Using a DSLR to digitise color negs

[menos I M6]

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Thats a very neat setup! From the build, it is the same, I use (just adjustable panorama plates and Arca quick release heads instead your rail).

 

I like the bellows between lens and negative holder - nice for working during the day (so far, I only have time for this after work, when it is dark anyway ;-) ).

 

I would look for a way, to hold good standard film holders in front of a small light table instead of your "film holding and illuminating device" - this way, you can switch formats and easier load the film too.

 

The next level of doing this is, to mount the film holder with a precise device, that allows shifting position precisely for stitching negative frames (think high res 135 or even shooting 120 film by stitching).

 

A Hasselblad Flextight costs something like 10.000 USD upwards around here, doesn't improve on quality and is definitely slower to work with.

 

I rather burn 10.000 USD for the perfect digitizing device with commercial DSLRs and have:

- same quality

- more speed

- more flexibility

- smaller files (any DSLR RAW file is smaller than a similar quality TIFF from a Flextight)

[mmradman]

 

I do all my BW neg scanning with a DSLR though and am pretty confident, to say, that the quality is on par with Hasselblad/ Imacon scans of the same negs.

 

 

The secret for ultimate quality (regardless from color or BW) is, to have the film as flat, as possible and use a Macro lens, specifically designed for this repro work (the 60mm Nikkor is) within the sweet spot in subject distance and aperture.

Only shooting RAW suffices, as the in camera JPGs and TIFFs really rob acuity.

 

The D3 is NOT the ideal camera to do this, but is the only, I got handy at the time of my first experiments and it kind of stuck.

 

I print up to 13x19 without any additional work or issues form the 12MP D3 "scans".

If I need bigger prints, I have to use tubes for higher magnification and stitch.

 

I would not buy a flatbed again, after I have seen the difference between EPSON flatbeds, a Imacon scanner and my method.

 

As a start for color neg "scanning", I would do this:

 

Expose a blank frame of the film stock, you are intending to scan.

Shoot with your DSLR a WB card through the film stock and experiment with exposure and white balance corrections before and after negative inversion.

 

Take note of your best settings and apply them to a real frame.

 

Take care, that while shooting with the DSLR 1) you really use the best exposure, to end up after simple inversion with a good exposure already - if you have to correct your black and white clippings drastically after inversion, your initial exposure is bad.

 

The more off your exposure, the worse your outcome including white balance correction.

 

Both the BP and WP correction and the WB correction as of the colored film stock adds significant "pushing around" of the files, resulting in noise and odd colors.

 

You might need, to take three frames with different exposures for each color channel and merge these individual color channels later in Photoshop, as the latitude of the file for corrections might not be enough.

 

Find out your ideal settings, take notes and apply them in a streamlined workflow from setup over shooting to post.

 

I found, that doing my negative scanning, I can do one roll of 36 exposures in 6 frame strips within 15min and higher quality, than any film scanner does in minimum 30, mostly 45min !

 

This and the quality improvement over flatbed scanning was my main drive, to choose the DSLR solution over buying a Coolscan 9000 or even a second hand Imacon Flextight.

 

Dirk,

 

Your guidance on using DSLR for film scanning is much appreciated.

 

I think I have seen your description of PP steps for handling RAW files containing B&W scans somewhere before (could it be the NCafe not sure), would you be kind to remind me, or provide me with the link if it is somewhere else.

 

I may have to use Nikon's own NX2 as RAW convertor as my copy of PS3 with Adobe RAW convertor does not support NEF files and buying updated version is well over my budget.

 

BTW took delivery this morning of pristine PB6 + PS6 macro bellows kit. After fitting PK-12 to my D700 rig worked like a charm with 55mm f2.8 AiS macro lens. Managed to scan one colour slide before going to work as a proof of concept, really chuffed

 

Edit, found some description in the posts #677 & #680 @ NCafe