Epson 4990

Conclusion

The Epson Perfection 4990 Photo scanner is the new top of the line consumer scanner from Epson, which replaces the much loved 4870.

Over the past two or three years we have seen the quality of digital photography equipment move ahead in giant leaps and bounds. Top of the line digital cameras at one time offered 3 megapixel file sizes, now the average hobbyist compact camera has between 4 and 8 megapixels, and a top of the line Canon 1Ds SLR professional camera has 16.7 megapixels. Photo quality Inkjet printers have moved from four to eight inks and deliver 1 picolitre drops. Print life has been extended from 10 years to over 100 years using the latest Epson R1800 and R800 printers. Scanner resolutions have also risen from 600 dpi to 4800 dpi and film scanning, which was once an optional extra, is now included as part of the overall package. Photo quality to both rival and surpass traditional wet chemistry is now available on the desk top. Where will this all end? I can't help feeling that we may have now arrived on the digital plateau. We will still have improvements, but they will be small incremental improvements.

Although Epson has made many improvements and tweaks under the 4990 bonnet, the end user may only notice a small improvement in actual image quality. The Dmax has been raised to 4.0, which means better detail in shadows and highlights, 40% faster scanning times (but not in my tests) and an increase in film scanning area. Epson could have done more to the actual image quality, in my tests it produced marginally better scans than the 4870, but they were better. I guess maybe flatbed film scanning has already reached its peak. Many readers expressed a slight disappointment with film scanning using the 3200 and 4870 scanners, saying the images are far too soft. Well nothing has changed much on the 4990, but you must also appreciate that most digital images are sharpened before you see them. A digital camera and many scanners have auto sharpening built in, hence an immediate sharp looking photograph, but this takes away control from you the end user. The 4990 does have USM which you can turn on or off, and will produce a good looking image. My own recommendation would be to turn it off and apply USM (Unsharp Masking) within your imaging application. This way you will have full control on how your image is sharpened. The important thing is that the image information should be there, and on the 4990 it is, you just have to extract it.

Most of the readers of my reviews will know by now that I hate getting bogged down with technical specifications. I know some of you will be interested, but my test criteria is "Does it do what it says it will"? The scans published within the review speak for themselves, I don't have to tell you that the CCD is an alternate 6 lines colour Matrix CCD with Micro Lens delivering 40,800 x 56,160 pixels at 4800 dpi. For most people this doesn't mean a thing, but if you need to know then the full scanner specifications are on page 12.

The Perfection 4990 is constructed to a very high standard. Access to all parts, including rear connections, is easy. The Transparency Unit (TPU) is a solid, well engineered item which inspires confidence from the outset. I like the new top strip, you can see the scan progress via its moving blue light. I still think Epson should re-think their method of connecting to the main scanner body, the external connection shouldn't be necessary. The film holders are well thought out and take full advantage of the 4990 larger TPU area. They are made of sturdy material and do a good job of holding film flat, I like the ease at which film can be loaded without too much fumbling. In my 4870 review I said "I still feel that a 120 film holder that allows three full 6x6 frames to be scanned would be a useful addition to any professionals kit". Well, Epson has listened and changed the film holder, now you can scan in three frames of 6x6, but in separate windows. I will spell it out this time. Professional and keen hobbyist photographers cut their 120 film in four strips of three frames. Now, to make the scanner truly useful to them, you need to make a film holder that will hold an entire strip of three frames. Perhaps I am expecting too much. The last word on this is, Epson has done a great job with the film holders, they work well and are easy to use. If you still need an alternative holder then take a look at Doug Fishers custom 120 film holder - it's very good.

The scanner is supplied with two excellent software items, SilverFast 6 SE scanning software and Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0. I have always liked SilverFast software and this version is no exception. However, the Epson Scan software produced some excellent scans and I felt that SilverFast wasn't offering much more. Epson Scan is an easier option for those who may not be familiar with scanning practices, for more experienced users the professional mode left nothing much to be desired. Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0 is a terrific imaging application, which incorporates many of the features found in Photoshop, it is an application which should not be underestimated. It's a pity that it isn't the latest version -Elements 3.0.

Verdict.

The Epson Perfection 4990 overall build quality and feel is superb, print scanning is very fast and more or less spot on with colours. For film scanning, Epson has supplied a good selection of film holders that should cover most users' needs. 35mm scans were good, but still needed a heavy dose of USM to get the best quality. The 4990 produced better scans than my old Nikon LS1000 (film scanner), but as with the 4870, falls short of matching the Nikon 4000 Coolscan. This didn't surprise me, but just how near the Epson comes to dedicated film scan quality, does. For medium and large format scans the 4990 produces outstanding quality, certainly good enough for any professional photographer. The 4990 is a much cheaper option than buying a dedicated medium format film scanner. I love Digital ICE, it works a treat on both transparencies and colour negative, it added a considerable amount of time to each scan, but it is still quicker than manually retouching dust spots.

Would I buy it?

If I had the Epson 3200 or earlier model, then yes I would buy the 4990, it offers a significant improvement. If I had the 4870 (and I do have this one), then perhaps I wouldn't buy the 4990, unless, of course, the extra large film scanning area was a high priority. The 4990 is without doubt an excellent scanner which will satisfy most users' needs.

Pros:
Excellent scan quality
Larger Film scanning area (up to 10x8)
Digital ICE on film and print scanning
Medium and Large format film scanning
Price (£349)

Cons:
At 4800dpi the 4990 is not a spectacular improvement over the 4870.

Scan quality	*9/10*
Features	*9/10*
Ease of use	*9/10*
Design	*9/10*
Software	9/10
Value	*9/10*
Rating	*9/10 Highly recommended*