Hello everybody. My name is Ray and I'm based in the UK - and I am in a dilemma!
I have been shooting film for a very long time, do some of my own developing and scan and print digitally, with post done in LR3. I am thinking about buying a 501CM, but I am struggling with some of the quality issues of dealing with 120 with my present set up.
A bit of background might help to understand where I am coming from (even if I don't know where I'm going!). I shoot some digital with a Pentax K5 with some quite nice manual lenses - nothing exotic or expensive, but the results are nice, at least to my eyes. I guess that, in some ways, the output from the K5 is something of a benchmark in terms of sharpness, colour, but b&w looks somehow phoney and a bit soulless (a common issue). I also shoot Leica M (b&w and a bit of colour) and scan 35mm negs on a Nikon Coolscan V ED. In the past, I have used Rollei TLRs extensively, when I was wet printing and just love the tonality on the German lenses, but unfortunately I no longer have a Rollei and, anyway, I am attracted to the interchangeability of lenses and backs.
The rot sets in on the scanning of 120 film. My old Epson 2450 is OK up to a point, but if I am to be able to get better results from the 80 Planar and also make the expense of the 501 justifiable, I want to see a real jump in quality in my mono work. Leaving aside the look of film vs digital and the tonality issues, I want to be able to produce more detailed prints than the K5, but with that creamy film look. So the question is what scanner will deliver - without costing an arm and a leg. I know the Epson V700 and V750 are the best of the flatbeds, but frankly, they are not really within budget. Will a V600 cut the mustard, or is there something else that will do? Or am I just asking for the impossible and should stick to either converting RAW digital to b&W and/or the 35mm?! In short, I am after that 'WOW!' factor without breaking the bank!
Would be great to get some learned opinion.
Thanks
Ray
I have been shooting film for a very long time, do some of my own developing and scan and print digitally, with post done in LR3. I am thinking about buying a 501CM, but I am struggling with some of the quality issues of dealing with 120 with my present set up.
A bit of background might help to understand where I am coming from (even if I don't know where I'm going!). I shoot some digital with a Pentax K5 with some quite nice manual lenses - nothing exotic or expensive, but the results are nice, at least to my eyes. I guess that, in some ways, the output from the K5 is something of a benchmark in terms of sharpness, colour, but b&w looks somehow phoney and a bit soulless (a common issue). I also shoot Leica M (b&w and a bit of colour) and scan 35mm negs on a Nikon Coolscan V ED. In the past, I have used Rollei TLRs extensively, when I was wet printing and just love the tonality on the German lenses, but unfortunately I no longer have a Rollei and, anyway, I am attracted to the interchangeability of lenses and backs.
The rot sets in on the scanning of 120 film. My old Epson 2450 is OK up to a point, but if I am to be able to get better results from the 80 Planar and also make the expense of the 501 justifiable, I want to see a real jump in quality in my mono work. Leaving aside the look of film vs digital and the tonality issues, I want to be able to produce more detailed prints than the K5, but with that creamy film look. So the question is what scanner will deliver - without costing an arm and a leg. I know the Epson V700 and V750 are the best of the flatbeds, but frankly, they are not really within budget. Will a V600 cut the mustard, or is there something else that will do? Or am I just asking for the impossible and should stick to either converting RAW digital to b&W and/or the 35mm?! In short, I am after that 'WOW!' factor without breaking the bank!
Would be great to get some learned opinion.
Thanks
Ray
