Download and install the driver and software from here: https://epson.com/Support/Scanners/Perfection-Series/Epson-Perfection-V500-Photo/s/SPT_B11B189011
Make sure the reflective mat is removed from the top lid (slide out toward front of scanner). Now you should see glass on the lid as well as the scanner base.
Carefully remove all visible dust from the glass with a microfiber cloth. If there are smudges or marks on the glass, use regular window cleaner, and be sure to dry it 100%
Make sure the negatives are as clean as possible, but be extremely careful not to scratch them or get figerprints on them. I use a clean microfiber cloth to remove large dust particles and hair. You can use puffed air, or soft antistatic brushes as well.
Lay the negative emulsion side down on the glass. The emulsion is the matte side of the film. The glossy side goes up.
Why? Because you want the film to be as flat as possible. To get it as flat as possible, you want it smushed against the glass. However, if you smush the glossy side of the film against the glass, you get newton rings.
Choose the correct film frame for your film size. There is one frame for medium format, and another frame for 35mm mounted slides and loose 35mm film strips.
Place the film frame down on top of the negative, placing the tab in the correct slot in the scanner bed. The manufacterer wants you to place the film inside the frame, but don't do that. The only way to get those curly pieces of film flat is to pin them between the frame and the glass.
Using the frame to help hold things in place, very carefully move the film around under the frame until it's positioned such that nothing's going to get cut off. I use the corner of a microfiber cloth to avoid touching the film with my finger. I also use a flashlight to shine through the film, so I can see where the edges of the frames are. Yes, this part is a pain.
If it's 35mm film, and you can't get it to lay flat, you may need to lay the cardboard-and-toothpick jig on top of the film (but below the frame) to make sure the film is as flat as possible. The toothpicks go down, against the film. Obviously, you need to position the jig so that the toothpicks go in between each exposure.
Close the scanner lid.
Make sure the scanner is connected to the computer and powered on. The software bombs out if you try to open it when the scanner isn't on.
Open the Epson Scan software and choose "Professional Mode".
On the main window, go through and set the following settings.
- Document Type: Film
- Film Type: (Either Positive or Color Negative. Do color even if your film is B&W)
- Image Type: 24-bit Color (do color, even if your photo is B&W. You can always make it B&W in post-production later)
- Resolution - Your choice:
- 35mm equivalencies (fwiw, I use 6400 for good film and 4800 for lesser film):
- 3200 = 3023 x 2267 (6.8 mp)
- 4800 = 4535 x 3401 (15.4 mp)
- 6400 = 6047 x 4535 (27.4 mp)
- 6 x 6 equivalencies (I usually go with 3200)
- 2400 = 5280 x 5280 (27.8 mp)
- 3200 = 7055 x 7055 (49.7 mp)
- 4800 = 10560 x 10560 (111.6 mp) !!!
- 35mm equivalencies (fwiw, I use 6400 for good film and 4800 for lesser film):
- Document Size: Ignore
- Target Size: Ignore
- Fancy buttons directly under the "Adjustments" header: Ignore
- Unsharp Mask: Yes, medium (this one really does make a difference)
- Grain Reduction: No
- Color Restoration: Yes, but ONLY if you have old-ish photos or negatives
- Backlight Correction: It can make a difference, but usually No is the right option.
- Dust removal: No
- DIGITAL ICE: Yes, Mode: Quality is very slow, and Speed seems to do pretty much as good of a job. Either way, it really does make a difference in removing dust and scratches.
- Check the Thumbnail box
Now, press the "Configuration..." button
- Preview Tab
- Ignore
- Color Tab
- Color Control, Continuous auto exposure, Display Gamma 2.2
- Auto Exposure Level: Medium
- Film Size Tab
- Only needed for medium format. Choose the right ratio for your exposures.
- Other Tab
- Correct Document Skew: No
- Save Settings: Yes (you can try, but saving does not work for me)
Now click the little folder icon in lower right.
- Choose the location to save to
- Make sure you are saving to TIFF format, no compression.
OK, now that you've done all that... hit the "Preview Button". This is important. If you don't, then you are scanning with information from the previous scan, which can wreak havoc with lighting adjustments, etc...
Note: All your photos will be backwards and upside down because the software expects you to put the film with the emulsion side up. You can fix this in the preview window.
Verify that everything looks OK, then finally hit scan and got eat a few sandwiches, because it can take a loooong time.
The files should be automatically saved to the location you chose.
Repeat for the next batch. BE SURE TO RE-CHECK YOUR SETTINGS EVERY TIME. This software is terrible and likes to reset between each scan.
Thank you! I read the manual and watched videos, but so often the instructions just read the settings to you without saying what they're for or whether you should use them. This was exactly the cookbook I needed.
I'm scanning medium format photos from a Bronica ETRS. Did my first successful scan today!