p.1 #1 · What camera do you use for film scanning?
I'm using a Sony A7rIII and while I am happy with its performance for colour negative and black and white converted with SmartConvert, I don't like it much for slide film.
While no conversion is needed the RAW files typically need a lot of work to get them to where I am happy. This includes significant while balance adjustment, levels to bring up shadow detail, then toning down contrast and clarity and sometimes es having to go into colour channels to do individual colour adjustments.
Does anyone else shoot a lot of E6? I'm wondering if later Sony models make for an easier RAW workflow? My macro lens is a Canon EF 100mm F2.8 which I use via an adapter. I don't want to use a Canon DSLR and if going the Canon mirrorless route I would need an adapter.
Alternatively I could get a Fuji macro as I have an X-T5, but would only want to go this route if it could produce RAW files that did not need a lot of work.
p.1 #2 · What camera do you use for film scanning?
Yeah it's weird, I've had more problems getting E6 slides to look right than C41 colour film.
It seems that it would be easier, but it is the white balance that for some reason is super tricky.
Made no difference whether I scanned with D750, D850, Z7. It does look good after much fiddling, but I was surprised as to how much fiddling was required.
p.1 #3 · What camera do you use for film scanning?
When I moved to using a FF camera for scanning, B&H was having a sale on A7II's, so I got one for a bargain price. I used it with a 2.8 55Micro-Nikkor Ai-S until I bought a FE90 2.8 Macro that changed my life. In 2024 I moved to Lightroom/NLP and really wanted to tether. I was going to buy a A7C but went with a new A7CII. I have a lot of slides from the 90's and occasionally I'll do a batch. The results are pretty good.
p.1 #4 · What camera do you use for film scanning?
madNbad wrote:
When I moved to using a FF camera for scanning, B&H was having a sale on A7II's, so I got one for a bargain price. I used it with a 2.8 55Micro-Nikkor Ai-S until I bought a FE90 2.8 Macro that changed my life. In 2024 I moved to Lightroom/NLP and really wanted to tether. I was going to buy a A7C but went with a new A7CII. I have a lot of slides from the 90's and occasionally I'll do a batch. The results are pretty good.
Very rarely I will swap out the Zf for the Z7 to either get higher-res 35mm scans or faster 120 workflow (but lower res results).
SmartConvert has been much more consistent for me than NLP. It can also struggle with some conversion, but I just didn't encounter as many problems. And images from the same roll will convert very similarly whereas they could differ wildly with NLP. But most people seem happy with NLP so maybe it's a me problem..
For E6 the SmartConvert step is skipped and the files go straight into CaptureOne.
Agree that E6 white balance can be tricky (and sometimes exposure - but typically that just means protecting the highlights and then balancing in post). I am planning to take some pictures of a grey card in daylight on Ektachrome to get the information what the correct white balance *should* be with my light source and provide a good starting point. Remaining color casts would then be due to the actual light, lens used and maybe some variation in the specific roll of film itself and also be visible on the physical slides. That's the theory at least
For E6 the camera is imo less important than the light source being of high quality and consistent. If it's flickering or shifting its white balance between shots, it will be a nightmare to adjust colors.
For the most accurate results one would probably have to shoot a color calibration target and create a profile specifically for the type of E6 film x light source x camera used.
p.1 #6 · What camera do you use for film scanning?
I use an old Nikon for scanning 120/220 and some 135 film, and an a7rV for digitizing smaller film, if that is what you mean. The scanner is better for removing the scratches and surface defects although it is old and slow. If I hade a large quantity to digitize I would outsource the work.
p.1 #7 · What camera do you use for film scanning?
Geoff D F wrote:
Thanks. Do you have to do a lot of adjustments to your RAW files? Any particular tricks to your settings?
They're scanned as RAW files but are downgraded to JPEG's when I post them to Flickr. Since I have no intention of printing them, the resolution is good enough. The examples above were camera captures with no other manipulations. The slides I have in storage are all Kodachrome's. Also, the sensor in the A7CII is giving me consistently better colors and resolution than the older A7II.
The ones I wish I could find were the 6X9 Ektachromre's that were taken with a couple of different Horseman folders. They were huge and as I remember, the colors were stunning. I think they were tossed out long before I thought about scanning.
I might have to get a roll of E6 and see how it scams.
p.1 #9 · What camera do you use for film scanning?
I am using a Fujifilm GFX 100s with a Pentax67 auto bellows and Schneider industrial line scan lenses, specifically the Schneider 120/5.6 0059 Makro Symmar for 645, the Schneider 120/5.6 0060 Makro Symmar for 6x6, 6x7 and 6x9, and the Schneider 120/5.6 0061 Makro Symmar for 4x5. Anyone interested can see more info here: https://forums.negativelabpro.com/t/lets-see-your-dslr-film-scanning-setup/27/437
p.1 #10 · What camera do you use for film scanning?
VU_Finder wrote:
I am using a Fujifilm GFX 100s with a Pentax67 auto bellows and Schneider industrial line scan lenses, specifically the Schneider 120/5.6 0059 Makro Symmar for 645, the Schneider 120/5.6 0060 Makro Symmar for 6x6, 6x7 and 6x9, and the Schneider 120/5.6 0061 Makro Symmar for 4x5. Anyone interested can see more info here: https://forums.negativelabpro.com/t/lets-see-your-dslr-film-scanning-setup/27/437
Great setup and well thought out. My setup lacks such creativity. I started with a Sony A7CR, Tamron 90mm Macro and the Easy35, but when I researched copying 645 & 6X7 I wasn’t impressed with that system. Perhaps, things have changed since. I purchased a Negative Supply Kit with their best copy stand, 35mm & 120 film holders and LED light. I also experimented with 16 shot pixelshift. When the X2D2 came out, I discovered that the resell value of my X2D had dramatically fallen. As if that was really the issue, given subsequent expenditures to use the Hasselblad for copy duty. The most current X mount macro was only 1:2, so it wouldn’t do. I picked up a more recent version of the HC 120 macro and adapter, combined with a 9mm extension tube and industrial sturdy Kaiser copy stand. Hasselblad’s desktop Phocus software is used for tethered 4 shot pixelshift copying and so far I’ve been happy with the output. I think the new A7Rvi and 100mm GM Macro make an interesting coupling for 35mm negative copying.
p.1 #11 · What camera do you use for film scanning?
Geoff D F wrote:
Does anyone else shoot a lot of E6? I'm wondering if later Sony models make for an easier RAW workflow?
Desmolicious wrote:
Yeah it's weird, I've had more problems getting E6 slides to look right than C41 colour film.
It seems that it would be easier, but it is the white balance that for some reason is super tricky.
Made no difference whether I scanned with D750, D850, Z7. It does look good after much fiddling, but I was surprised as to how much fiddling was required.
I stopped shooting transparency film for mostly this reason. Looks gorgeous on a light table, but replicating it in post takes more work than negative film does and that seems odd to me. I've tried scanning it on a Coolscan and digital cameras, similar story.
p.1 #12 · What camera do you use for film scanning?
I have a good bit of Velvia, Provia, E100VS and E100 in the freezer, but I previously had issues with color and contrast until adopting my recent workflow. My solution was to shoot Ektar. I’m copying old negatives from the 1960’s forward. I haven’t actually managed to directly copy negatives, but I have been making digital contact sheets. My primary complaint was skin tones, but this workflow seems to work. These are images from our 2001 “Chinese Wedding” to please my in-laws where I was groom and photographer. Images were taken with a Contax T2 with direct flash. Workflow X2D->Phocus Desktop using 4 shot Pixel-Shift->Tiff->Lightroom Classic. These mounted slides were shot through the plastic storage page and a piece of AR plastic to maintain flatness. I wasn’t as successful using my A7CR, but I have high hopes for the A7R6/100mm GM Macro. The little girl with my wife is now a nurse..time flies..
p.1 #13 · What camera do you use for film scanning?
Here are a couple of my Ektachrome scans. In the end I can get close to what I want but it does seem to take more work than colour neg. I do love slides though. Just looking at the film on a lightbox with a loupe is amazing. In fact there is nothing like it.
p.1 #14 · What camera do you use for film scanning?
I have stopped buying E6 film because it is constantly out of stock.
But if you already have it, and if it is causing issues with white balance during scanning, have you tried a warming/cooling filter and thus fix the white balance in-camera? I have had my issues with color balancing Ektar, read up on this topic, and my initial experiment has been fruitful.
p.1 #15 · What camera do you use for film scanning?
Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I think that slides deserve HDR processing and posting on HDR compliant sites. I say this because the real charm of shooting transparency is when you view via a high quality slide projector/screen. I suspect that only those here old enough to remember this ritual are probably forgetting where they left their keys.. 2000-4000nit screens are here and they can best be used to present slides with some of the punch that made them special. Perhaps, it is wrong headed to suggest displaying a media that is incapable of capturing high dynamic range subjects and being able to convey this to the viewer, should be processed with HDR in mind, but this is a good approximation for what you see on the light table, or projected on a quality screen.
p.1 #16 · What camera do you use for film scanning?
bwcolor wrote:
Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I think that slides deserve HDR processing and posting on HDR compliant sites. I say this because the real charm of shooting transparency is when you view via a high quality slide projector/screen. I suspect that only those here old enough to remember this ritual are probably forgetting where they left their keys.. 2000-4000nit screens are here and they can best be used to present slides with some of the punch that made them special. Perhaps, it is wrong headed to suggest displaying a media that is incapable of capturing high dynamic range subjects and being able to convey this to the viewer, should be processed with HDR in mind, but this is a good approximation for what you see on the light table, or projected on a quality screen....Show more →
I'm not quite sure I understand what you are saying. Slide film has an ability to capture only about 4 stops of dynamic range. However, when it is projected or seen on a light box it produces very contrasty and colourful images, which is its real beauty.
p.1 #17 · What camera do you use for film scanning?
Geoff D F wrote:
I'm not quite sure I understand what you are saying. Slide film has an ability to capture only about 4 stops of dynamic range. However, when it is projected or seen on a light box it produces very contrasty and colourful images, which is its real beauty.
Should be 5-ish stops depending on the film (e.g. -2 to +2 would be 5 stops, which is about what Velvia and Provia can handle, imo Ektachrome has more highlight headroom than those two)
But the comment was more about display technology and how bright pure white is being displayed. If you map those 5 stops onto 0 - 2000 nits, the image looks more brilliant than mapping the same 5 stops to 0 to 400 nits.
p.1 #18 · What camera do you use for film scanning?
bwcolor wrote:
My setup lacks such creativity.
Same here... my setup looks like a chop shop that probably cheats on its taxes.
I am following this thread because my mom wants to digitize her slides and I've agreed to help her. My highly suspicious setup can do negatives, and I have yet to try color reversal.
p.1 #19 · What camera do you use for film scanning?
Oscarsmadness wrote:
Same here... my setup looks like a chop shop that probably cheats on its taxes.
I am following this thread because my mom wants to digitize her slides and I've agreed to help her. My highly suspicious setup can do negatives, and I have yet to try color reversal.
The consensus seems to be that getting good scans of colour reversal involves more work than negatives, but can be done. I'm comforted to know it is not just me that has issues.
p.1 #20 · What camera do you use for film scanning?
For E6 I use Silverfast via my V800. I scan as positive obviously. I've had good luck with Velvia 50 scans. For negatives I use a Z7 II, 105mm 2.8G and the new Easy35 Gen II.
