Canon 5D classic for film scanning?

[Swift1]

I've been debating getting a fullframe dslr strickly for "scanning" select 35mm frames using a 35mm slide copy rig.
Does it make sense to get a 11 year old 5D Classic for this purpose?

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

Colton, are you scanning slides or negatives?

The dynamic range requirement for slide scanning is larger, and for this the full frame camera may be an advantage.

I'm pretty sure it is not an advantage for camera-scan of color negative or BW negative.

I'll bet that the lens is a more important choice.

 

[Swift1]

Colton, are you scanning slides or negatives?

The dynamic range requirement for slide scanning is larger, and for this the full frame camera may be an advantage.

I'm pretty sure it is not an advantage for camera-scan of color negative or BW negative.

I'll bet that the lens is a more important choice.

I'd be scanning color negative film mostly.
The main reason I want fullframe is that the slide copy rig is made for 1:1 reproduction. It gets tricky with the smaller APSC size sensor.

 

[WJJ3]

FWIW I use a 40D which is from the same era as the 5D for scanning B&W and slides an am
very happy. I can't be bothered with trying to scan and correct color neg with it though...

 

[Huss]

I've been debating getting a fullframe dslr strickly for "scanning" select 35mm frames using a 35mm slide copy rig.
Does it make sense to get a 11 year old 5D Classic for this purpose?

No. No Live View. It's really hard to get accurate focus w/o it when you want it sharp on a grain level.

 

[gavinlg]

I would be more inclined to go for a more modern mirrorless aps-c camera like a sony or a Fuji x-e1 or something for live view/critical focusing, higher MP count (larger scans) and better shadow DR, less critically shallow DOF issues, and lower vignetting. The original 5d is wonderful to use, but a little clunky for precision stuff.

 

[Swift1]

No. No Live View. It's really hard to get accurate focus w/o it when you want it sharp on a grain level.

I wondered about that. It does seem like focusing through the optical viewfinder could be difficult.
Maybe I'll just stick with my V750, and for certain frames I can use my Pentax K-01 and stitch.

 

[Huss]

I wondered about that. It does seem like focusing through the optical viewfinder could be difficult.
Maybe I'll just stick with my V750, and for certain frames I can use my Pentax K-01 and stitch.

Using my D750, it was not able to AF accurately unless I used LiveView, and no way remotely possible to manually focus accurately unless using LiveView.
To make film scanning with a digi cam worthwhile, you have to absolutely be able to nail the focus.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Here is nothing wrong with 5DC. I used it for macro. But here is no point of using DSLR which is not converting negatives to normal images and has no dust cleaning. Not on sensor, nor on negatives. 🙂 It isn't going to be quick with each frame taken manually, either.

V750 is way to go!

 

[stompyq]

I had a V750. My D610+60mm macro blows it out of the water. Have you even used ICE on the epson? It actually softens the images so much I ended up turning it off. Just clean the damn negatives and scan it. Photos-hoping out a few dust particles isn't the monumental feat its made to sound.

Get any DSLR with live view (which is absolutely necessary) and a AF macro lens and it will outperform the epson

 

[Huss]

Here is nothing wrong with 5DC. I used it for macro.

Macro shots is nothing like trying to take sharp images of film. I can use my D750 to take macro shots very easily using the regular AF. But it does not work trying to shoot film. You need LiveView.

 

[Huss]

It isn't going to be quick with each frame taken manually, either.

It takes about 5 to 10 seconds for a full rez 6000 x 4000 image in set up time. Actual capture is 1/125 sec. How long does it take your V750 to do that? And does your V750 auto focus on each scan?
Dust is not an issue, just make sure your film is clean.

 

[Pioneer]

Golly Gee. People have been copying photographs for generations. I wonder how they managed to get anything done without Live View. They must have been absolutely helpless, poor dears.

Maybe, just maybe, they set things up, and got the distances right the first time, or at least with a bit of trial and error. Once the distance was correct you could copy photos to your hearts content.

Or maybe all your photos are out of focus in the first place and you are hoping that you can change that in the copying/scanning step.

Pardon my being a little snide but I am getting a little tired of people who are so convinced that technology and great cost are necessary to get anything done. People have been doing this stuff way before you or I were ever born. If you can't figure it out, pick up a REAL book on the subject. The old Kodak series had some amazing information about copying all kinds of things, not just photos, slide or negatives.

The Canon 5D should be more than satisfactory. A good copy stand will allow you to make very small adjustments until you have it right. Once that is done you shouldn't have to move it again, unless you want to remove the camera from the copy stand and use it for something else.

 

[Huss]

Pioneer, the 5 Classic has a very low rez back screen, so you'll only see correct focus once you export the files to a computer. And then you have to make sure nothing moves out of plane when you put in the next film to be captured.
Sure it is do-able, but there are so many better, faster, easier options I would not recommend it. Technology really is our friend in this instance. Embrace it!

 

[Pioneer]

Pioneer, the 5 Classic has a very low rez back screen, so you'll only see correct focus once you export the files to a computer. And then you have to make sure nothing moves out of plane when you put in the next film to be captured.
Sure it is do-able, but there are so many better, faster, easier options I would not recommend it. Technology really is our friend in this instance. Embrace it!

Technology may be my friend if I already own it, but I will have to pass if it means I am going to be spending even more money on gear I wouldn't necessarily buy. None of this stuff comes cheap and it isn't getting any less expensive.

I have used my 5D for scanning and I just have not had the problems you mention. The display screen is certainly low resolution but I am not using it anyway. Once the camera is set up on the copy stand then the results (verified by computer) are far better than my little Epson V500. Of course my copy stand has clips and a anti-newton glass cover that keep the slide/negative from moving around. Once it is set then it doesn't seem to change that much. In fact, the photos are held in place far better then the film holders provided by Epson.

If you like Live View then go for it. My experience with Live View does not make me trust it for critical focus so I would have to double check on the computer anyway.

After all that, the Epson is still quicker to set up and use, at least for me. However, a nice 5D scan gives me a lot more to work with then the Epson.