Epson Perfection 4990 Photo Scanner by Epson
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Our Price: $899.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more digital camera details and other models |
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Digital camera reviews of Epson Perfection 4990 Photo Scanner
Digital camera Review: Outstanding!!!!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
To summarize, I just have to say, this device scans perfectly! If your looking to get your money's worth and get excellent quality scans, then look no further. Trust me, you WON'T be disappointed!Digital camera Review: Poor Performance
Summary: 2 Stars
I bought this scanner for scanning x-rays & slide films. It does a very poor job of doing both. The software is very primative with few options. I see no difference between the quality & performance of this scanner as compared with one that you would pay $99 for.Digital camera Review: RIGHT from the start - WRONG after a few years
Summary: 5 Stars
Seldom have I been so pleased with a purchase at the start and SO disappointed after a few years!
UNLIKE the Microtek scanner I previously owned that gave me nothing but aggravation from the git-go, I loaded the software, plugged the Epson 4990 in with the included USB cable and, using Photoshop as the platform, IMMEDIATELY scanned an 8 x 10 page of medium format negatives successfully. Eyeballing the colors, I did not think ANY correction was needed. I had NO PROBLEMS loading the software or with anything else.
I subsequently read the CD contained instructions and found that I had failed to use the 8 x 10 transparent media placement guide. It worked ANYWAY!
This scanner is particularly suited for "serious" amateur and professional photographers. It comes with negative holders for 35mm, 120 and 4 x 5 sheet film. In addition, as noted above, it will also scan the whole 8 x 10 inch area so you can do proof sheets from your transparent negative file pages.
I also scanned a music CD cover and liner, using Photoshop to convert the liner to black and white, and a 4 x 6 color photo. The scanner worked perfectly on all. The resolution of the four to six point type of the CD liner was crisp. This was a scan as a reflective image and NOT using OCR software.
Since I wrote my original review, I have had an opportunity to try the scanner with Caere OCR software. The 4990 did a spectacualr job of reading some old documents. It only had problems with type that was over a severe fold in the paper or obscured by marks from the very old photocopying processes. This is to be expected.
A little less than five years after I bought this scanner and having used the "transparent media adapter" (TMA) just a few times, the TMA DIED. The TMA, and capability to scan four 4X5 sheets of film simultaneously was my primary reason for purchasing this then top of the line scanner. Since the scanner was long out of warranty, I took it at my expense to an authorized Epson repair facility for diagnosis. A part that held the pulley in place for the TMA light source had BROKEN OFF within the TMA. I was advised that it could NOT be repaired. I contacted Epson customer support who told me I would need to buy a COMPLETE new TMA unit.
Not only was Epson not willing to sell directly to me (instead, I would have needed to buy through an authorized repair facility and pay them a fee or commission for their "trouble" in placing the part order - NO installation is required for this part), but Epson was also asking the full list price for the part, almost $300!
I felt that I was not treated with respect as a "valuable customer" by Epson. They lost a long time loyal repeat customer!
Incidentally, after some research, I bought an HP G4050 photo scanner, complete with TMA, for less than $200! It cannot handle FOUR 4X5 negatives at one time; only two at a time, but it works well, was brand new with full warranty for less than the cost of the replacement Epson TMA AND I like the scanning software better!
Digital camera Review: Relief
Summary: 5 Stars
After endless aggravation with an expensive Microtek machine (including a $200 "repair" by Microtek itself, after which I never got the scanner to work again *at all*), countless fruitless hours spent on the phone with tech support, in complete desperation I purchased the inexpensive Epson 4990 - about 1/3 of what I had payed for the Microtek Scanmaker. And am I glad I did! The machine is compact but handles 8 x 10" negs and transparencies (which is my primary use) very nicely; installation was a breeze, and operation has so far been completely hassle-free.
October 2005 addendum: the Epson continues to be very reliable and delivers excellent quality scans, very easily. I should nonetheless mention that the "dust removal" feature is excruciatingly slow, at least on the fairly large files that I handle, does *not* perform anywhere near a complete spotting job, and seems all but useless for my purpose. Unfortunately, I am not spared the sometimes very tedious task of spotting by hand.
Digital camera Review: Scanning Negatives
Summary: 4 Stars
I purchased top of line Epson scanner after comparing reviews of Epson and Canon. I picked it because of Digital ICE technology and because software was easier to use.
I have in the last thirty days scanned nearly 700 35mm negatives -- the scanner is going almost day and night.
It has met my expectations.
The only thing I like to see improved is the negative holder which is a bit flimsy.