Author Topic: Using an ES-1 Slide Copier to Digitze Slides  (Read 13570 times)

afx

  • NG Member
  • *
  • Posts: 454
  • Grumpy Bavarian from Munich
    • AFXImages
Using an ES-1 Slide Copier to Digitze Slides
« on: May 27, 2017, 11:35:48 »
A while a go I asked about scanning old slides with a flatbed vs. using a DSLR for duplication as I had sold my slide scanner a few years ago. Silly me had forgotten to scan the 1999 South Africa trip before selling it.

All answers pointed to using the DSLR.
So here are some observations:

Input is from Fuji Sensia slides in Reflecta frames (In contrast to the US, it was very economical to shoot slides in Europe in the '90s, I could get a roll of Sensia with development and framing in proper frames (not cardboard!) for less than $5)
They had been stored in boxes in magazines holding 100 each. The boxes are not airtight, so some dust was to be expected.
The sturdy frames make it easy to insert them into the copy adapter.

I obtained a used ES-1 slide copy adapter and BR-5 step down ring from Mike Gorman (thanks Mike!).
The step down ring is needed to mount the copy adapter onto the AFS 60mm macro lens.
Even with the ES-1 in the closest position, the slide will not fill the whole frame, so I get 20MP or less (too lazy to really calculate it). If I remember correctly, the adapter was desinged for a 50mm or 55mm macro, not a 60mm.

I initially wanted to use an LED panel as a light source, but it was too weak to provide illumination for F11 at safe shutter speeds, so I only used them for focusing and the key light source was an SB800.
F11 at ISO 100 with the flash near the lowest power setting. WB set to flash.
On very dark slides (sunsets) I increased the ISO to 200 (too lazy to change the flash output, I could set ISO with a mouse click).
I fired the flash with a radio trigger (Pocket Wizard).

I used qDSLRDashboard to tether the D750 to my PC and set Capture One to monitor the incoming folder.
See first attachment.

I used a rocket bulb blower to clean the slides before putting them into the holder.

Initially I used live view on with AF all the time, but that turned out to be a huge battery drain.
With F11, the DOF is sufficient to fix the AF once and be done with it. So I ran this blind.

In contrast to using a slide scanner or the Epson flatbed, the setup kept me busy at all times, constantly exchanging slides and then pressing the shutter (via mouse click on computer).
With a scanner there is always a significant wait time between the scans (it was several minutes with the Canon FS4000), especially if you use multi-pass scanning with an additional dust removal scan.

In the end, the total time spent to get all slides scanned is significantly less with the adapter than with the scanners.

I used exiftool in batch mode to change the capture date in the resulting NEFs to approximate the date the slides where shot.

The flatbed Epson V550 Photo is not much worse than the Canon FS4000 slide scanner I owned previously, but faster and does not require a SCSI connection. The difference between 3200ppi and 4000ppi is pretty much irrelevant, both show the film grain.


So what's the verdict on using the DSLR with the copy adapter:

Vervet Monkey in Krüger Park, 1999. see second attachment

100% screen shot of DSLR copy on the left and Epson scan on the right (the scan would need sharpening), see third attachment.

  • Color: Much easier to get accurate colors with the DSLR than with the scanner, even when using IT8 calibration targets. Accurate is still subjective of course, you get the exact color of the slide ;-)
  • Sharpness: The DSLR wins, but not as definite as with color, the scans need more sharpening than the NEFs, but sharpen ok.
  • Highlights: With the DSL there is much more headroom to fix highlights than with scans. Exposure was set so that there where no blown highlights in the copies.
  • Noise/Grain: Both methods show the film grain, but depending on the scanner the scan can be noisier.
    I have no noise with the DSLR, only film grain. And still no perfect tool to remove it ;-(
    I guess I need reprofile my old copy of Noise Ninja. So far it was too drastic.
  • Dust: Well, without ICE (the infrared dust scan) there is dust even after fastidiously using the blower. But it is only noticeable in relatively bright areas like the sky and quickly dispatched with the spot remover of Capture One.
                F11 makes dust bunnies on the sensor easily visible, so this lead to a sensor cleaning session...
  • Cost: If you get the copy adapter used, the cost is negligible. Film scanners are quite expensive used and one needs to sell it after use, way too much hassle.

cheers
afx

Frank Fremerey

  • engineering art
  • NG Supporter
  • **
  • Posts: 12333
  • Bonn, Germany
Re: Using an ES-1 Slide Copier to Digitze Slides
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2017, 12:23:30 »
Thanks, Andreas! Clear win for the DSLR. I guess the 55 Micro was the original lens for the slide copier. The 55 can be had for 50€ iirc.

5 US$ for Sensia, development and framing?

I used to buy in bulk. 30 for 6.5 German Marks a pop including development, 100 for 6.0 German Marks.

Push was 3 Marks on top. I used Sensia 100 pushed up to 1600 very nice.

Framing was 4 to 4.5 Marks.

The US Dollar was roughly 1.5 Marks.
You are out there. You and your camera. You can shoot or not shoot as you please. Discover the world, Your world. Show it to us. Or we might never see it.

Me: https://youpic.com/photographer/frankfremerey/

Frank Fremerey

  • engineering art
  • NG Supporter
  • **
  • Posts: 12333
  • Bonn, Germany
Re: Using an ES-1 Slide Copier to Digitze Slides
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2017, 12:24:52 »
Do you sell the copy adapter and step down to me now?
You are out there. You and your camera. You can shoot or not shoot as you please. Discover the world, Your world. Show it to us. Or we might never see it.

Me: https://youpic.com/photographer/frankfremerey/

David H. Hartman

  • NG Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2778
  • I Doctor Photographs... :)
Re: Using an ES-1 Slide Copier to Digitze Slides
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2017, 12:51:52 »
Using an intense light, spot light, on a negative or slide angled at a steep angle will cause the dust to glow against a dark background. I used a Tensor desk lamp for years to get spotless prints in the darkroom. In my current darkroom I have a 20 degree halogen spotlight in the ceiling for cleaning negatives. If you can see it you can remove it.

Dave
Beatniks are out to make it rich
Oh no, must be the season of the witch!

Nasos Kosmas

  • NG Supporter
  • **
  • Posts: 914
  • Athens, Greece
Re: Using an ES-1 Slide Copier to Digitze Slides
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2017, 13:21:11 »
Do you sell the copy adapter and step down to me now?
Ha Ha I was ready to ask the same question as I have many slides mostly velvia - sensia
Do you think this set up with 55 micro will work on a Crop NIKON or I need extension tubes?

Thank you

Thomas G

  • NG Supporter
  • **
  • Posts: 2081
  • lumofisk
    • Iceland round trip 2016
Re: Using an ES-1 Slide Copier to Digitze Slides
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2017, 14:10:08 »
Haha, I'd be interested as well. Still own a bunch of slide boxes, including some BW Agfa slides. Thank's for posting!
-/-/-

Bent Hjarbo

  • NG Supporter
  • **
  • Posts: 2154
  • Hvidovre, Denmark
    • Hjarbos hjemmeside
Re: Using an ES-1 Slide Copier to Digitze Slides
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2017, 14:37:57 »
Tanks for the detailed input. I have just found that my Df can be used with my old Nikon bellows 2, so my setup will be 55mm 3.5 and the F slide copying adapter. (See here http://nikongear.net/revival/index.php/topic,5961.0.html )

afx

  • NG Member
  • *
  • Posts: 454
  • Grumpy Bavarian from Munich
    • AFXImages
Re: Using an ES-1 Slide Copier to Digitze Slides
« Reply #7 on: May 27, 2017, 16:25:03 »
Thanks guys, but for now I will hold on to it.
I have a friend who wants to use the setup and there are still a few old shots I should have a look at.

cheers
afx

the solitaire

  • NG Member
  • *
  • Posts: 624
Re: Using an ES-1 Slide Copier to Digitze Slides
« Reply #8 on: June 03, 2017, 07:59:26 »
Frank, I could borrow you mine. I also own the 55mm micro Nikkor, the ES-1 and PK-13 tube to get the slides to 1:1 reproduction.

DSC_1643-Edit by b j, on Flickr

I decided f5,6 would be enough. No need for any DoF so no real need to stop down. Also, who cares about shutter speed. Your "subject" won't move either way, so you do not have to worry about motion blur. I used the kitchen window as lightsource
Buddy

Frank Fremerey

  • engineering art
  • NG Supporter
  • **
  • Posts: 12333
  • Bonn, Germany
Re: Using an ES-1 Slide Copier to Digitze Slides
« Reply #9 on: June 03, 2017, 10:55:28 »
Buddy: If you can spare it for a week or two, I will cover return packaging & posting and add something. Of the thousands of shots I'd like to show some I took with the FM-2n and the 1.4/50 Ai long ago on Sensia 100 pused to 1600 ASA.
You are out there. You and your camera. You can shoot or not shoot as you please. Discover the world, Your world. Show it to us. Or we might never see it.

Me: https://youpic.com/photographer/frankfremerey/

the solitaire

  • NG Member
  • *
  • Posts: 624
Re: Using an ES-1 Slide Copier to Digitze Slides
« Reply #10 on: June 03, 2017, 22:33:52 »
Thousands of shots in 2 weeks? Now that I want to see :D

3 items will be boxed up and on their way to Haribo country ASAP :)
Buddy

richardHaw

  • Cute Panda from the East...
  • NG Supporter
  • **
  • Posts: 3133
  • Your lens loverboy
    • Classic Nikkor Maintenance and DIY
Re: Using an ES-1 Slide Copier to Digitze Slides
« Reply #11 on: June 04, 2017, 06:47:18 »
this is how I digitise strip film with the ES-1  :o :o :o

Frank Fremerey

  • engineering art
  • NG Supporter
  • **
  • Posts: 12333
  • Bonn, Germany
Re: Using an ES-1 Slide Copier to Digitze Slides
« Reply #12 on: June 04, 2017, 07:32:52 »
Thousands of shots in 2 weeks? Now that I want to see :D

3 items will be boxed up and on their way to Haribo country ASAP :)

No. I want to digitise a small selection. Have to finish one thing here, then I am ready to search for the pictures I like to show. I will happily share the results here in a tread called "From Frank's slide boxes".

Scotland, Fish Market, Ireland, ....

Sometimes I do not recall if the pictures were taken on negative film. Yet most of my stuff is slides.

Thank you. If the setup works for me I will go and buy one for myself!!!
You are out there. You and your camera. You can shoot or not shoot as you please. Discover the world, Your world. Show it to us. Or we might never see it.

Me: https://youpic.com/photographer/frankfremerey/

Mongo

  • NG Member
  • *
  • Posts: 844
  • You ARE NikonGear
Re: Using an ES-1 Slide Copier to Digitze Slides
« Reply #13 on: June 04, 2017, 09:23:32 »
Mongo agrees with your conclusions AFX and has been using the set up below for many years. Indeed, just gave away his dedicated Canoscan FS4000US slide copier to a club member who still insists on using one.

Mongo uses the following similar set up. Images 1 to 3 are of a better quality Nikon slide copier PB-5 with its own slide copier attachment.
image 4 is of a much more obtainable and inexpensive after market unit (this one is made by Pangor but there are many other types)

Always clean your slides and remove any dust you can before copying them. It is false economy to think the fancy scanners can remove all this stuff - they cannot and it takes for ever for them to try and they can not do as good a job as you can.

when starting off , take a few test images to get a good light reading/balance or setting up your flash. Set you white balance to suit. Use a reasonable depth of field setting , say, f8 or f11 (although, slides have a very flat field in any event (these are Mongo’s words). Your ISO can be as low as your camera will go because even if long exposures are required (and usually they are never required), there will be no movement between camera and subject - these move as a whole (if it does at all). Set to aperture priority (+ or - the suitable amount of EV) or manual if you think you have nailed a consistency. If you group your slides in lots of the same frames/thickness, you may only need to focus once and the rest in the same lot should not require re-focusing.

Once these things are done (and they really take very little time to set up), you can copy a slide in as much time as it takes you slot it in, press the shutter , remove the slide and slot in another. etc. Probably one every seconds.

BTW - image #1 talks about a 50mm macro. This should read 55mm macro. Mongo uses the f2.8 version but the f3.5 is equally good for this purpose as is the 60mm AF macro

cheers
Mongo

Krishna Kodukula

  • NG Supporter
  • **
  • Posts: 11
  • You ARE NikonGear
Re: Using an ES-1 Slide Copier to Digitze Slides
« Reply #14 on: June 06, 2017, 18:44:05 »
Dear Mongo -

Is that a Nikon D200 on the bellows? Are you able to get 1:1 with this setup or did you have to use additional spacers? I am also trying to copy my slide collection and have been searching for a suitable setup. Thanks.

K.