I'm about to buy a couple or one new scanner. Currently I have an Epson 4870
and a ED 500 Nikon coolscan. Someone recently suggested the new Epson 4990
could scan 35mm film as well as the Nikon film scanner. If this is correct,
I only need to buy that scanner, instead of 2 new ones.
Can anyone who has one of these scanners confirm this please?
DJ.
Douglas,
You mean the ED 5000 I guess. Doubt that the 4990 will compete
with that one, based on my Epson 3200 and Nikon 8000 that I
have and I used them to their limits.
However there are two new Epson scanner models announced with
dual lens systems that will bring 35 mm scans on flatbed
scanners to a new level. I think that's a better answer if you
want to replace both the 4990 and the Nikon Coolscan with one
scanner. May still not be at the 5000 level but close.
http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/02/22/perfection/index.php
First impression after reading the specs:
Wet mounting holder included
Higher resolution up to 4x5
thanks to a dual lens system, the 8x10 will not have the
higher resolution I think as it probably will be scanned on
the scanbed itself and use the same lens + focus that is used
for reflective originals. The 8x10 item is called area guide
instead of holder so that's what I base my assumption on.
Quite smart as it still will be a fixed focus system but this
time the wider lens will focus at the scanbed only and the 4x5
and smaller filmholders use the other lens with the higher
resolution and focus at 1 mm above the bed where the film is
in the holders. One would expect less DOF in the lens systems
and sharper scans than we were used to in the older models but
the oversampling CCD matrix sensor of Epson will still need
sharpening at some stage. I think a true optical resolution
above 3000 PPI for 4x5 and smaller isn't impossible. 4 Dmax is
claimed, but that has always been a bit high though, 3.2-3.4
should be possible with multi-sampling.
Ernst