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Problem with epson 4990

Douglas Benton

New member
I just picked up a new to me 4990. I have zero scanning experience, but I'm guessing this isn't the result I should expect. This is a 4x5 trans. Any ideas?
 

robertwright

New member
when there is banding like that I often think it is not getting a good calibration- I don't know how you mounted the 4x5- in the holder I am assuming? the holder has a space at the top where you can't put anything so that the scanner can move the head into position and get a dark calibration before it scans.

other than that, software?-

scanner might be no good tho. was it a refurb?
 

Lars

Active member
Yep looks like bad calibration - calibration area has to be completely clean.

Dust on sensor is unlikely - it's probably sealed.

Dusty mirror won't create artefacts like this, as the mirror surface is not in focus.

Lastly, the sensor can be bad.
 

Yuri

New member
Douglas. I agree with Lars that the sensor can be bad. The cause of the bands may be dust on the CCD sensor inside the scanner. This is possible when stored without plastic packaging for a long time. My 4490 was to give a single band after two years of operation.
 

robertwright

New member
no the calibration we are all referring to is the one the scanner performs when you hit scan- it warms up and then moves the head to the top of the scanner and performs its dark calibration, and then begins actually scanning your film.

If there was something on the ccd or if the ccd was bad then it doesn't see evenly across its length, which is what you see reproduced in the scan- a band of non-linearity or whatever you want to call it, out of wackness' scanned along the whole length of the scan.

If you can return or exchange it that would be the solution. It does this on every scan? reflective or transparency?
 

robertwright

New member
we are also assuming you are using the correct holder for the 4x5 film and that the space is near the hinge end of the scanner. the tab is in your left hand and the "no fly zone" is near the hinge end.

show us a pic of the setup?
 
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