Scanning with a digital camera

Greyscale said:
A7ii scan


Tele Rolleiflex, Sonnar 135/4, Portra 800@400 (expired 2009) by Mike Novak, on Flickr
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I installed Negative Labs Pro and in three clicks I got the image here, the original is the best that I could do trying to color-correct in Photoshop.



Negative Labs Pro test image. by Mike Novak, on Flickr

I also used it to batch-invert a roll of Kodak T-Max 100 shot with a Rollei 35S, three minutes to do a task that used to take a good part of an afternoon. What a time saver. All negatives digitized using a Sony A7ii with a Yashinon Tomioka 60mm 1:1 macro lens.


Rollei 35S, Zeiss Sonnar 40/2.8, Kodak T-Max 100 by Mike Novak, on Flickr
 
I actually like scanning with a scanner when I'm doing color. I can adjust each RGB channel myself and then give myself some head and tail room to make it more easy to post process (0-255). Has anybody been able to to do this with a digital camera DNG file? The only way I can see to do it is to make sure your histogram in camera has this head and tail room then further adjust in post.
 
charjohncarter said:
I actually like scanning with a scanner when I'm doing color. I can adjust each RGB channel myself and then give myself some head and tail room to make it more easy to post process (0-255). Has anybody been able to to do this with a digital camera DNG file? The only way I can see to do it is to make sure your histogram in camera has this head and tail room then further adjust in post.
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You can do that in Camera RAW.
 
I thought negativelabpro.com was a game changer. And it is. But the new version 2.0 is even better. Out of curiousity I did not even crop out the unexposed areas as you are meant to. Results are great! Before if you didn't do that, it would make the colours off.
 
Huss said:
I thought negativelabpro.com was a game changer. And it is. But the new version 2.0 is even better. Out of curiousity I did not even crop out the unexposed areas as you are meant to. Results are great! Before if you didn't do that, it would make the colours off.
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V2 is the one that I am using.
 
My v550 bit the dust, and I'm realizing now that it wouldn't be much more expensive to buy the gear for a camera scan setup rather than replace the v600. I'm planning on using it for 6x6 to start, and maybe 35mm in the future. What all will I need? I have a Nikon D750 with a Nikon 50mm f1.4G which I plan on buying extension tubes for. I'll need a light source, but the only one I'm familiar with is the Slimlight that gets talked about a lot; is that a good one? I'll pick up the Lomo film holders for the 6x6 film and I already have a tripod that can invert. Is that all I need? Just buy the light, macro tubes, and a holder or am I missing something important? Thanks everyone!
 
Can you AF with the extensions tubes on your D750?

When I used the D750, I had the 60mm 2.8D lens. I used AF in LiveView and it nailed focus on the grain level instantly. I initially tried doing it with inverting my tripod but it was extremely hard to get it lined up correctly. I bought a copy stand off ebay for $150 and that works perfectly. I also use an LED light pad from Amazon for about $20 - LiteEnergy Tracer.
For 35mm I use the Nikon ES-2 holder which works perfectly with the 60mm lens. Alternatively you can use the 35mm Digitilza (I do when I scan 35mm panos). For 120 I use the Digitiliza 120 holder.

Most important part for good colour is to use www.negativelapro.com plugin.
 
Seconding what Huss says above. I use a 40/2.8 micro Nikkor lens on a Nikon D3300. It makes it much easier and better quality to use a designed-for-purpose auto-focus close up lens rather than focus manually and use a lens in a situation it's not corrected for with extension tubes.
John Mc
 
Thanks guys! I do have Negative Lab Pro so I'm set there. I'll look into the 60mm 2.8D instead of the tubes. The copy stand sound interesting, and I never even thought about that. Would you say that camera scanning gives higher quality results than a scanner? A v600 isn't top of the line at all so if a camera can beat it in quality than it's worth it to spend more money in my eyes.
 
Scottboarding said:
Would you say that camera scanning gives higher quality results than a scanner? .
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Most definitely. I own and run a gallery and camera scanning has given me results better than anything outside real drum scans.
And negativelabpro has been a gamechanger.

With your D750 you’ll get best results with a copy stand, LiveView focusing, mirror up, remote release. I used Nikon’s tiny remote control unit (ML2?) to trigger the camera to eliminate camera shake.
 
Huss said:
Most definitely. I own and run a gallery and camera scanning has given me results better than anything outside real drum scans.
And negativelabpro has been a gamechanger.

With your D750 you’ll get best results with a copy stand, LiveView focusing, mirror up, remote release. I used Nikon’s tiny remote control unit (ML2?) to trigger the camera to eliminate camera shake.
Click to expand...
Wow that's awesome to hear! I've been fairly happy with my 35mm scans on my Pacific Image XAs, but the machine is painfully slow and the AF misses half the time. I'll definitely start camera scanning!
 
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