used it’s color sampler tool to find White. It’s quick and makes a huge difference. I use ICE but set low. With a weak setting you get most of the dirt but don’t soften the picture.
...Cam

jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

I second Bob's remarks. The results with Silverfast can really put Vuescan to shame, but it there is a learning curve. Work with it, make notes on how setting changes affect scans.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

He does not use the Epson software, he uses SilverFast (waayyy better than VueScan)!

Doyle Thomas Loc: Vancouver Washington ~ USA

same SF

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

So VueScan and SilverFast both have learning curves. Not good! I'm waiting for a product that doesn't require learning. : )

I use the V600 software, and that satisfies my limited needs.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

I think I downloaded that some years back, but never used it because I got a workaround for the Nikon. I'll see what it has to offer. Thanks for the suggestion.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

I know you use it. I think I need to make an appointment with you and have you give me some lessons!

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

I never noticed ICE softening the image with the Nikon software. What I find with the SilverFast is that it doesn't remove any dust. The Epson software has two settings - one that's dust/scratch removal and one that's de-ice. The de-ice simply does nothing. The dust/scratch task adds ugly artifacts to the image without removing dust.

The discouraging thing about that is that my negatives are clean. But the carriers aren't, and try as I might, I cannot get them clean! I'm just SO discouraged!

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

I'll try that. Thanks.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

I keep plugging away at it. Yesterday, I actually thought it was working properly, but the results were SO wrong! Sometimes it won't allow me to make the settings I want. I feel like the software poltergheist are having a heyday with me!

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

That's what I keep being told. If I could just get it to work correctly. . . !