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PaulC
Joined: 23 Dec 2008
Posts: 2318
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 Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:50 am Post subject: Epson V500 and auto USM |
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PaulC wrote:
I've been shocked to discover the effects of the auto-USM default on images from the Epson V500. It seems that most of what I had assumed was film grain caused by bad processing is actually compression artefacting caused by the Epson default.
I have been switching this off when I noticed it was on, but it seems to switch itself on at every opportunity, so most of my files have probably been affected.
Here is what it does (72dpi crop from 6x6 Fuji Reala neg, scanned to a size equivalent to about 28 megabytes):
Unsharpened:
With Epson default USM:
Notice particularly the pale fringing by the edge of the nearest lamp-post and the blotchiness in the shadow inside the booth.
The file might need sharpening before use (some of the fuzzyness is probably due to film curvature, this neg is particularly curly) but if so it should be done as a final step in processing, not at the scanner output stage, in my view.
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paperinik
Joined: 11 Jan 2009
Posts: 100
Location: Adro, italy
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| Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 12:09 pm Post subject: |
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paperinik wrote:
If I can suggest, you should try one:http://www.betterscanning.com/
yes, it's expensive, bul lets you adjust the focus to the optimal value, and holds film very flat.
Here a shot, It's a test I'm doing to learn developing BW on my own, so don't look too much to the subject....
100% crop:
the dark grey pattern you see between "swiss" and "6" is the seconds hand running during exposure.
No sharpening during scanning, just some applied in post processing, to adjust acutance with the downsized image. |
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PaulC
Joined: 23 Dec 2008
Posts: 2318
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| Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 12:28 pm Post subject: |
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PaulC wrote:
Yes, that's on my list of things to get. Thanks for the suggestion.
BTW, the impact of the wretched USM-on default tends to be worst in the skies.
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marty
Joined: 09 Apr 2009
Posts: 767
Location: Italy
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| Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 2:49 pm Post subject: |
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marty wrote:
| PaulC wrote: |
| I have been switching this off when I noticed it was on, but it seems to switch itself on at every opportunity, |
The Epson SW has that nasty habit. The only way is routinely select all the frames in the preview just after made it and so massively switching off (along with everything else but the color correction in my case). This seems to work for me, as long as I remember to do it  .
Cheers, Marty.
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Canon FD
Bodies: AT-1, A-1, T-90
Lenses: nFD 20mm f2.8, 24 f2.8, 28 f2.8, 35 f2, FD 50 f1.8 S.C., 85 f1.8, 100 f2.8, 135 f2.8, 200 f4, 300 f4
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marty
Joined: 09 Apr 2009
Posts: 767
Location: Italy
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| Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 2:55 pm Post subject: |
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marty wrote:
| paperinik wrote: |
| and holds film very flat |
This alone would be a great thing . The original holder is a b*@#§ when the film is not perfectly flat by itself.
Cheers, Marty.
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Canon FD
Bodies: AT-1, A-1, T-90
Lenses: nFD 20mm f2.8, 24 f2.8, 28 f2.8, 35 f2, FD 50 f1.8 S.C., 85 f1.8, 100 f2.8, 135 f2.8, 200 f4, 300 f4
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Excalibur
Joined: 19 Jul 2009
Posts: 5019
Location: UK
Expire: 2014-04-21
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| Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 4:12 pm Post subject: |
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Excalibur wrote:
| PaulC wrote: |
BTW, the impact of the wretched USM-on default tends to be worst in the skies. |
Well sharpening using photoshop can increase the grain...........................
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Canon A1, AV1, T70 & T90, EOS 300 and EOS300v, Chinon CE and CP-7M. Contax 139, Fuji STX-2, Konica Autoreflex TC, FS-1, FT-1, Minolta X-700, X-300, XD-11, SRT101b, Nikon EM, FM, F4, F90X, Olympus OM2, Pentax S3, Spotmatic, Pentax ME super, Praktica TL 5B, & BC1, , Ricoh KR10super, Yashica T5D, Bronica Etrs, Mamiya RB67 pro AND drum roll:- a Sony Nex 3
.........past gear Tele Rolleiflex and Rollei SL66.
Many lenses from good to excellent. |
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martinsmith99
Joined: 31 Aug 2008
Posts: 6943
Location: S Glos, UK
Expire: 2013-11-18
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| Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 4:25 pm Post subject: |
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martinsmith99 wrote:
The Epson USM seems to work freat for slower films. I also get annoyed that it defaults to on/
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PaulC
Joined: 23 Dec 2008
Posts: 2318
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| Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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PaulC wrote:
| Excalibur wrote: |
| PaulC wrote: |
BTW, the impact of the wretched USM-on default tends to be worst in the skies. |
Well sharpening using photoshop can increase the grain........................... |
Yes, but it's not really grain it is making though, is it?
But if I use photoshop to sharpen then I do so deliberately, as a final step and I carefully check and control what degree of sharpening I am applying. The scanner tries to do it whether I want it or not and does not provide any control over the strength of it.
That said, it is a less-than-$200 machine and it does give fantastic results considering the price. I suppose the thing that is really remarkable is that it provides the degree of operator control that it does.
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martinsmith99
Joined: 31 Aug 2008
Posts: 6943
Location: S Glos, UK
Expire: 2013-11-18
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| Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 6:14 am Post subject: |
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martinsmith99 wrote:
I find using a high pass filter to sharpen looks better than USM. I tend to use a layer mask on the sky as I don't want that sharpened.
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