Problems scanning and printing slides

  • Thread starter Thread starter sherwindu
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sherwindu

I am trying to scan in 35 mm slides on my Epson RX 500 scanner. My three
choices are basically no color correction, Epson's ICM control, or use color
control.
The first two options produce very dark scans, like snow scenes where the snow
looks grey. The color control option seems much better than the others,
although it
produces pretty flat looking colors. I am scanning at anywheres from 300 dpi,
and
up, with no improvement. The scans look better on the monitor, but appear
washed
out when printing them. I have been using Canon and Kodak heavy matte finish
paper. Is there something in this process that is contributing to poor color
rendition?
I am using ink from atlantic inkjet, who seem very reliable. The Epson RX 500
is a
color photo printer using 5 color and 1 black cartridges.

Sherwin D.
 
sherwindu said:
I am trying to scan in 35 mm slides on my Epson RX 500 scanner. My three
choices are basically no color correction, Epson's ICM control, or use
color
control.
The first two options produce very dark scans, like snow scenes where the
snow
looks grey. The color control option seems much better than the others,
although it
produces pretty flat looking colors. I am scanning at anywheres from 300
dpi,
and
up, with no improvement. The scans look better on the monitor, but appear
washed
out when printing them. I have been using Canon and Kodak heavy matte
finish
paper. Is there something in this process that is contributing to poor
color
rendition?
I am using ink from atlantic inkjet, who seem very reliable. The Epson RX
500
is a
color photo printer using 5 color and 1 black cartridges.

Sherwin D.
Click to expand...

When you say 'anywheres from 300dpi' what do you mean? 300ppi is the
standard resolution for scanning prints, but is nowhere near good enough for
slides. Slides have a maximum resolution equivalent to about 4000dpi so you
should be trying to scan somewhere up in that region (at least in the
1000's) According to Amazon your scanner has max. 2,400dpi resolution - so
use that.

As I don't have your scanner/printer I can't comment on the automatic
controls - though I do have a Epson 2480 which probably isn't wildly
different. I generally turn off all automatic functions and use levels in
Photoshop to correct levels, contrast etc, but having said that the
automatic functions seem to work fairly well in the Epson scanner software
for me.
 
You will have problems with getting accurate colour when printing, simply
because you are not using Colour Management.

Colour Management, when set up correctly, will give an almost exactly
correct print "First Time"

Your RX500 drivers will have installed ICC Colour Profiles on your computer,
or will have them built into its own "Standalone" system. Your Media drop
down list will only show Epson products, so the the Profiles being used in
the Colour Management (ICM) will be for Epson Papers and Epson Inks, and
will be of no value using other papers and non-epson ink. Kodak do show
settings on their website for using their papers in Epson Printers (using
Epson Ink), but I would doubt that Canon do.

You should still be able to get good quality, accurate colour prints, but
not at "First Print". You will need to do some test prints, and adjust the
Contrast, Density and Colour Settings in the Printer Driver until you get a
correct Print.

I would think that the cost of paper and ink used in all the necessary
testing, might well be more than the cost of using Epson Inks and Epson
Papers.

Some Paper Manufacturers will supply ICC profiles for their Papers in Epson
Printers (using Epson Ink), or you could have Profiles for your
Printer-Paper-Ink combination made for you, but they would cost upwards of
£50 each.

I fail to see the point of buying a good machine, and then making false
economies which prevent it from doing the job it was designed to do.

I have no connection with Epson. I do use one of their Printers (1290), but
do not always use Epson Paper.

Roy G
 
sherwindu said:
I am trying to scan in 35 mm slides on my Epson RX 500 scanner. My three
choices are basically no color correction, Epson's ICM control, or use color
control.
The first two options produce very dark scans, like snow scenes where the snow
looks grey.
Click to expand...

Sorry if this is a silly question but...

I think the user guide says to remove the white reflective mat. Did you
remember to do this?
 
Greetings Sherwin,

More than likely the snow exposures you made were underexposed due to the
subject matter. The camera tries to make everything about 18% reflectance of
gray. If it sees a scene that has little but snow and sky, it compensates
and underexposes. You need to compensate when taking your pictures.

Other than that, use the software controls that come with the machine and
edit the images. There is likely an auto option that will enhance the scan
once it is complete. If you have Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, you can
use an automated feature that will allow you to adjust each image in a group
without your direct management. Check it out. You should get excellent
results with the Kodak paper.

Good luck,

Ron Baird
Eastman Kodak Company
 
On Fri, 25 Mar 2005 14:40 +0000 (GMT Standard Time),
Suggest you try VueScan, available at:
http://www.hamrick.com/files/vuesca81.exe
Click to expand...

Has anyone used Silverfast? It's more expensive than VueScan, but
some of the reviews I've read says that it's more powerful.
http://www.silverfast.com/show/productindex/en.html

Thanks.

It's the best scanning software I've come across and gives extensive
control over all scanning functions. Streets ahead of Epson's TWAIN
driver.
Click to expand...

ANYTHING would be an improvement on the Epson TWAIN driver!!!
 
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