I have a lot of my grandparent's 35mm slides I would like to convert to digital format.
I would like to rent or purchase what I need to do the job if I knew where to start.
My camera is a 5D Mark III, also I have a 70-200 2.8LII and a 50MM 1.2L, and a 24-105.
If I need a macro lens I'm not adverse to buying or renting a 100L for the job. What methods are going to give me the best results? I've looked at the Opteka slide holder on Amazon - but I don't care for the fact that it has it's own lens - Seems to me that could degrade IQ over using the 70-200 or a macro.
Use a 50 or 100 macro lens and a light box. You don't have to use the L variety or an IS variety. I've used the ordinary USM 100 f/2.8 macro on a 5D classic. Mark III with a Canon macro has more than enough resolution. You will be limited by the slides.
Calibrate the light source if you can in your workflow. You can use a tripod with column reversed over the light box. Cut out a smaller than 2x2 square in black paper and use that as a mask. Or make a little wood frame to help you position the slides in the same spot each time.
Macro lenses are very useful. Try to keep one rather than renting one. Either the 50 or the 100 in any version are fine lenses, sharp, clear. The 100 mm focal length gives you a better working distance to your subject matter.
I have 3 decades of chromes and have been slowly scanning the best one since the mid-90s. When I bought a 5D in 2006 I thought I'd use a slide duplicator attachment and lose the scanner. Well, the dups were okay but I preferred the quality of the 4000dpi scans from my ancient Canon FS4000US. I also tried my 100 2.8 USM but the copystand setup was a PITA and ultimately preferred the FS4000US and Silverfast.
If I had a choice between the Epson V700/Silverfast and a macro lens, I'd pick the Epson for ease of use and continuity.
I appreciate the helpful responses. Has anyone here had good results using a Canon DSLR?
I don't have unlimited time to fiddle with making jigs, etc, although that would be fun. If there are ready-to-go options available, or something simple to set up, I would like to use my 5D. However I am hearing that a V700 might be a better choice - looks like new from BH they are $520.
There's a slide copier attachment from Nikon that's intended for use with a Nikon 55mm macro lens (which has a 52mm front filter thread), and a FF camera. It costs about $60 from B&H.
I imagine that it would also work with any Canon 50mm lens that has 52mm filter threads (like the Canon 50mm f2.5 macro). (You'd need to add an extension tube between the lens and the camera body if the lens doesn't focus to 1:1.)
If you added a spacer at the front, it would probably also work with the Canon 100mm f2.8 macro lens, which also has 52mm front filter threads. (You wouldn't need an extension tube between the camera and lens with this combination.)
I haven't tried it, but I'll bet there are other Canon guys out there who have.
I've used the Nikon ES-1 slide adapter on the Canon 100/2.8 (along with other macro lenses); it works fine. I found some cheap 52mm-threaded extension tubes on eBay (marked "for Olympus SP550 UZ 52mm") --- just a hollow metal tube with male/female 52mm threads on each end --- to add the extra extension needed in front of the lens. Then, a 58mm->52mm filter step-down-ring on the front of the lens, and you're set. Illumination by pointing towards a wall lit by a camera flash (manually set to consistently give the right exposure) worked well.
I no longer have the 100/2.8, and I forget what length combination of tubes I needed, but you should be able to figure it out. The ES-1 has a sliding tube that can place the slide between about 45 to 70mm from the front filter thread, plus a few more mm from the step-down ring. Measure (or check in the manual) how far away an object needs to be from the 100/2.8 at 1:1 magnification, then choose an extension tube so you are within range of the ES-1.
Image quality was satisfactory. With the slides I had, the camera (a 5D) out-resolved the useful information in the film (but not quite enough to clearly see the grain). Dynamic range might be more of an issue (depends on the slide; you'll have to test to try out). A high-quality scan might be better, but I've seen a lot worse results posted from scanners too. I can't post any samples now, but I may see if I can dig some up tomorrow.
For up to 5x the fun, you can also put the slide copier on a Canon MP-E 1-5:1 macro, if you really want to see the grain
I have a Cannon Scanner laying in my closet (Canoscan Model 8600F) that I never use since I scanned in all my old slides a couple of years ago. It has a slide holder for a bunch of slides (don't remember how many) and did a very good job with my old slides. It has editing software that worked very well to help restore the faded slides. Not perfect but acceptable. Had a couple of hundred slides that I scanned into my computer. It was not very expensive as I remember -- between $100-$200. If you lived in Virginia I would lend it to you.
Long ago and..... I had a "T" mount slide copier that replaced the lens, had a slide holder and a plastic defuser on the far end...worked OK and very easy to use. No idea what brand....
I personally would find a slide/negative scanner that would allow you to do a stack at a time unmanned, otherwise if you do it by hand one at a time you'll never finish. I shoot Canon but ended up with a Nikon negative scanner. Iirc you can get a slide adapter that will accept multiple slides it comes with one for doing it one at a time. Also I have a Epson flatbed that will do multiple images at one time and divide them into separate files, I do not recall if it will do multi negs or slides. I hope this helps.
Talk to the folks at B&H they are very helpful and will not try sell you something that may not/or sometimes will do the job. Good luck. The slides from my military travels were stolen, would be nice to have your problem.
Ron
I have used a simple light box and 100/2,8 macro. Camera was on my ordinary tripod and pointing down towards the lightbox. Improtant to have the 2 sec shutter delay to minimize movement, or use a remote trigger. Masked off the unused part of light box, and this also helped to place the slide.
Pro: Very fast and simple, cheap!
Con: have a hard time to ope up the deep shadows. If there is a problem I could do a HDR.
Using a scanner takes ages. I was shooting RAW, importing, doing slight adjustments and exporting to 3 different sized JPG, managed to do one roll per hour.
