I bought a Minoltya Dimage II film scanner - scans 35mm negs and slides
- think I picked it up for under $250

Here's a link to your Epson and it mentions in the 1st paragraph that
is scanns photos and film:

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/consumer/consDetail.jsp?oid=53540928

Read scantips.com to help you get started.
You can also see if any of the tips on my web site will help.
If you scan at 3200 dpi and print at 300 dpi you will get about
a 10x enlargement which is what you need for 8x10. You will also
need to do a bit of sharpening after the scan.
The Epson software has some problems, making scans too contrasty
so you might try the shareware software Vuescan available
from hamrick.com

Nikon Coolscan V is $549 brand new from BH Photo.

If that's too pricey, check out the Pacific Image film
scanners  (www.scanace.com) or a used machine from
eBay.  There's also the Plustek 7200 for around $200.

Life's too short to be scanning 35 mm with an Epson.

rafe b
www.terrapinphoto.com

************************************************************************
Imacanadian:  Your question is open to a lot of questions.  I have an old
Epson 2450 scanner and have been very pleased with the scans that I got with
it.  The first question is how do you know it is the scanner and not the
printer?  Just exactly what is decent mean to you?  How do we know the
slides were sharp in the first place?  I don't think you will get a good of
a print as the slide being printed by a regular wet method at a pro slide
printing place using silver based materials. Or for that matter a pro
digital printing place.  However I have 8 X 10's of the family on my fridge
that are very good.  They were from a negative but I have nearly as good of
scans with slides as negatives.  Again, it comes down to what you find
exceptable and what the machine delivers.  I would have the slide scanned by
a pro shop and compare it to that to see where the problem is.  Ric in
Wisconsin.

You can get a new Nikon CoolscanV ED for about $600 from Ritz Camera,
probably less from Adorama or such. B&H shows it currently out of stock.

I have a CoolscanIV ED and it's more than adequate for 8x10.

Even better would be a Coolscan LS-5000, LS-8000 or LS-9000 although
you'd have to find a real bargin on a used one to have any chance of
fitting your budget. The LS-8000/LS-9000 will handle medium format film
in addition to 35mm.

A quick search at KEH for "Coolscan" turns up an EX+ (used) CoolscanIV
ED for $339, and a new CoolscanV ED for $549.

     http://www.keh.com/

What it decent for you? You certainly get enough pixels but the problem
is elsewhere. Most flatbeds use the same lens for prints and
slides/negs. The lens is made for scanning prints, or pages of magazines
or whatsoever. And that lens is just not good enough for something as
small as a 35 mm slide. On a typical flatbed the capability to scan 35
mm slides/negs is more of a marketing plot than a really useful feature.
Simply put: there is a reason why a flatbed with slide scanning
capability costs 100 dollars and a slide scanner starts from 500.
Flatbed is just not up to it.
I know, I started scanning my slides with a good flatbed. Then I got a
Nikon Coolscan V ED. There is a huge difference in quality.
So, if you are even a bit serious about scanning 35 mm do yourself a
favour and get a film scanner. Because sooner or later you will get it
anyway and then you will have to rescan everything you did with a
flatbed (yes, I had to).

Väinö Louekari

As others have said you will be happier with a dedicated film scanner.
I don't know much about Epson 3490 but I know my Epson 1650 can do
slides and negatives, but so poorly that there is not point in it.  I
know there is no way I could get a decent 8 x 10 print from scanning
35mm film on my flat bed.  I use a Minolta Dimage Scan Dual III, which
is not a high end scanner at all but it produces much sharper scans
then my flat bed and can make a pretty good looking 8 x 10 print.

Scott

If you can go up to $550.xx get the Nikon V ED new (DMAX of 4.2 film
density), because a used one won't be much less than that, and you'll get a
warentee.  For used I suggest a Minolta scan dual III (DMAX of 4.8 film
density), will give a very decent image quality but the Nikon will be superior
(and it is heavy built).  Both give color bit depth of 48.  For printing, any
file should be 300 to 600 pixels per inch end result, printing dimensions
set in your graphics program.

Minolta Dimage Scan Elite 5400 for sale.  (Montreal)

Just write to me w/o the freelunch.

Cheers,
Alan