Leica gear for film scanning?

[Olaf_ZG]

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I am still in search for a scanner, for both 135 as 120 format. The BEOON seems a handy device. Could I use it with the sl-2s, a sigma 70 macro to scan 120 format? Would I still need an additional filmholder ?

thanks.

[wlaidlaw]

I use my BEOON with an SL1 so the SL2 should be fine. I found I got better results using an enlarger lens than a camera lens. I use a Schneider Kreuznach Componon S 50/2.8 Green Band but for ultimate performance, a Rodenstock APO Rodagon 50 would be better. Enlarger lenses are constantly dropping in price from lack of demand. I reckon I could now get a Rodagon for the same or less than I paid for the Componon S 8 years ago. For 120 film, maybe a 35mm lens would be better than a 50mm as I am not sure there is enough vertical travel on the BEOON to get all of a 120 frame in with a 50. 

Wilson

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[Steve Ricoh]

Maybe add some form of spacer between the ‘camera mounting head’ and the helix column. I’ve looked at the Beoon many times when running out of head room, but haven’t progressed any further. Decreasing column height is, however, a different matter entirely (hacksaw?).

[Doug A]

For a while I was scanning 6x6 negatives with a 40/4 EL Nikkor enlarging lens and an APS-C camera on my BEOON. The negatives were held in a 6x6 Omega D2 negative carrier sitting on an old Logan light box with the BEOON on top of the whole arrangement. It easily covered the 6x6 negative but the whole arrangement was rickety enough to put me off.

I switched to doing first pass scans of all the frames with my V600 and only rescanning the images I wanted to print "large" (12x12) with six shots using my 35mm BEOON setup using a 50/2.8 Componon enlarging lens with the same APS-C camera and stitching the files with the Panorama Stitcher app. The results were sharper than either the V600 or the EL Nikkor on the BEOON but I managed to scratch several of the MF negatives sliding them around under the BEOON base. 

In the end, for that reason as well as some others, I packed up all my MF gear and am now shooting just 35mm film. And to complete the circle with the hardware I am now trying out a VALOI easy35 using the same 40/4 EL Nikkor lens and APS-C camera.

[Crem]

Has anyone tried the "Laowa 85mm f/5.6 2x Ultra Macro APO" with a Leica camera for film scanning? Seems like it might be a great lens to use with a M10, M11, SL2, SL2-S to scan negatives. It's available in both M and L mount.

[shootinhd]

On 9/9/2023 at 8:52 AM, hansvons said:

Yes. I use my SL2-S for scanning but it also sees some use for video and quick turn-around photography. It’s the best 24 MP camera on the market if colour and sensitivity are important.

Scanning works best in linear RGB mode which somewhat bypasses the manufacturer’s colour science. Plus, high sensitivity isn't needed for scanning. 

Hey! I was interested in using my SL2-S for scanning and wanted to ask if you use multishot for scans. Also, I note that you use the Sigma 70mm macro, did you ever consider the Sigma 105 macro for scanning?

Edited December 3, 2023 by shootinhd

[wlaidlaw]

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I use my SL601 for scanning and after a lot of trial and mostly error, trying to use Leica camera lenses, I found an enlarging lens worked best. I am using a Schneider-Kreuznach 50mm/f2.8 Componon S Green Band. I also tried a Rodenstock APO Rodagon 50mm/f2.8 which was marginally better but at the time, more than double the price of the Componon so decided the extra was not worth it. Rodagon lenses S/H seem quite a bit cheaper now than when I started scanning about 7 years ago so nowadays, I would probably opt for the Rodenstock lens. I use my SL camera cable connected to a laptop and import direct into Capture One. 

Wilson

[hansvons]

On 12/3/2023 at 3:23 AM, shootinhd said:

Hey! I was interested in using my SL2-S for scanning and wanted to ask if you use multishot for scans. Also, I note that you use the Sigma 70mm macro, did you ever consider the Sigma 105 macro for scanning?

35mm negative never out-resolves the SL2-S 24MP sensor in my experience. High-speed negative probably maxes out a 3,5-4K, and the best-resolving colour and B&W stock I use never reach more than 5-6K resolution. I tried multishot and can't see any improvement. But the macro lens's resolving power and corner sharpness matter a lot! I chose the Sigma 70mm for its performance. At f 11, it delivers very high sharpness from corner to corner in 1:1. Maybe the 105 macron is as good. I don't know. But I know it's a steal when comparing the Sigma 70mm to classic Leica macro lenses. The price/performance ratio is five stars. Regarding robustness and appearance, I find the Sigma lens not exactly what I'm looking for when buying a lens. But I can't be happier because I don't carry it around but only use it for scanning.

BTW, the Sigma's AF is a godsent in scanning. 

Edited December 4, 2023 by hansvons

[malligator]

On 12/3/2023 at 2:28 AM, wlaidlaw said:

I use my SL601 for scanning and after a lot of trial and mostly error, trying to use Leica camera lenses, I found an enlarging lens worked best. I am using a Schneider-Kreuznach 50mm/f2.8 Componon S Green Band. I also tried a Rodenstock APO Rodagon 50mm/f2.8 which was marginally better but at the time, more than double the price of the Componon so decided the extra was not worth it. Rodagon lenses S/H seem quite a bit cheaper now than when I started scanning about 7 years ago so nowadays, I would probably opt for the Rodenstock lens. I use my SL camera cable connected to a laptop and import direct into Capture One. 

Wilson

It sounds like you use the setup I'm working toward. I have an APO-Rodagon 50/2.8 on my enlarger that I could "borrow" (and a 50mm Summilux-M ASPH if the Rodagon won't work), a Kaiser lightpad, and a BEOON (in transit). The only thing I don't have is a digital camera. Well, I have a Q2, but I'm looking to trade that in toward an M11 or SL2-S or SL3 in the near future. If I'm reading your posts correctly, I should be able to mount a digital M or an SL with an adapter to the BEOON and it will just work? Besides a lens adapter the SL won't need any additional hardware? No tubes, bellows, etc?

[wlaidlaw]

10 hours ago, malligator said:

It sounds like you use the setup I'm working toward. I have an APO-Rodagon 50/2.8 on my enlarger that I could "borrow" (and a 50mm Summilux-M ASPH if the Rodagon won't work), a Kaiser lightpad, and a BEOON (in transit). The only thing I don't have is a digital camera. Well, I have a Q2, but I'm looking to trade that in toward an M11 or SL2-S or SL3 in the near future. If I'm reading your posts correctly, I should be able to mount a digital M or an SL with an adapter to the BEOON and it will just work? Besides a lens adapter the SL won't need any additional hardware? No tubes, bellows, etc?

You should all you need with the BEOON for an M camera, assuming the BEOON kit is complete. If using an L mount camera such as any of the SL's or a CL, you would need an M to L adapter. I bought a cheap Chinese dumb adapter to leave in the BEOON box, as there is no need for the electronics that my Leica M to L adapter has. 

Wilson