Digital BW, The Print

Having done a whole bunch of tests today, if you scan on the 1680pro at 3200
(in Vuescan anyway) in 48bit RGB mode and then convert to 16bit greyscale
from the green chanel only, there is a small but significant difference. I'm
in the middle of writing this up for my website so I'll put up the different
scans there.

Julian
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sam A. McCandless" <samcc@...>
To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, December 17, 2001 9:55 PM
Subject: Epson 1680 vs 2450 scanner (was Re: XP, agfa etc. was:Re: [Digital
BW] Spooling for Paul (was something else))


> > >One warning regarding XP: if you use an Agfa parallel port device be
> > >prepared to chuck it in the garbage bin, Agfa has made the corporate
> > >decission to abandon all support for its parallel port devices so
> > >there are never going to be any new drivers... I have vowed never to
> > >ever buy another Agfa digital device, but am using it as an excuse to
> > >purchase the very cool new Epson Perfection 2450 (transparencies up
> > >to 4x9" at 2400 dpi for under $400!).
> > >
> > >mark
> >
> >FYI:
> >
> >At 3:47 PM +0000 10/30/01, Steven Chambers wrote: [snip]
>
> Since I posted Steven Chambers' e-mail I've seen Colin Conway's
> e-mail (quoted below) on the Epson scanners.
>
>
> At 3:19 PM +0200 12/17/01, Colin Conway wrote:
> >Delivered-To: samcc@...
> >Subject: RE: Epson 2450 Scanner
> >Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 15:19:11 +0200
> >Thread-Topic: RE: Epson 2450 Scanner
> >Thread-Index: AcGG+VjV4/Um+Z1uRke9b8T0ceR06wAA/jJg
> >From: "Colin Conway" <cconway@...>
> >To: <scan@...>
> >Sender: owner-scan@...
> >Reply-To: scan@...
> >
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > Through contacts made on this list and others I had a
> >645 XP2 negative scanned for me, using Vuescan in each case, on a
> >1680Pro and on an Epson 2450 Photo and digital files sent to me on CD.
> >This was a portrait of a young woman wearing a black flock dress - lots
> >of shadow detail.  I have 5"x4" wet darkroom experience but am new to
> >digital photography and struggling up the learning mountain.  I have the
> >Nikon 4000 film scanner and need a flatbed for MF and LF.  (I didn't
> >know the Minolta was on its way when I bought the Nikon!)
> > I have printed selected enlargements of these
> >unmanipulated scans on A4 paper equivalent to A3 size.  I could discern
> >no difference in sharpness on Epson Premium Photo Glossy but there were
> >ugly artifacts in the shadows on both..
> > I manipulated the scans using PS curves to make them as
> >close to each other as I could and printed on Epson heavy weight matt.
> >Again no sharpness difference that I could see.  Tonality in the shadows
> >may be about the same - I did not get the same characteristics exactly
> >(I'm a beginner remember) but it is a bit like trying to get an image of
> >a subject on the same film type, one for printing in a diffuser and the
> >other on a condenser enlarger using the same paper and grade, which I
> >believe can be done.
> > I sharpened both to different extents using auto modes
> >with EdgeSharpener Pro from www.fredmiranda.com on HWM and, to me at A3,
> >they are acceptably sharp, but not bitingly so as I would expect from a
> >silver print on glossy, without going over the top.
> > My new found friend from the 'Piezo' group sent me an
> >unsharpened piezo image about 10' by 8 "from a slightly manipulated
> >print on Photorag.  There were no artifacts, a lovely print, which would
> >benefit from a only a little sharpening.
> > I did not ask for colour (neg or slide) tests.  However
> >I used my office Primax Colorado 1200 - a 600 dpi budget machine to scan
> >a 5" x 4" transparency with a light box on top as source.  I got
> >acceptable colour from this - amazing!.  I have also printed Photos 10
> >and 12 from http://www.myalbum.ne.jp/cgi-bin/a_menu?id=fa268931  which
> >used the Canon 2400 and the Nikon 4000.  I was able to get close colour
> >representation one with another, so I doubt that the Epson 2450 Photo
> >will fare worse.
> > You might like to check out
> >http://www.virtualtraveller.org/epson2450.htm.  In this context the neg
> >was in the holder for the 1680Pro which, presumably was how it was
> >designed, and on the glass for the 1240 Photo.  If the neg is sharper on
> >the glass for the 1680 pro, that would make a difference.
> > In any event, I am buy the 2450 (I am told it will be in
> >the store today or tomorrow) - as an amateur, I cannot justify the extra
> >expense of the 1680 - if it is indeed justifiable.
> > In the US - I live in Greece - the 2450 comes bundled
> >with Silverfast SE and, I think, the 1680 pro with the full version: if
> >this checks out the cost difference may be less substantial.  Here,
> >neither is bundled as far as I know.  The 2450 costs about $400 in the
> >US and here about $510.  QUESTION So do I buy Silverfast (full or SE) or
> >Vuescan?  Any advice, from anywhere on the relative advantages of the
> >three, would be welcome.
> >
> > I hope this helps you and others.
> Colin Conway
>
>
>
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