axis scaling issue with imagesc

[Kristoffer Walker]

Folks,

octave:38> ver
----------------------------------------------------------------------
GNU Octave Version 3.8.1
GNU Octave License: GNU General Public License
Operating System: CYGWIN_NT-6.1 1.7.30(0.272/5/3) 2014-05-23 10:36 x86_64
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Package Name    | Version | Installation directory
----------------+---------+-----------------------
           bim  |   1.1.3 | /usr/share/octave/packages/bim-1.1.3
       control  |   2.6.2 | /usr/share/octave/packages/control-2.6.2
data-smoothing  |   1.3.0 | /usr/share/octave/packages/data-smoothing-1.3.0
           fpl  |   1.3.4 | /usr/share/octave/packages/fpl-1.3.4
       general  |   1.3.4 | /usr/share/octave/packages/general-1.3.4
            io  |   2.0.2 | /usr/share/octave/packages/io-2.0.2
linear-algebra  |   2.2.0 | /usr/share/octave/packages/linear-algebra-2.2.0
 miscellaneous  |   1.2.0 | /usr/share/octave/packages/miscellaneous-1.2.0
           msh  |   1.0.9 | /usr/share/octave/packages/msh-1.0.9
         optim  |   1.3.0 | /usr/share/octave/packages/optim-1.3.0
      parallel  |   2.2.0 | /usr/share/octave/packages/parallel-2.2.0
        signal  |   1.3.0 | /usr/share/octave/packages/signal-1.3.0
       specfun  |   1.1.0 | /usr/share/octave/packages/specfun-1.1.0
       splines  |   1.2.6 | /usr/share/octave/packages/splines-1.2.6
        struct  |  1.0.10 | /usr/share/octave/packages/struct-1.0.10


Problem: when I use imagesc(x,y,A), the y axis is displayed in a 
visually compressed form for some reason.  I can't uncompress it. 
Running imagesc(A) instead runs fine.  Here is an example:

x=[0 5000]; y=[0 200]; A=rand(100,100); imagesc(x,y,A)

The problem is related to the very large x range.  I need the y axis to 
expand the entire range permitted by the viewport.  This will work better:

x=[0 500]; y=[0 200]; A=rand(100,100); imagesc(x,y,A)

And again, this is perfect, but without the important axis ticks that I 
want:

imagesc(A)

I've played around with "axis tight" and other axis scaling commands, 
but to no avail.  Any ideas for workaround?

Kris