Out to Lunch
Ventor
USD-wise...how much are we talking about?
Slide Scanners
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peterm1
Veteran
Further to my post above, I am wondering if anyone can give me some suggestions about the best way to shoot tethered when scanning using a bellows outfit and a Sony camera. Previously I used an older Sony NEX 5 as it is small and it was an easy solution for me with a reasonable image pixel size - 16 mega pixels compared with the Sony NEX 7 with 24 MP and the SOny A7s with only 12. ( I have access to a Sony NEX 7 and a Sony A7s (first model) if later firmware helps.) If using my bellows kit (which is M42) I anticipate needing to continue to use a vintage M42 lens - so no AF micro lens of course.
Has any one done this?
My preferred solution will allow me to see the image on my PC before I shoot (to check focus and exposure) but of course if this is not possible, (not sure if a tethered arrangement allows previewing the shot in this way) shooting and auto importing to view the image AFTER making the shot will be needed (I assume this would not be a problem ordinarily as its the minimum a tethered arrangement should be capable of achieving.)
I also have access to a Fujifilm X-T20 if this helps (I gather there are some issues with Lightroom's tethered support for Sony cameras????????
Has any one done this?
My preferred solution will allow me to see the image on my PC before I shoot (to check focus and exposure) but of course if this is not possible, (not sure if a tethered arrangement allows previewing the shot in this way) shooting and auto importing to view the image AFTER making the shot will be needed (I assume this would not be a problem ordinarily as its the minimum a tethered arrangement should be capable of achieving.)
I also have access to a Fujifilm X-T20 if this helps (I gather there are some issues with Lightroom's tethered support for Sony cameras????????
Godfrey
somewhat colored
Of course, I only bought a couple of these things specifically for scanning film; in fact, only one thing ... the Essential Film Holder ... where the rest of the equipment is part of my usual photographic/computing kit. But if you want to tally up replicating this exact setup:
iPad Pro 11" running Leica FOTOs app :: 2018 model with 1T storage, $1800
Novoflex Magic copy stand :: $319
Hakon flat-panel light box :: Had it too long to remember, but better ones now $60
Essential Film Holder with 35mm standard frame fitted :: $150 with the masks I have
Novoflex focusing rail :: $279 (could do without this entirely, but it's convenient)
Leitz Macro-Elmarit-R 60mm f/2.8 + Macro-Adapter-R :: about $650 last I looked
Leica R-Adapter-M :: $455
Leica M10 Monochrom + Visoflex 020 :: call it about $8000
Totals up to about $11,700 roughly. BUT ..
Remember that the iPad Pro I've had since 2018 and use for a billion other things, the copy stand and focusing rail I bought before that, the macro lens and tube I bought when R system kit went for peanuts (about 2012), the R-Adapter-M was about $250 used, and I bought the M10-M to do a lot more than just negative copying.
Presuming you've got some kind of camera that is usable (nearly any which can take a macro lens) you need:
- an appropriate lens (good close up lenses or extension tubes are both quite usable, as well as a good used macro lens) ... about $90 for my Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 + M-tube
- a decent copy stand ... figure $200-300 for a good one
- a film holder ... the EFH is very good an reasonably priced $150
- flat panel light box ... $60-$70
So call this kind of setup about $500 over and above your basic decent camera kit, which is less expensive than a good film scanner (my Nikon CoolScan V ED that I bought a decade ago was over $750 used then...).
G
Godfrey
somewhat colored
Most Sony cameras have remote controller support through an app. LR can be set to watch a folder and auto-import. That's an effective and relative inexpensive way to achieve what you'd like.
G
agentlossing
Well-known
You might consider two scanners. The Epson V550 is quite decent so far with the prints I have scanned. There is such a mountain of difference in resolution between a print size and a tiny 35mm film slice.
Johngwill
Invicta
For scanning 35mm neg and slide I use a K M DiMAGE Scan Dual IV which I brought nearly 20 years ago with the original Easy Scan Utility software ( It runs fine on Win 11 with this update How I Installed the 2003 Konica Minolta DiMAGE Scan Dual IV 35mm Film Scanner in Windows 10 – Thoughts ). For Medium Format an Epson V600 with an ANR film holder.
Example result from the Scan Dual IV of 1961 Kodachrome slide after initial scanning and after processing:
Example result from the Scan Dual IV of 1961 Kodachrome slide after initial scanning and after processing:
Out to Lunch
Ventor
Thanks, Godfrey. It looks like I'd only need a few bits and pieces to make this work. Sounds like a plan for the winter months in the Northern Hemisphere. For prints, I'll try my luck with the Epson V600.
Out to Lunch
Ventor
But it is no longer in production...
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Out to Lunch
Ventor
An unexpected development occurred when I dug deeper under my staircase and found a forgotten Canon CanoScan 8800F which I bought 20 years ago in France (220V). I have a voltage converter so I could use it in Canada. The internet says I can run it with Windows 11.
maddoc
... likes film again.
Short question, how do you check for plane parallelism of the film and your sensor? Do you use a specific test target to check for focus on the four sides of the frame?
Godfrey
somewhat colored
I use a bubble level to ensure that the table, the film holder and the camera are all level and parallel. I examine my captures at high magnification to be sure that the focus is good from center to edge, all around the frame, by looking at the film grain.
G
HuubL
hunter-gatherer
Nobody mentions the Epson V500. What's the verdict on it now that it's old school classic? I've been using it since at least 10-15 years with Vuescan on my Macs and it does its job reasonably well. But is an upgrade to the V600 (or the V850) worth it?
ranger9
Well-known
You may expect to enjoy VERY long lunches while using this scanner, which produces good quality but is incredibly slow. I sold mine because I was afraid I'd die of old age while scanning...
Godfrey
somewhat colored
I dunno. I am still using my even-more-ancient Epson 2450 for when I need high quality print and occasional odd format film scans, and I have no problem with the quality of its output. The rush to buy "never, better, etc etc" stuff mostly returns only minor incremental gains.
G
das
Well-known
Minolta 5400 Versions I or II are fantastic. 15 years and still humming.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
I still have my old V700 ... it hasn't been used in eight years. Hopefully it is still ok.
peterm1
Veteran
Yes I have had similar experience with other film scanners too. Which in large measure was why, when I had a large number of slides to scan I opted for a mirrorless camera mounted onto an old fashioned Pentax "slide copier" - a camera bellows outfitted with a slide holder and equipped with a Takumar 55mm f1.8 from the film days. Cheap to buy the copier too and I already had the camera and lens. Each slide scan took maybe 5-10 seconds to load, check in the camera's rear LCD and digitize before moving to the next slide.
yanchep_mike
Always Trying
For 135 film i use my Pakon 135+, it is fast and i scan the complete film in a matter of minutes. For medium and large size film i still use a V750 which does a good job on the larger negatives.
AlwaysOnAuto
Well-known
I put this slide copy setup together from pieces I was able to get off the Goodwill auction site. I haven't tried it with my A7Riii yet but I think it'll work well. I'll use my Micro Nikkor 55mm lens.
peterm1
Veteran
It will work well, I am sure. I used much the same except mine was a Pentax one. It looked basically the same as this. The hardest thing about using it was getting the bellows extension correct - till I read the manual. 😛 😛 I found it convenient to mount my set up on a tripod pointed at a nearby table on which I placed a battery powered LED panel light which I bought from a hardware store. I still have a large batch of negatives to scan (having scanned the slides) and I am giving consideration to doing this while shooting the camera tethered to Sony Imaging Edge - to connect to Lightroom on a PC to facilitate the whole process (and automate importing to LR).