Scanning with a digital camera

[charjohncarter]

To ptpdprinter, that is a problem. My slidecopier is really tight, but there is still some curvature (not so much with negatives but slides always has a little.). I would use f 11 or f16 on my macro lens to compensate. I also got lucky my camera let me know when I was in focus, but once I achieved good focus it was set for good until I switched to do slides or vice versa.

 

[Huss]

For my 645 negs I use a Hasselblad imacon knock off film holder. Holds the film flat, no issues. For other 120 formats i have put a piece of anti newton ring glass on top of the film, which flattens the film completely, then a mask in the appropriate size on top of that. I cut those out using black card stock. That works great but frankly using my enlarger film holders has been great and quicker.

 

[dugrant153]

I use a Pentax K01 mirrorless camera, a broken Sigma macro lens and lens hoods mounted downwards onto an old film holder to keep the negs flat.

The dust can get really bad but daaaang when I nail the focus on the negative, I get some crazy 16MP resolution that is way beyond anything my Epson V700 can produce.

The great thing about DSLR scanning is that even though dedicated scanners are getting harder and harder to find... I can always find a DSLR and a macro lens and be done with it. It's future proofing film scanning.

 

[Huss]

The dust can get really bad but daaaang when I nail the focus on the negative, I get some crazy 16MP resolution that is way beyond anything my Epson V700 can produce.

I wipe my negatives with an anti static cloth like this and have very few dust issues.


https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...Soft_Microfiber_Anti_Static_Cloth.html?sts=pi

This is helpful for scanning with a scanner, with a DSLR or straight printing.

 

[Godfrey]

The Olympus OM 80/4 auto macro is one of few lenses optimized for 1:1, most macro lenses are optimized for more like 1:3 or 1:5. The net result is what you observe: better edge to edge. Not as important for shooting a flower or a bug, but makes a difference for shooting stamps, coins, other flat objects and for this application.

Another is the APO-Rodigon D 1:1 lens.

Some lenses do better than others. I remember that Olympus lens from many years ago ... it was a fine performer.

For magnifications down to 1:1, I haven't found a better performer than the Leica Macro-Elmarit-R 60mm f/2.8 ... truly outstanding.

But imagine my surprise when I tested the Leica Summicron-R 50mm f/2 and found it to be the best performer out of all the Macro and Enlarging lenses I have when used at magnifications around 2.7:1!

G

 

[charjohncarter]

My problem with normal prime lenses was/is the film plane focus is curved so even with f11 or f16 there was still fall off (when shooting macro). Maybe the Leica Summicron-R 50mm f/2 is different; none of my 50mm primes worked well. So bought a macro 50mm.

 

[Calzone]

Huss,

Thanks for this thread. Much appreciation for useful, helpful and thoughtful information.

Cal

 

[Doug A]

The great thing about DSLR scanning is that even though dedicated scanners are getting harder and harder to find... I can always find a DSLR and a macro lens and be done with it. It's future proofing film scanning.

Agreed. With my BEOON setup I can use any camera and any lens with an LTM/M39 (or Leica M) mount.

 

[dugrant153]

I wipe my negatives with an anti static cloth like this and have very few dust issues.


https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...Soft_Microfiber_Anti_Static_Cloth.html?sts=pi

This is helpful for scanning with a scanner, with a DSLR or straight printing.

Single wipe or multiple times? I actually do use an anti-static cloth but I guess some dirt still gets caught up somewhere... maybe in the film holder?

 

[css9450]

- Mount DSLR on tripod and aim straight down at the film.

Any tips to get everything lined up straight and square? This step of the process always seemed like it left the most to luck - sometimes I thought I had everything square then I would scan some slides and find I had something just slightly crooked - and one side or the other was soft.

 

[Huss]

Huss,

Thanks for this thread. Much appreciation for useful, helpful and thoughtful information.

Cal

You're welcome Cal!

I've been considering trying to use one of the Flextight holders for 35mm and 6x9 strips. I really want to be able to "scan" out to the register - which seems to be easier on these film holders. In your experience, will this work or is it just going to be a curly mess?

I'm getting my 645 negs back tonight and will let you know in the next day or so. I only bought the imacon holder in 645 size, and this is the first few rolls I've shot since I got it. The regular enlarger holders I've been using for the other formats have worked fine.

Single wipe or multiple times? I actually do use an anti-static cloth but I guess some dirt still gets caught up somewhere... maybe in the film holder?

A couple of wipes making sure I've passed over the entire film surface. I of course try to make sure the rest of my workspace is clean, and wipe it down with a micro fiber cloth before I start. Not that easy in a household with 2 cats and 3 dogs!

Any tips to get everything lined up straight and square? This step of the process always seemed like it left the most to luck - sometimes I thought I had everything square then I would scan some slides and find I had something just slightly crooked - and one side or the other was soft.

Using a proper copy stand really helps but the key is to look at the image in Live View. On my Nikon there is a grid option so you can immediately see if things are not lined up correctly.

 

[Calzone]

One tip I heard of, but I have not tried that might be helpful is using that low tack blue masking tap to secure the edges of the negative.

I can see how the tape can pull taunt the negative and remove the transverse curl. Might even help when using negative holders borrowed from out enlargers.

Cal

 

[css9450]

Using a proper copy stand really helps but the key is to look at the image in Live View. On my Nikon there is a grid option so you can immediately see if things are not lined up correctly.

This will be my first try using a camera with Live View. I scanned a lot of slides this way using my D80 but it has no Live View to zoom into. Actually, this is my first camera with a tilt up/down screen, so I think a lot of the backbreaking work of leaning over the camera to see into the viewfinder will be gone! I am excited!

 

[Huss]

One tip I heard of, but I have not tried that might be helpful is using that low tack blue masking tap to secure the edges of the negative.

I can see how the tape can pull taunt the negative and remove the transverse curl. Might even help when using negative holders borrowed from out enlargers.

Cal

That is a great tip Cal for those that need it! I didn't even think of that.

 

[Huss]

This will be my first try using a camera with Live View. I scanned a lot of slides this way using my D80 but it has no Live View to zoom into. Actually, this is my first camera with a tilt up/down screen, so I think a lot of the backbreaking work of leaning over the camera to see into the viewfinder will be gone! I am excited!

That is funny because I've never used the tilt screen on my D750 (pretty much forgot it could do that) and when I finally noticed it, life became so much simpler! I now have the set up on a regular height table, as I just flip the screen so it is at eye level.

 

[Huss]

Lubitel 166 Olympic Edition, Kodak 120 TMAX, scanned with my D750 using the copystand

B&W images are by far the easiest to handle, as there is no colour correction required.

35mm Arista 400. Same deal but using the slide copier

 

[Huss]

Same deal, Arista 400, slide copier, D750 (the gear that I showed in the pics earlier) No warping, no banding, edge to edge sharpness as everyone can see.

 

[Godfrey]

My problem with normal prime lenses was/is the film plane focus is curved so even with f11 or f16 there was still fall off (when shooting macro). Maybe the Leica Summicron-R 50mm f/2 is different; none of my 50mm primes worked well. So bought a macro 50mm.

Oh, the Macro-Elmarit-R 60mm has a flatter field and works better as a copy setup at 1:1 and lower magnifications. But at 2:1 or 3:1, the Summicron-R 50 just did a bit better. It surprised me too!

G

 

[Godfrey]

Any tips to get everything lined up straight and square? This step of the process always seemed like it left the most to luck - sometimes I thought I had everything square then I would scan some slides and find I had something just slightly crooked - and one side or the other was soft.

A couple of bubble levels go a long way. One for the stage, one for the camera...

G

 

[Huss]

I didn't find any need for bubble levels when using the grid pattern in Live View. I just made sure everything was lined up compared to the grid. Very quick and easy.