scanner experts?

[spinner]

I've plunked this in General Discussion as I can't see another forum that fits. If there is and I've missed please move.

Got an Epson v600 Scanner, used mainly for old photos. Recently came across an box full of old slides at my in-laws. My wife thinks they were her spinster aunts. They are photos from the 50s and 60s.
Holding them up to light they seem clear and bright. Scan them and they come out all dark reddish and specked. I've tried both the native Epson software and VueScan and both scan similarly. I've poked around in both programs and can't see anything specific to scanning slides.

Any experts out there can point me in the right direction?

[Hinfrance]

Spin, I'm just in the middle of 'saving' a lot of glass plate negatives and positives.

Like you, I started out looking at them and thinking 'they look pretty good' only to find that no matter how I tweaked my Epson photo/film scanner the results were almost always dire.

What you need to do is rig up a lightbox or similar and photograph them again.

Here is a first draft of a positive:



and here is a first pass glass negative:



I've no idea what processes were used to create these slides - they are believed to come from the 1910s to 1920s and some of them are a bit touch and go, but I've managed to get a reasonable facsimile from all of them by re-photographing them.

Good luck with the restoration process Spin

[spinner]

Lightbox eh? Ok, google here I come.

[Mick]

Spinner. I know this is a silly question, but you have removed the cover plate from the lid?  The lid had its own light source built in, for slides and negatives.

Touching on what H said, I believe there's also a slide holder you can buy which fits on your camera lens, just like a filter holder.  This is used for copying slides.  Anyone used one?  Any good?

[Hinfrance]

I tried the lid light, but it was too small for the plates - hence the re-photographing approach, which was an order of magnitude better than the scanner.

I've not tried a slide holder, I used my macro lens.

[ABERS]

Touching on what H said, I believe there's also a slide holder you can buy which fits on your camera lens, just like a filter holder.  This is used for copying slides.  Anyone used one?  Any good?

Back in the 80's to copy 35mm slides, both graphics and pictures. Worked quite well after setting things up on a tripod. Used to meter through the lens and make sure everything was in focus and just blasted away.  We used to get as many copies of slide presentations as needed at a fraction of the price if they were sent away to a process house. The quality was more than acceptable when projected over a distance of 40 feet, with a suitable carousel of course.

No idea what it was called or if such a bit of gear is available today.

On the rare occasions I scan a photo on my Epson V500 I find a little tweaking in Lightroom as far as contrast, colour shift etc. is concerned I can bring things back to normal, in fact sometimes improve things a bit!

[Mick]

Alan, thanks, I haven't tried one myself, but seen them advertised over the years.  Good to hear from someone who's actually used one. 

http://www.scantips.com/es-1.html

Looks like you can still get them,

Here's a couple from Amazon.com http://bit.ly/TrTNZQ  or http://bit.ly/V3x3S0

[Simple]

I do scan a lot of slides with an old Epson Scanner. (Perfection 3170) I have the same problem with colourcasts. I load all my images in Photoshop, and add an adjustment CURVES layer. Press Auto on the curves layer and hey presto, works 90% of the time. If not manual adjustment is needed.

[spinner]

I do scan a lot of slides with an old Epson Scanner. (Perfection 3170) I have the same problem with colourcasts. I load all my images in Photoshop, and add an adjustment CURVES layer. Press Auto on the curves layer and hey presto, works 90% of the time. If not manual adjustment is needed.

I've tried processing them in Photoshop but they are so far removed from the original I can't even get close.

[SimonW]

The Epson software that drives my Perfection V500 defaults to automatic setting, but perhaps not immediately obvious are manual options including levels and colour balance, and I usually find these are sufficient to avoid the need for further photoshopping.

[spinner]

Simon, I bought the VueScan software and had been emailing back and forth with the fellow who wrote the program. I'm embarrassed to say we had one of those moments, you know, when the tech guy says is it plugged in? Turns out there's an cover on the interior upper plate of the scanner that you need to remove. I've never noticed the blue tape that held in place. Once I took it off, well let's just say everything is going better than expected now. 

[Mick]

Spin, I did ask you about this in my post above. 

Spinner. I know this is a silly question, but you have removed the cover plate from the lid?  The lid had its own light source built in, for slides and negatives.

Glad you got it sorted though. 

[Oldboy]

Simon, I bought the VueScan software and had been emailing back and forth with the fellow who wrote the program. I'm embarrassed to say we had one of those moments, you know, when the tech guy says is it plugged in? Turns out there's an cover on the interior upper plate of the scanner that you need to remove. I've never noticed the blue tape that held in place. Once I took it off, well let's just say everything is going better than expected now. 

It's an age thing!