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Q2 Slide Copying


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My *guess* is that you will be disappointed.  I tried with the original Q and could not get a reasonable enough crop.  I don't think the extra megapixels on the Q2 will help enough.

My solution was a 50mm lens on a DSLR with an extension tube.  Better would be a macro lens, but a $30 extension tube and an existing lens was a lot cheaper ;)

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If you want to try both regular and creative slide copying, consider trying the following: 

Make a back projection screen … it need not be enormous … A2 size would suffice but I've seen it demonstrated using A1 and A0 size screens.  A3 is too small. 

Translucent engineering 'drafting film' is excellent back projection screen material … it's usually polyester based and also known as  Mylar, Permatrace , Polydraw and Ozataex.  It's expensive - but not too expensive if purchased in single A1 or A2 sheet sizes. Being careful not to crease the material, make a large A1 PLUS or A2 PLUS, double or treble thickness art card mount … capable of being supported, or hung, vertically. Cut a suitable window in the mount and affix the drafting film over the aperture using e.g. double sided tape. Hang or support the mount in a darkened room and back project the slides onto the film preferably using a high quality projection lens. The drafting film mount can also be made using a large recycled picture frame … without its glass. 

Back project the slides onto the translucent screen in a darkened room. Using a tripod mounted Q2, perpendicular and parallel to the screen, copy the back projected image. The original slide may require projection back to front. Adjust the camera's white balance to suit the projector's colour temperature. If two projectors with shift lenses are utilised, it's possible to combine two slide images.          

Another back projection method for creative copying is to use a large piece of plate glass smeared / painted / wiped with margarine … this will create a translucent texture screen … the types of texture created depend on the types of tool  / brush / cloth used to apply / stipple the margarine. Glass merchants will usually smooth the edges of the plate glass or thick float glass if requested. The edges of the glass can be smoothed off / rounded at home with carborundum abrasive paper.  To avoid hand injuries prior to smoothing, the glass should be handled wearing protective gloves.

These two slide copying methods were popular during the film era. Margarine on glass texture screens were used by successful exhibition photographers / artists.

dunk 

Edited by dkCambridgeshire
typo
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  • 7 months later...

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Am 21.4.2020 um 17:54 schrieb DonnaW:

Has anyone tried using a Q2 on macro setting with Elpro E52 close up lens set or any other close up lens?  I am trying to copy negatives using a copy stand and the q2

I have the ELPRO 52 but not any slide or copystand nearby.
However, the ELPRO52 is sharp as a razorblade but creat some cushion distorsion what will mess up the slides.
I took the photo below without tripod so it's not perfectyl paralell to the paper sheet.

It is very difficult to keep the camera paralell to the surface or in your case the slide., but for this you have the copy stand.
The best thing to use would be a flash behind/below for perfect and powerful backillumination without generating too much heat.
Also, i would use a tablet with LEICA PHOTO 2.0 to have a big screen to check focus without bending over the Q2

However, i would fork over the 350$ and buy a 35mm scanner as i have really y lot of 35mm negatives and slides to scan

EDIT: I just found what i was looking for and what i would prefer to build: Macro Rail
To find a old one and rebuild and adapt it for slide scanning purposes would be a awesome thing to build,
particularly to fight the war of being too bored because of lockdown,,,


Chris

Q2 in Macro Mode + ELPRO52

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Edited by PhotoCruiser
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Just a quick test for what field of view the ELP52 would give to "scan" 35mm slides.
If the camera is centered well (not like my quick and dirty handheld shot) the the cushion distorsion would be acceptable or
using the eliminate lens distorsion filter the result should be still acceptable.
Chris

P.S. Yes, i know, it's 35x24 mm but the sheet of paper had 4mm boxes so it came handy to use 36mm instead of 35mm width
 

Q2 + ELP52, lems in in normal position

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Q2 + ELP52, lems in in macro position

Edited by PhotoCruiser
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Probably more efficient in the long run is to get a paper route and get paid minimum wage to eventually buy a used DSLR or mirrorless with a cheap macro lens. I suspect the 6 months spent delivering papers at 5:00 am will be quicker and far less frustrating than trying to produce consistently great scans with a 28 mm lens, no matter how sharp. Scanning with cameras is a real growth industry, concomitant with the dramatic return to film. There are lots of terrific DIY kits and solutions on the web, but best is to start with a true macro and/or extension tubes.

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Thank you all for your comments.  I bought a 50mm macro canon lens on ebay and I am awaiting a copy stand and adapter from B&H.  The canon lens arrived and is unbelievably dirty.  I am considering sending it back.    I have been watching DIY solutions on Youtube, each one a little different.  I am am committed to going with a true macro and extension tubes.  I think that will give me the best shot.  Unfortunate that there seems no way to  use my Leica bodies for this.  

 

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Some time back I was trying to do the slide and negative thing.  Only true macro I had was for my old Nikon and the attempt worked OK...until I ran across a refurbished Epson v600 for $159.  Much easier and more consistent plus it would also scan 6x6cm.  

I love the Leica but it really wasn't made for this task.

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It's easy to waste a lot of time (take it from me!) going cheap and encountering a myriad of minor variables. It's sort of like buying a tripod. Spend a lot once or spend less more often...until you do finally spend a lot (again, take it from me).

Many praise this but it's not in stock for some time

http://skier.com.tw/web/en/Products/products_content.jsp?gs_id=GS1567146643860&chk_who=content&isPage=true

This looks like a very good, maybe even a better, substitute and mine is on its way (it needs a light source, and what is the best light source is a discussion that could fill volumes; but an ipad works well, though not optimally)

http://www.clifforth.co.uk/

But if money is burning a hole in your pocket, these are absolutely beautiful:

Edited by bags27
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On 4/25/2020 at 3:58 PM, bags27 said:

It's easy to waste a lot of time (take it from me!) going cheap and encountering a myriad of minor variables. It's sort of like buying a tripod. Spend a lot once or spend less more often...until you do finally spend a lot (again, take it from me).

Many praise this but it's not in stock for some time

http://skier.com.tw/web/en/Products/products_content.jsp?gs_id=GS1567146643860&chk_who=content&isPage=true

This looks like a very good, maybe even a better, substitute and mine is on its way (it needs a light source, and what is the best light source is a discussion that could fill volumes; but an ipad works well, though not optimally)

http://www.clifforth.co.uk/

But if money is burning a hole in your pocket, these are absolutely beautiful:

Ken, You are a wealth of information. I look forward to seeing more results of your film copying / scanning. 

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  • 4 weeks later...

I digitalize film negatives with my Q1. It results in sharp and nearly 9 MPix Images. The resolution is enough to see the grain of Tri-X. More resolution would result in greater magnification of the grain structure - at least for grainy film. I have custom curves in Lightroom Mobile to make it a one click process. The reason to build my new workflow was that my Minilta 5400 I film scanner process with SilverFast was too time comsuming since I became father.

I attach an assembly consisting of the following elemtnts to my Q1:

  • 1x 49mm - 43mm step down adapter
  • 1x Raynox DCR-0250 Super Makro lens (it's 43mm on the back and 49mm on the front)
  • 2x 49mm Marumi DHG 330 Achromat lenses
  • 2x smardy 49mm CPL Filter with removed glass for distance
  • 1x smardy 49mm Close up Macro Filter 10 diopter with removed glass for more distance
  • 1x Nikon ES-2 slide copy mount - but I modified it: I removed the metal tube. The two Marumi and the three distance filters fit perfectly in the ES-2 when wrap with some tape
  • 1x PHOLSY TTL Flash Cable for Olympus/Panasonic MFT
  • 1x Nissin i400 Flash with Olympus/Panasonic MFT contacts (mounted on a rail soon to make the whole setup one assembly)

To scan I only have to screw the whole assembly to my camera, place the flash in front of it, take a picture in macro modem, import it in Lightroom Desktop / Mobile and apply my curve. Retouchiung dust on a tablet like an iPad is very easy.

Is resolution a problem? Hmm, I printed 10 MPix M8 pictures to 150x100 cm and 8 MPix Canon to the same size. Both were displayed and looked breathtaking, because resolution and viewing distance matched.

And please consider: I use an old Q1. The Q2 would produce more than 15 MPix.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Edited by jgbossert
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46 minutes ago, jgbossert said:

I digitalize film negatives with my Q1. It results in sharp and nearly 9 MPix Images. The resolution is enough to see the grain of Tri-X. More resolution would result in greater magnification of the grain structure - at least for grainy film. I have custom curves in Lightroom Mobile to make it a one click process. The reason to build my new workflow was that my Minilta 5400 I film scanner process with SilverFast was too time comsuming since I became father.

I attach an assembly consisting of the following elemtnts to my Q1:

  • 1x 49mm - 43mm step down adapter
  • 1x Raynox DCR-0250 Super Makro lens (it's 43mm on the back and 49mm on the front)
  • 2x 49mm Marumi DHG 330 Achromat lenses
  • 2x smardy 49mm CPL Filter with removed glass for distance
  • 1x smardy 49mm Close up Macro Filter 10 diopter with removed glass for more distance
  • 1x Nikon ES-2 slide copy mount - but I modified it: I removed the metal tube. The two Marumi and the three distance filters fit perfectly in the ES-2 when wrap with some tape
  • 1x PHOLSY TTL Flash Cable for Olympus/Panasonic MFT
  • 1x Nissin i400 Flash with Olympus/Panasonic MFT contacts (mounted on a rail soon to make the whole setup one assembly)

To scan I only have to screw the whole assembly to my camera, place the flash in front of it, take a picture in macro modem, import it in Lightroom Desktop / Mobile and apply my curve. Retouchiung dust on a tablet like an iPad is very easy.

Is resolution a problem? Hmm, I printed 10 MPix M8 pictures to 150x100 cm and 8 MPix Canon to the same size. Both were displayed and looked breathtaking, because resolution and viewing distance matched.

And please consider: I use an old Q1. The Q2 would produce more than 15 MPix.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Great job. Looks like a very workable solution. I’ve had excellent results using a Canon 5D3 and 100 macro lens. I place the negative holder on a light table. The camera on a tripod. It works. 

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  • 6 months later...
vor 16 Stunden schrieb lcerizo:

Has anyone done slide duplicating with the Q2 on macro mode?

Using a 28mm lens in macro mode to duplicate slides makes no sense, but it's doable.
As the 28mm record much more than the slide so you need to crop a lot what reduces the quality.
Otherwise you use one of this small slide projectors and photograph the screen but they are usually low quality and so will be the photo
If you have a really good slide projector and a quality screen for it than you may try to projet the slide to the screen and photograph it from there, that would avoid croping.
using a projector would speed up the duplication process as you can feed the slide box and use remote control for either projector and Q2.
Quality would be lousy in every solution using the Q/Q2

JGBossert's solution giving him satifying results should be even better using the Q2 so you may adapt his solution. The ELPRO52 will not work as he creates cushion distortion

The only useful and satisfying way to do that is the solutions described above by LicaGuy and DonnaW, basically using another Camera with a 50mm or more macro lens.

Chris

 

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On 11/28/2020 at 2:27 AM, PhotoCruiser said:

Using a 28mm lens in macro mode to duplicate slides makes no sense, but it's doable.
As the 28mm record much more than the slide so you need to crop a lot what reduces the quality.
Otherwise you use one of this small slide projectors and photograph the screen but they are usually low quality and so will be the photo
If you have a really good slide projector and a quality screen for it than you may try to projet the slide to the screen and photograph it from there, that would avoid croping.
using a projector would speed up the duplication process as you can feed the slide box and use remote control for either projector and Q2.
Quality would be lousy in every solution using the Q/Q2

JGBossert's solution giving him satifying results should be even better using the Q2 so you may adapt his solution. The ELPRO52 will not work as he creates cushion distortion

The only useful and satisfying way to do that is the solutions described above by LicaGuy and DonnaW, basically using another Camera with a 50mm or more macro lens.

Chris

 

Yes...i've come to the conclusion that i'll just use my Nikon with the proper lense and buy the ES-2 if i can get my hands on one.  mostly i have gobs of film negs that i want to preserve.  was just thinking my Q2 has so much more resolution i was hoping to find an easy solution!  thanks!

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I’ve done a lot of copying photos and slides. I usually use my Canon DSLR and 100 mm macro. I have a light box for back illuminating the slides and a table with side lights for illuminating photos. I also have a high quality glass that I place over photos to flatten then. It works. Of course I use a tripod and delay timer. 

My comment about the using a Q / Q2 for slides is it will work. It requires cropping afterwards and of course you lose some resolution. I mostly find the resolution of my “old” Kodachrome” slides to not be great. I will also admit my photography technique was poor 20,30,40 and 50 years ago when I used film and slides. Mostly the images I want to digitize have value because they are of family or friends. I rarely find an image thats truly worthy of wanting it high resolution. For my purposes the Q / Q2 will work. Your mileage may vary and be different than mine. Good luck. 

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