V850 scanner review

[keith_cooper]

I've written up an overview of using the new Epson V850 scanner.

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

I've still got the scanner here for a while yet, so if there are any specific issues I've missed or questions, please do let me know, since film scanning is not something I've done much of in recent years, and didn't have any large format film to test.

Hope it's of some interest, even to those who do a lot of scanning ;-)

[Doug Fisher]

Thanks for posting.

One section that was unclear to me is, "At the left, you can see the spacer bar that is used for larger sheets of film (up to 10x8), whilst below it is the white backing plate used for reflective scanning."

What are we supposed to be looking at in the left picture?  I am missing something because it just looks like the reflective insert for the lid is pulled out of the lid and sitting on the scanner?

Thanks,

Doug

[keith_cooper]

Whoops ...thanks for mentioning this - I'd uploaded the version of the image with no annotation - now fixed

[keith_cooper]

After feedback and questions about the V850 I got my old FS4000 scanner out of the cupboard and rescanned one of my FP4 negs with it at 4000dpi, using Vuescan.

Compared to the V850 it handles dynamic range less well (multi-scan helps) but produces an inherently crisper output.

These three examples have all had a small amount of deconvolution sharpening with Focus Magic (not much for the FS4000) one V850 one is resampled to 4000dpi to match the FS4000.

Not intended a a rigorous comparison test, but I hope they are of interest...

PS the distant car is my old V8 Manual Rover SD1

[keith_cooper]

Several people have contacted me about focus issues on the V850, in view of the examples I posted.

After getting my USB microscope out at full magnification, I captured the view below of the chimney of the building (note the resampling - so even this view can't be said to be perfectly accurate)

The film is 1986 FP4 and does indeed appear to have the fairly hefty grain (it might have been pushed, I have no records whatsoever from 1986 ;-)

I'd suggest that the V850 results might make for a better print compared to the rather 'pointilistic' sharpness of the FS4000 grain - however it's quite some time since I used the FS4000 for any serious scanning and maybe settings could be improved. The V850 certainly seems to beat it on dynamic range though.

I've now looked through the documentation for the V850 again and can find nothing about the height adjustment settings on any of the film holders - guess it's not ben updated yet ;-)

[Roberto Frieri]

Many thanks for sharing your review.

They say: "...Epson is gradually shifting away from cold cathode in its scanners, with the V500 being the first to convert in 2007. The company says that LED light sources are more consistent than cold cathode, and do not change color or intensity during their life. LEDs don’t need to be calibrated..."

Is it true?

[keith_cooper]

I'd forgotten some of the stuff that sits in my huge junk drawer... ;-)

I found this 21 step film strip (Stouffer #AT 20x.15)

Also in a packet was a resolution film strip (Stouffer 1" x 3" )  - I've no idea what the numbers are? (it's an old strip and I've never worked in print at all)
Here's a full scan and a 100% crop at 6400 (unsharpened)

Both put it into the 35mm film strip holder. Scanned with Epson Scan software.

Hope it's of some interest? ;-)

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

Many thanks for sharing your review.

They say: "...Epson is gradually shifting away from cold cathode in its scanners, with the V500 being the first to convert in 2007. The company says that LED light sources are more consistent than cold cathode, and do not change color or intensity during their life. LEDs don’t need to be calibrated..."

Is it true?

Hi Roberto,

It's true that most LEDs don't drift as fast as CCFs. However, most LEDs are rather narrow spectrum (unless modified by fluorescents in their design, which may drift over time). That makes LED lightsource scanners more sensitive to a precise match with the dyes of the various film layers, which may result in better scan color accuracy with some films than with others.

Good scanner/film profiles should help to mitigate mismatches to a large degree, assuming the LEDs where chosen well for average film dye spectral absorption characteristics ...

Cheers,
Bart

[Roberto Frieri]

Hi Roberto,
It's true that most LEDs don't drift as fast as CCFs. However, most LEDs are rather narrow spectrum (unless modified by fluorescents in their design, which may drift over time). That makes LED lightsource scanners more sensitive to a precise match with the dyes of the various film layers, which may result in better scan color accuracy with some films than with others.
Good scanner/film profiles should help to mitigate mismatches to a large degree, assuming the LEDs where chosen well for average film dye spectral absorption characteristics ...
Cheers,
Bart

Hi Bart, thank you very much for your explanation.

[greggan12]

I have also been trying to evaluate and write a little review of the V850.
If of any interest you can find it here http://www.stockholmviews.com/epson_v850/
Part from being a nice scanner I also found some less flattering things like a engineering error in the MF 120/220 film holder!

Regards/Stefan

[Roberto Frieri]

If of any interest...

Oh yes, Stefan. Thanks for sharing.
I've bought some time ago the Epson V800, which I use (and profile) with Vuescan.
I hope to learn new things from your review.

[Gary Ferguson]

Hello Keith, I recently bought the V850 after reading your excellent and comprehensive review. You advised downloading the latest XRite scanner software rather than using the Epson supplied XRite calibration software on. I think that if you're not already registered with XRite you might be better starting off with the disc and then updating.

Thanks for an excellent review (and a great web site!).

Regards,

Gary

[aaronchan]

Dear Keith,

I'm wondering what's the which IT8-7 target (4x5 transmissive) do you have on your hand.
I bought the V800 and it came with MONT45:2014:08
Which I cannot find the reference data anywhere even online at all.
I've just contact X-Rite to see if they will reply me and solve my problem which I think I will have to wait for a while......

aaron

[greggan12]

Try here: http://www.xrite.com/ezcolor/support/d369
I would also sugest that you update the Xrite Epson software.
The propper I1 scanner for Epson page is here: http://www.xrite.com/i1Scanner

I agree that the Xrite website is a mess ;-/
More about my findings here!


Stefan

stockholmviews.com

[aaronchan]

I got the data from the last link you provided to me

Thanks
Aaron