View Full Version : Epson Expression 1680 Pro-First Impressions
Many of you are looking for a budget priced scanner. I was in the market for a scanner. I was ready to buy the Microtek M1 when Microtek bailed out of the N.A. market. Thank goodness I delayed.
After Christmas I was really anxious to buy a scanner. My focus was on a used Epson 4990 or new/refurbed Epson V700 or V750.
Out of the blue an Epson Expression 1680 with the full film scanning hardware and software accessories was listed on another Forum. I wasn't first to reply but I was first to say "I'll buy it" after the seller listed the shipping costs. OUCH! The 1680 is a big chunk of hardware. The selling price was $150, very reasonable. Shipping from L.A. to Houston was another $75. Ouch! No worries. The scanner arrived yesterday. I am very pleased so far.
Things I like so far: The MF and 4x5 film holders hold more film than the Epson 4990 I had been using. 3 strips of 3 6x6 frames or 4 sheets of 4x5. That is a huge plus. The really cool thing: I set up 4 sheets of 4x5 this morning. Selected all 4 sheets. Selected Batch Scan. Left for work. I will have 4 140Mb+ TIF files waiting for me when I get home.
How are the scans? It's early, but based on the few 4x5 scans I made last, the 1680 holds it's own with the 4990 scans I made in 2008.
The Epson 1680 is big. Solid. Well made. Has 2 FireWire ports. A very professional package. If you find a nice one at the right price, Go For It!
Cheers!
Wayne
Wayne - congrats on the new scanner. The 1680 has an outstanding active focusing lens system that can produce some very nice scans. For $225, you have a nice scanner!
Doug
ZeissFan
01-27-2009, 08:19
I have the model just under that -- the Expression Pro 1600 -- and it's an excellent scanner. It has very good dynamic range, although I think the newer V700 and V750 might be better.
The film holders are quite good, and it does a very good job with transparency, b/w or color negative.
Nearly all of the photos on my site have been scanned with the Epson. I think that you got a great deal.
It's a big scanner, and the box is roughly the size of what a traditional TV used to come in. The 1680 added Firewire, while the 1600 uses USB and SCSI. Make sure that you get the latest scanning software for it from Epson's site. I turn off the autoexposure and autosharpening.
I've been thinking of using/making a custom holder for larger format negatives. They still tend to sag a bit in the middle.
Thanks for the tips. I downloaded all the software I could find at Epson USA.
I'm sure I will be back with a lot of questions. The contained SilverFast Ai 5. An antique fro sure. So far, I have used the Epson TWAIN software for scanning.
Yesterday I downloaded all of the current software at Epson USA. I installed all the new drivers for Windows XP as well as the stand alone version of Epson Scan. Everything works great.
Epson has done a great job in writting new drivers for new operating systems. Will other companies do the same? Konica-Minolta didn't.
Happiness is having my very own scanner. Life is very very good.
...I love this scanner!
6x6 AGFA L ISS negative from 1969. Mamiya TLR. (80mm/2.8 lens)-I am convinced the lens was the 105mm. Scanned at 2,400 SPI. TIFF file converted to JPEG and resized for the web. This image is a bit large, but I wanted y'all to be able to see a bit of detail.
http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/152080-1/Worms+Headstone-Ivy-1.jpg
Thanks for looking!
AGFA L ISS film again. About half of the original 6x6 negative.
http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/152242-2/Car+3+Race-1.jpg
And now for something modern. Ilford Pan-F+ in Rodinal. Cropped 6x7 negative.
http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/152245-1/Tree-1.jpg
wakarimasen
03-01-2009, 23:35
Is this scanner still supported for spares or repairs?
Best regards
RoyM
I have no idea. For $150 I'll use it until it croaks. Even if Epson agreed to fix it for free, roundtrip shipping would kill the deal. It's easy to see why Epson stopped making scanners like this. It's big and heavy and requires two boxes for transport.
If/when the 1680 dies, I'll move on to a low mileage Epson 4990. Assuming I can find someone will ing to part with a 4990. Not very likely.
Cheers!
Wayne
Is this scanner still supported for spares or repairs?
Best regards
RoyM
wakarimasen
03-03-2009, 23:16
Hello Wayne,
Did you try this scanner on 35mm negatives? So far I have only tried to scan 35mm with my HP C7180 and the results were not very good!
Best regards,
RoyM
A few. 35mm Plus-X negatives. Click on the Large Size icon below the small 640x480 previews for a slightly better version.
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/venchka/Europe-1969_001/france/
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/venchka/wayback/
Tiny crap JPEGs are no way to evaluate a big TIFF file. I will print some of these. Hopefully they will look ok printed.
wakarimasen
03-04-2009, 13:13
Wow - they look really good! This is a flatbed only - yes? Did you use any particular type of film holder or flatten the negatives?
I'm really keen to scan my own 35mm for printing - probably only up to 10X8 maximum - and am trying to find the most cost effective route of going this.
Best regards,
RoyM
It looks like the FireWire version is via an optional add-on or SKU.
Anyway, the scans look good ... looking forward to your thoughts on 4x5 TIFFs ... is there up-to-date MAC support?
Thanks Earl. This particular unit was complete with all of the original film holders and the Firewire card. The Epson site had current drivers for all Windows O.S. including Vista. I can only assume that they had Mac support as well. It's easy to find out at Epson USA.
4x5 16 bit grayscale 2100 spi TIFF files are very nice indeed. Much better than my skills at negative making. Batch scanning 4 at a time is a huge time saver. The files are in the 135Mb + or - range as I recall. 6x7 files are about half that size.
I'm going out this weekend with a new lens and new film. I'll let you know next week how the 4x5 TIFF files turn out.
Used coolscan.
In a perfect world I would have a Nikon Coolscan for MF and smaller formats. Alas, Nikon scanners are large format challenged.
The world is not a perfect place. We do the best we can with what we have to work with.
Wow - they look really good! This is a flatbed only - yes? Did you use any particular type of film holder or flatten the negatives?
I'm really keen to scan my own 35mm for printing - probably only up to 10X8 maximum - and am trying to find the most cost effective route of going this.
Best regards,
RoyM
Thanks Roy. I am using the Epson holders. My negatives have been in sleeves since 1969. They aren't perfectly flat, but flatter than film I have developed recently. I plan to buy Doug Fisher's Betterscanning MF holders with ANR glass as soon as I can afford them.
The most cost effective way to do this is find a used Minolta Scan Dual II or III for ~$50, it will blow away any flatbed, even the new top high end Epsons.
Wow - they look really good! This is a flatbed only - yes? Did you use any particular type of film holder or flatten the negatives?
I'm really keen to scan my own 35mm for printing - probably only up to 10X8 maximum - and am trying to find the most cost effective route of going this.
Best regards,
RoyM
wakarimasen
03-05-2009, 22:28
How do these compare with the Nikon Coolscan III LS-30?
The Minoltas and Nikons don't do large film. I suppose if I stumbled on a $50 Minolta (I doubt they are that cheap) I would buy it just for 35mm use. I really don't have room for another scanner.
I just picked up a Canoscan 8800F and I have to say I'm impressed, leds top and bottom, and it also has a bracket for 120 film. For $199 it's fantastic.
wakarimasen
03-08-2009, 00:21
Aha - LEDs top AND bottom! Is this why scanning negatives on my HP machine (a standard 'all in one' unit) is so bad? It's just a standard scanner with a white background in the lid!
Which flatbeds have LEDs in the lid - all of the designated 'film' or 'photo' units?
Roger Hicks
03-08-2009, 00:34
Aha - LEDs top AND bottom! Is this why scanning negatives on my HP machine (a standard 'all in one' unit) is so bad? It's just a standard scanner with a white background in the lid!
Which flatbeds have LEDs in the lid - all of the designated 'film' or 'photo' units?
Often a fluorescent source, as far as I can see. For my old Agfa Snapscan 1200 it was an add-on replacement lid that cost nearly as much as the scanner; on my 1680 Pro, a gift from a friend, it appears to be standard.
The 1680 Pro is pretty good for MF and excellent for 4x5 and above, but I'm not impressed when it comes to 35mm: it can't hold a candle to my Konica Minolta Dimage 5400-II.
Cheers,
R.
I don't think there are many around like the 8800 with LEDs top and bottom. You remove an insert with the white background and it exposes the LED in the lid. Perhaps it's just not marketed well as it seems to do the trick quite nicely. The auto retouching did a great job on a couple of damaged negatives I had as well.
wakarimasen
03-08-2009, 23:15
Are the Epson models (4490, 500, 700 etc....) not like this then?
For a consumer flatbed scanner to scan film, there must be a light source behind glass in the lid. There are many Epson models that are designed to scan film.
Roger, the transparency adapter for the 1680 was an option. However, I believe that Epson also sold the scanner and transparency unit as a bundle. I ran across several different packages when I was researching my recent purchase. My unit came in two boxes: 1 for the scanner and 1 for the transparency unit.
Upon looking into it further, there are ones from HP and Epson that are all designed that way, and very reasonable too.
Ron (Netherlands)
01-27-2011, 02:56
...I love this scanner!
6x6 AGFA L ISS negative from 1969. Mamiya TLR. 80mm/2.8 lens. Scanned at 2,400 SPI. TIFF file converted to JPEG and resized for the web. This image is a bit large, but I wanted y'all to be able to see a bit of detail.
http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/152080-1/Worms+Headstone-Ivy-1.jpg
Thanks for looking!
Wayne, didn't you ask a question about AGFA ISS film some time ago? ISS stands for Isopan Super Special. Right now I am scanning some films that my late uncle made in the nineteen fifties with his Rolleicord, and he mostly used this type of film.
Thanks. I also discovered that Margaret Bourke White used Agfa ISS in the 50s also in a Rollei. Some of her negatives are in a museum/library in Oakland, CA and online. I bought the film in 1969 in Gerrmany. I should have brought a large case of it home with me. REALLY really really nice film.
The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that the Mamiya lens was 105mm.
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