Author: Peter | Prosophos

Epson V700 vs. Plustek 120.

Film, Inspiration, Q&A, Scanner - Plustek 120

Here is a high magnification crop from each scanner, from yesterday’s Smile image.

Qualifiers:

  1. Default values in SilverFast 8 (identical settings for both scanners).
  2. Each manufacturer’s stock film holders were used (the Epson ones are flimsy, the Plustek ones are impressive).
  3. I’m only examining sharpness (though I already have an opinion about dynamic range that I’ll keep to myself for now).
  4. This is a B&W comparison only (no colour comparisons are forthcoming – sorry!).
  5. This is not scientific.*

*This was done for my own evaluation purposes.  I have other crops I’ve compared but I’m only posting one because it is representative of the overall results.

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The Epson V700 is on the left, the Plustek 120 is on the right:

epson-v700-vs-plustek-120-photographs-by-peter

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My verdict?

The Plustek 120 wins.

However, the Epson V700 was hampered by its substandard film holders.  Those of you who are using the BetterScanning substitutes are likely coaxing better performance out of the Epson.

Please note that we are splitting hairs with these crops.  The overall image quality is excellent for both.

In actuality, I was happy with the Epson — until I saw what I can get from the Plustek.  And my goal was to get something at least as good as the Epson in a smaller package.  The fact that I’m getting better image quality (in the context of my workflow) is a bonus.

The second big bonus with the Plustek is that there is no large, smudge-prone, glass panel present from which I have to keep wiping away fingerprints.

The third big bonus with the Plustek is that the film holders can accommodate 3 frames of 6 x 7 film (the Epson ones hold 2.5… which is very inconvenient).

Finally…

I’d like to congratulate Plustek for keeping film scanners alive.   I’m no longer plagued by crazy notions of purchasing a used (and discontinued, and unsupported) Nikon Coolscan 9000 for an inflated price in the second-hand market.

The Plustek 120 appears to be a quality product that is well-conceived and is well-executed.  And thank you Plustek, for finally including well-engineered film holders!

Hopefully, it’s built to last.

—Peter.

The Plustek 120 has arrived!

Film, iPhone, Q&A, Scanner - Plustek 120, Teaching point

That was fast delivery!… ordered yesterday, here today.

(Thank you Canada Post)

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Plustek 120-1

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I still have the plastic protective sheet on the front 🙂

The footprint is certainly much smaller than the Epson V700.  Excellent.

For comparison purposes, here is the Plustek 120 from above, with a standard 3-hole punch and my recent Polaroid photo sitting on top of it:

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Plustek 120-2

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Now, the question is:

Will it perform as well as the V700?

—Peter.

Smile.

Film, Inspiration, Kodak Tri-X 400, Mamiya RZ 110mm F/2.8, Mamiya RZ67 Professional Pro II, Photo Shoot, Portrait, Q&A, Teaching point

Here is my first image from the first roll of Kodak Tri-X 120 put through the Mamiya RZ67.

I self-processed the film at home like this, and self-scanned on an Epson V700.

Looking at the tonality of this image, I want to weep tears of joy.

Nothing I’ve experienced with digital comes close.

People, all these years we have been duped.

Instead of constantly upgrading e-cameras,

We could have had this all along.

And now film is dying.

Shame on us.

—Peter.

Smile

↑Mamiya RZ67, Mamiya 110mm @ f/2.8, and Kodak Tri-X 400.

Test Shot 2 – Mamiya RZ67.

Film, Fujifilm FP-3000B, Inspiration, Mamiya RZ 110mm F/2.8, Mamiya RZ67 Professional Pro II, Portrait

This result is certainly better than what I obtained on my first attempt.

Incidentally, this image illustrates the close-up focusing ability of the Mamiya RZ67 (courtesy of its bellows focusing).

Unfortunately, with the 110mm lens (equivalent to roughly 55mm in 35mm format), photographing this closely introduces some undesirable distortion.

—Peter.

Test Shot 2

↑Mamiya RZ67, Mamiya 110mm @ f/2.8, and Fuji FB-3000.

Epson V700 or Plustek 120 for Medium Format?

Film, Q&A

Epson V700 vs. Plustek 120

Yes, I’m looking to you for advice.

If you had to choose between the Epson V700/V750 or Plustek OpticFilm 120 to scan Medium Format film, which would you choose?

My newly arrived refurbished Epson V700 is defective (but I have been able to coax some scans out of it) so now I’m wondering if I should replace it with a new one or move to something else.  I’m only interested in scanners that are currently in production, so that excludes the various Nikon and Minolta offerings.

Thanks,

—Peter.

Test Shot 1 (answer).

Film, Fujifilm FP-3000B, Inspiration, Mamiya RZ 110mm F/2.8, Mamiya RZ67 Professional Pro II, Q&A, Teaching point

The answer to my Guess Which Gear question is:

Mamiya RZ67 Professional Pro II and Mamiya RZ 110mm F/2.8, using Fujifilm FP-3000B (Poloraid-type) B&W film:

Mamiya RZ67 with Polaroid Back

As the name implies, the Mamiya RZ67 is a 6 x 7 film format system.  Its film “sensor” size can be appreciated by looking at this comparison:

PhotographsByPeter Sensor Size Mamiya vs 35mm

This is a modular system and the Polaroid film back provides less “sensor” size (and less image quality) than 120 film, but I purchased it along with the 120 film back so that I could get instant results and feedback.  As you can see from my first Test Image, I messed up on my initial settings  (I had the ISO on the camera set to 800, while the Fuji FP-3000B is pegged at ISO 3000) so it was a good thing the damage was limited to only one image vs. an entire roll of 120 Kodak Tri-X.

[Incidentally, Fuji has recently announced that it is discontinuing this film 😦 . There’s an online petition asking Fuji to bring back the FP-3000B and so far there are over 10,000 signatures.  You can still find it in stock, but prices have jumped quite a bit.  If you’re interested in using it, buy it while you can — and sign the petition!]

Knowing my love of small Leica rangefinders, why did I even look at this behemoth of a camera?   One word:  PORTRAITURE.

If you look at the sample images online, you will be amazed.  Hopefully, I will produce something worthy of this camera.  The gear, for me, will be relegated to formal shooting, which means I will seldom use it.  However, given how easily and inexpensively one can obtain such capable film-based medium format systems, the decision was easy.

As a side bonus of first using the Polaroid back on the Mamiya, my kids were amazed at seeing “the pictures come out of the camera, like in the old cartoons!“.  It’s great to see that in this age of digital wizardry, something as old as this can fire up their imagination.

Now… off to dig up my old film developing equipment and brush up on…

My Method for Processing B&W film

Thanks for your interest.

—Peter.

Leica, please bring back an updated CCD sensor.

Inspiration, Q&A, Teaching point

I’m about to go on holiday.

While I’m gone, please help keep the momentum going, and consider signing my open letter to Leica.

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Who should sign this letter?

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Anyone who wants an updated CCD sensor in a future Leica M model.  Anyone who places emphasis on rangefinder simplicity and also values high image quality at low-to-moderate ISO values.

Yes, Leica, incorporate the ergonomic improvements of the M240, but help differentiate the brand from the CMOS-muddy-file-with-video/EVF-me-too landscape by bringing back an updated CCD sensor.

Please bring back a superior, simple, and reliable still-photography camera worthy of the Leica brand.

—Peter.

(and thank you to the over 150 individuals who have already signed)

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Prosophos Open Letter to Leica

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