Dean: My scan procedure with the V600 uses 2400 and 24 bit with ICE with all other adjustments done afterwards using PS ELements 8. I get 100meg TIFF file for 6x7 medium format out of the scanner. I don't use 48 bit becuase my readings don't seem to indicate there's much of a difference with the V600 (The V500 is basically the same scanner). Here's an interesting discussion that also mentions that you can get multi passes with Vuescan but not with the EPson scan program that I use. Their discussion doesn't seem to notice any diferences between 24 and 48 bit.
http://ddisoftware.com/tech/profile-prism/problems-with-canon-mp980-and-epson-perfection-v500-scannersThe couple of 8 1/2x11" prints I did were acceptable. I suppose if I ever want to do a real blowup, I could send out that particular negatve and pay for a drum scan. But for my current purposes of 8 1/2x11 " prints and posting on the web, it seems to be doing OK.
The pictures when scanned though are very very soft and requires a lot of sharpening afterwards. The V600 negative holder is not height adjustable to focus.
Michael from Epson gave me a little more info below. I gave him a follow up question regarding scans passes during no ICE scans. We'll see what he says Monday. Here's his latest responce to me. I thought it interesting that he provided a Nikon link to explain ICE.
Here are his responses to date.
Discussion Thread
Response (Michael N) 01/07/2011 03:48 PM
Dear Alan,
Thank you for contacting Epson regarding your Epson Perfection V600 Photo. It is my pleasure to respond to your inquiry.
Digital ICE performs multi-sampling and each pass is offset a little bit and then "Software algorithms" perform the restoration by comparing the offset of each pass. They look at what each offset has in the area of the last offset. Powering of the lamp is not something scanners do. You cannot dim LED lights. All the scanners are using LEDs as light sources now. Digital ICE slows the scanning down on any device where it is a feature but typically lets you control the amount of sampling or passes. I've used this feature many times and I must say it's quite remarkable as to what it can do.
Details regarding Digital ICE and process.
http://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2604/~/what-is-digital-ice%3FShould you require further assistance with this issue, please reply without history (when possible), as our email system contains all previous correspondence. If you have a different technical support issue, please submit another email request via our website (
http://www.epson.com/support), and we will respond in a timely manner.
Thank you again for contacting Epson.
Michael N
Customer (Alan Klein) 01/07/2011 02:55 PM
Thanks Michael. You've been very helpful. I know that ICE effects the number of passes although I'm not sure about the speed when selecting ICE.
Does the speed and are the number of passes effected when there is no ICE selected? In other words, does the Epson program modify the results of color and lighting after the scan or do the non-ICE selection also effect the scan speed and number of passes so that the captured data is different?
Thanks again.
Alan
----- Original Message
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From: Epson Support
Response (Michael N) 01/07/2011 07:59 AM
Dear Alan,
Thank you for contacting Epson regarding your Epson Perfection V600 Photo. It is my pleasure to respond to your inquiry.
Alan,
The operation of the scanner hardware itself is pretty basic. The Scanner's capture array lights up and
stays lit at the same intensity through the out the scan and as the array traverses across the glass. The settings can affect speed, number of passes that it's sampling. The light can not vary in intensity as that has to be consistent or you would certianly see it.
Should you require further assistance with this issue, please reply without history (when possible), as our email system contains all previous correspondence. If you have a different technical support issue, please submit another email request via our website (
http://www.epson.com/support), and we will respond in a timely manner.
Thank you again for contacting Epson.
Michael N
Customer (Alan Klein) 01/06/2011 06:55 PM
Ronald: Thanks for answering but your answer does not address my question. I don't think I explained my questioned carefully. What I want to know if if the scanner scans differently depending on the scanners settings? Or does all the changes take place in software after the scanner captures the image. In other words the scan process is the same regardless of the setting. The scanner light intensity stays the same for example or does it change in intensity or in speed?
Thanks
Alan