I am a color and black and white photographer and do-it-yourself developer. I recently purchased this scanner as my old CanoScan could not handle my film and has limited software.
Pros:
- Probably as much DPI as you would need: 4800 dpi hardware, 12000+ with interpolation (3200 dpi on 35mm produces ~4000X3000 pixel images, around 12 megapixels, with medium format you can get the same with lower dpi)
- Digital ICE, which can help eliminate dust, but not water spots (makes scanning take 5-6 times as long though)
- Good image quality
- Very inexpensive
- 12 35mm frames per scan
- Decent software compared to other scanners, auto separates photos, auto normalizes, etc
- 16-bits per channel option, can save as .tif
Cons:
- It came with one tiny speck of dust underneath scanner glass. This same shape of dust shows up over and over again on negative images as bright white, but it can be clone brushed out - this is the biggest issue I've had with this scanner, they should be more careful at the factory, but it is a small speck so nothing major
- Scanning is a bit slow (1 minute per 35mm frame at 3200 dpi, 5 or 6 minutes per same frame if ICE is on)
- If the film has a bend to it and touches scanner glass, you have to turn it over or it will get aberrations called Newton's rings - they recommend scanning with emulsion side up but this is not always possible due to this
- Can only scan 2 medium format images per scan, and the software sometimes messes up the thumbnailing of these which requires turning thumbnailing off and manually making cropping rectangles - not a huge deal but could be improved
- Software auto-checkmarks unsharp mask when you scan things, you're required to un-check it each time if you want unaltered images, but this is easy
- Software doesn't have an option to save as .png
I would recommend this scanner.
The Epson Perfection 4490 Photo offers fully automatic scanning for increased productivity, plus two advanced scanning modes for greater control. Convenient film holders accommodate multiple 35mm slides and negatives, plus medium format film. And, Hi-Speed USB 2.0 ensures fast data transfer. There's even a fully featured software package that includes Adobe Photoshop Elements, ABBYY FineReader Sprint, and more.
Compatible with both Microsoft Windows and Macintosh operating systems, this scanner provides an unbeatable solution for any task or project. Rich in quality and versatility, the Epson Perfection 4490 Photo will highlight and optimize every detail. When partnered with an Epson Stylus ink jet printer, it's a perfect choice for creating brilliant images made to last.
Features include:
