The Process


For the last few months, I have been going back to my negatives and implementing a new scanning workflow. My current set up has been using a Kodak Slide & Negative Scanner, which has been a really good setup. The only real drawback was that the scans came in as JPEG files, so I had limited control of the colors.

For those who don't know, there is a method of scanning with a DSLR camera; all it requires is a backlit surface, a tripod and a DSLR of your choice. You set it up to where your camera is fixed to take the a shot of each negative into a raw file.

Backlit Surface


It's not terribly common to have light tables these days, since they are so niche, that they don't have a wealth of uses. I was given one by my grandfather because he used it to look at his slides, since he was a photographer himself. However, there are other ways to provide a good backlit surface in today's age. For those with smart phones and/or tablets, there are apps out there that can provide a nice consistent backlight to capture photos of your negatives. I would recommend Negative Supply's app for Apple, and Lightbox for Android, both have a good, bright background specifically for photo scanning.

Tripods


This is actually more complex than you would think. Typically, tripods do not easily allow cameras to be pointed at a surface perpendicular to the ground. That being said, there are a few methods that would allow any tripod to be adapted to accomplish this task:

  1. 360° Rotating Panoramic Ball Head
  2. A Tripod with legs that can invert its legs turning the tripod upside down

The Camera


Now for the cameras. There are a few requirements that you need from your camera to be able to scan good quality negatives: A macro lens and a high megapixel sensor. I say requirements in that this will provide you a good quality image, and reduce additional work when editing. Depending on what your goal is, you don't have to use a DSLR; you can use your phone, but to ensure the highest possible quality, you will always end up going to the large cameras for good quality images that can be viewed or printed at larger sizes. There are a few optional items you can have that will improve the setup, but aren't necessary.

A Macro Lens


This item is the one I would encourage the most, macro lenses are a zoom ratio of 1:1, which reduces lens distortion the most, so you are not adjusting images in post. All lenses state clearly on their bodies if they are Macro lenses, usually with a flower icon going along with it.

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Now back to the BLOG....

The Workflow


If you're interested in the developing workflow that I'm using, I will provide that in a future post. I'll provide step by step instructions from capturing the negative, to editing on the computer.

Comparisons


Doing a side by side comparison, I personally would say that the results are better than the results I got from my previous scanning workflow. There were some negatives I saw came out significantly better, best example being the Harman Phoenix 200 scans. Getting to take the time to play with the color science has been very helpful to find that exact look the film was intended to be.

Camera Scan

Original Scan

Camera Scan

Original Scan

Final Thoughts


After going through this process with all of my current negatives, I was actually quite impressed at the results. I definitely think this will be my method going forward, and this will only improve as I acquire better and better equipment. Right now, it's very piecemeal, but it will only get better with time, like most things. Be on the lookout for my workflow break down in the coming weeks, and you can find out in detail what I use and how I develop.

The End


Thank you for making it to the end of this post, there was a lot in this one that I wanted to share. If you're interested in helping me out, go look through my print gallery and consider ordering a print. These little things help me continue my exploration into this world that is film photography. Thank you again everyone, see you in the next one!