Proofing negs without darkroom or scanner??

[sam_m]

I'm off to Cambodia next year (for a year) and am trying to decide if I should bother taking a film camera given I won't have a dark room or film scanner with me. I've heard of people using dslr's to scan individual frames of film, but I'm wondering if anyone has come up with a way to proof a full sheet of negs?

The only idea I've had is to photograph the negs lying on white laptop screen, then inverting the digital files etc, but it's very hard to keep them even remotely flat, the lcd dot pattern shows through and reflections are a problem from the neg sleeve - although I haven't tried this at night, that might tame the reflections? Will try that.

I could also take a vandyke or cyanotype kit, print that way and photograph the prints, but not sure about carrying the chemicals with me, and buying them there seems unlikely.

Does anyone have any other ideas? Thanks.

 

[MartinP]

You can make traditional contact prints with a piece of glass, or perspex, a piece of 8x10" paper and a desk lamp. That assumes that you can have a couple of trays and liquid-chems (the most practical idea for small volume use) with you.

It would require a bit of trial and error at first, then you could meter the appropriate amount of light with your camera and set up a desk lamp to be roughly the same each time, to reduce testing with the paper. If you have two desk lamps, or another small light, then you could take a safelight bulb with you too and work in comfort. The main question could be if you are staying in one location, or moving around a lot. How will you be developing the film and if it's a lab will it be easier just to get enprints ? Perhaps XP2+ would be most easily developed and printed in a minilab, in a large-ish town.

 

[bo_lorentzen]

Toss some white diffusion material over the laptop screen. (the kind used on hot lamps and HMI's on stage) put the negative sleeve on top and shoot it at night using something like a f 5.6 or 8 so you don't have to worry about a few warps in the sleeve.

You said "proof" that should get you a good clear look at what you shot, aside from that, i would probably bring a second digital body before getting involved with film, storage, processing etc.


Bo

Blog - www.bophoto.typepad.com
Random Images - http://bophoto.zenfolio.com/

 

[sam_m]

yep, the more I think about the logisitcs, the more I think, just take the dp2, kx and 21 and laptop, keep it simple. I really want to take my widelux though... decisions...

 

[sam_m]

I think that sun sensitive paper is just sheets pre-coateded with cyanotype, I guess I could pre coat 50 sheets myself before I leave, not sure how long cyantype can be store once coated though.

 

[Bob Michaels]

I'm off to Cambodia next year (for a year) and am trying to decide if I should bother taking a film camera given I won't have a dark room or film scanner with me. <snip>
Does anyone have any other ideas? Thanks.

Why not just dispense with the positives altogether and simply lay the negatives on a light table (or hold them up to a window) and look at them with a loupe? I have been doing that for 12 years. Your mind can quickly adapt to converting a negative to positive image. You see more detail because you are looking at the first generation not a second. Everything you need to know about overall image, composition, sharpness and exposure is right there. It becomes simpler than falling off a log when you begin to have confidence in your ability to focus and set exposure.

 

[tlitody]

get a little scanner such as the agfa ones

http://www.agfaphoto.com/appc/conte...D=195503&dbc=7948484d1a70445ee04a8a64be3d4bdd

the as1150 is 100 euros although the Ap duoscan 100 is probably safer for your negs as it has film holders.

$130 from: http://www.plawausa.com/en/usa/articles/apscan/dusca/duo100/

Then you are able to save images on flickr or wherever in case of loss or theft.

 

[sam_m]

get a little scanner such as the agfa ones

http://www.agfaphoto.com/appc/conte...D=195503&dbc=7948484d1a70445ee04a8a64be3d4bdd

the as1150 is 100 euros although the Ap duoscan 100 is probably safer for your negs as it has film holders.

$130 from: http://www.plawausa.com/en/usa/articles/apscan/dusca/duo100/

Then you are able to save images on flickr or wherever in case of loss or theft.

Thanks, that little agfa looks perfect! Runs off batteries, recharge via usb, 4MP scans, small and light, didn't realise you could get a scanner that cheap.

 

[bo_lorentzen]

Mjah... I just purchased one of those as a gift for a friend. lets just say the concept seems perfectly sound, a small sensor with a dedicated closeup fixture, since small sensors have lots of dof this should work well, perfect conditions, fixed distances etc.

There is only one problem, they must have stuffed the cheapest plastic lens they could find in there. the results I have seen simply have never been adequate to show sharpness in a image. fine details is not resolved. the "scanner" is perfectly useful for posting a 640px shot online, but you will get dissapointed when going 100% rez.

We used to have dedicated slide-negative copier attachments, worked perfectly good and will get as good as your camera.
http://www.amazon.com/Copier-Duplicator-Specialty-Photographic-Instructions/dp/B001AO1YBY

Bob have a point though, the world have looked at neg sheets for a while now quite successfully.

Bo

www.bophoto.typepad.com

 

[tlitody]

Yeah but he only wants proofs and compared to contacts at least he can post images on the web. I wouldn't have suggested it if he wanted high quality scans.

 

[tlitody]

there is another alternative which is slide copier.

google: ohnar slide copier

I think there is an accessory you can get which takes a filmstrip of 6 35mm images.

 

[tlitody]

if you go the slide copier route, then be careful to get the right one. There are different versions. One is best for full format sensors and the other for smaller sensors. I think its the zoom one but check with supplier.

 

[Steve M.]

I wish I could do what Bob suggested, as that's really the simplest way, but I have never been able to do it. My mind can't make the transition from positive to negative. I had the same problem w/ view cameras and just wasn't able to compose a shot on the GG w/o a reflex viewer to right the image. If it were me I'd bring the digital stuff, but also bring your film camera and take shots of the negs illuminated by your laptop screen (google works well for a nice, white screen). Should be fine just for proofing. You don't want to find yourself wishing you had brought a film camera and not have one w/ you. I would also expect Cambodia to have plenty of options for getting your negs developed and put on a CD. Film is probably still very prevelant there.

 

[tlitody]

didn't spot that bo had already given a link. But advice on which version still applies.

 

[mathomas]

Thanks, that little agfa looks perfect! Runs off batteries, recharge via usb, 4MP scans, small and light, didn't realise you could get a scanner that cheap.

It will fill your needs, but it's not really a scanner. It's more like a cheap digital camera made into a slide/neg copier. But yeah, very small and quick. I kind of wish they made them for 120 film.

 

[bo_lorentzen]

I keep hearing about people simply using a off-the-shelf macro lens and sticking negs on the window kind of thing, with shockingly good results with modern dslr cameras. this might just be the lightest and easiest way of getting positive proofs while traveling. And a good reason for a 50mm macro lens in the bag.


Bo

www.bophoto.typepad.com

 

[tlitody]

I keep hearing about people simply using a off-the-shelf macro lens and sticking negs on the window kind of thing, with shockingly good results with modern dslr cameras. this might just be the lightest and easiest way of getting positive proofs while traveling. And a good reason for a 50mm macro lens in the bag.


Bo

www.bophoto.typepad.com

no reason why it wouldn't work but a tripod would be required I think.

 

[tlitody]

It will fill your needs, but it's not really a scanner. It's more like a cheap digital camera made into a slide/neg copier. But yeah, very small and quick. I kind of wish they made them for 120 film.

There is the Epson F3200 but they didn't release it in the US for some reason. Small footprint(much smaller than flatbed) and scans 35mm, 120 and 4x5. Not the best quality results but very handy for quick scans for proofing or web.

 

[JoeV]

I shoot both film and digital, and so I can see the convenience of being able to post images online while in the midst of one's trip. But in the spirit of pure film photography, rarely did a person (like an overseas photojournalist) get their film processed while abroad, unless they had the services of a regional media office equipped with full-featured darkroom. They would often mail the film back to the home office while on extended assignment. Typically, the sharing of the images came after returning from abroad; this was especially true with the average tourist photographer.

My take on this is that, if you desire to post images during your trip, use the digital camera you have available. Then, save the sharing of the film images for when you get back home, and can have them properly processed and printed. The passage of time during this process may also lend some reflection on the journey that dovetails nicely with the film images in a way that the immediacy of posting-while-traveling lacks.

~Joe

 

[sam_m]

Thanks Joe, sensible comments. My only worry is image degradation from not developing the exposed film for up to a year, given I'm not sure what facilities I'll have for storing it - if I can cold store it then it should be fine though.

Thanks everyone else for the ideas, not sure what I'll end up doing at this stage, I have a couple of months before I leave, so plenty of time to work it out.