Epson Perfection V500 Photo - Flatbed scanner #32270

[davidF]

Got one a week ago, been playing with it since. Fantastic value for money especially good at scanning colour negatives, normally a stumbling block with amateur scanners, very clean scans with low noise even with 400ASA film stock. Recommended....

[Col]

I have an Epson Stylus DX8450 multifunction printer and the scanner is awesome! It's a flatbed scanner on top of the printer. Can you scan negatives in a flatbed scanner then or do you need a special type of scanner for it? That one you mentioned is a flatbed scanner.

[Firerat]

afaik you need a light box for negatives
i.e. you shine light through the negative and scan what passes , instead of 'at' and scan for the reflection

[Aaron]

I think you're right.. But if the backing of the scanner is white, then you might get some results.. Would it work that you scan it, and then just play with the colours in photoshop/fireworks? I might try later if I can find any negatives!

[Firerat]

yeah, have ago,
you will get some result, but I'm going to guess that it will be 'hazy'

[Jiggles]

Basically scan the negatives withe scanner and light box and then invert the colours. Simples.

[Firerat]

http://photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/005C26
seems you need a lightbox/back light and you have to account for the orange 'tint' with colour Negatives
you could calibrate the scanner, or maybe photoshop out the orange mask.

the lightbox, well it might be fun to try and make one
BUT be very carefull not to use a light source that generates heat !!
Maybe an LED torch diffused through frosted/ground glass

[alexnifty]

What about putting a mirror face down on top? Should bounce the scanners light back through the negative.

Might end up with weird effects though.

[Aaron]

Another Nifty idea there! (see what I did! ).. But that is a good idea!

[Firerat]

forgot to mention, I think you should have only one light source, so you would ned to hack your scanner to scan without its light source.

the mirror, nice idea, but it will just blind the scanner

with standard scanner you are looking at the light which is reflected ( not absorbed ) from the media.

with the negative you are again looking at the light which is not absorbed, BUT you are actually more intersted in what is passed through than what is reflected by the media ( infact the light reflected from the media is no good to you at all ).

so all you are going to get is of combination of the light reflected ( not absorbed ) by the media and some of the light which has passed through from the reflection off the mirror and back though the, media
you are just going to gets lots of Shiny bits with some dark bits and edges are going to be blured.

Have to admit this is a thought experiment, but I would love to see the results of a live one

[alexnifty]

I hadn't really thought about it, just threw it out there for firerat to shoot down in flames

[coiler]

someone try it tonight! if you havn't got a mirror use the back of a cd to reflect the light and put the negative under it LOL

[coiler]

how about if you put the negative face down on the flat bed scanner , got a piece of black paper and cut a hole for the negative so its almost like the scanner lid is down, then shine a torch (preferably LED) through the negative and hold the scanner lid open?

THAT WOULD WORK! :getmecoat:

[alexnifty]

how about if you put the negative face down on the flat bed scanner , got a piece of black paper and cut a hole for the negative so its almost like the scanner lid is down, then shine a torch (preferably LED) through the negative and hold the scanner lid open?

THAT WOULD WORK! :getmecoat:

You would still have to disable the scanner's light somehow.

[coiler]

You would still have to disable the scanner's light somehow.

With a hammer