Using an ES-1 Slide Copier to Digitze Slides

[Asle F]

I have used PB-4, and for sure I can get 1:1 with D200 and 55mm, but that is to big when the sensor is just about half the area of the slides. 55mm was too short (or said in other words, PB-4 was too long) to get the 1:1.5 for getting the whole slides. With FX-camera 1:1 is the right magnification, and the setup works as a charm.

I prefer 55mm/3.5, because that has no CRC, so it works just as well even if the focus ring is not set to its shortest distance.

[David H. Hartman]

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?

Krishna,

It looks like a D200 to me.

The problem with copying slides with DX is 1:1 takes a cropped section out of the silde. I tried with a D300s and PB-4 and did not achieve joy. As I remember the minimum extension of the PB-4 was too long for a 55/2.8 Micro and I couldn't move the PS-4 slide copy attachment far enough out to use a 105/2.8 Micro. I think a PK-12 was required to mount the D300s on the PB-4 complicating the setup.

I believe 0.75x is what's needed to copy the full 35mm slides with a DX dSLR.

Dave Hartman

[the solitaire]

I just sent my stuff to Frank, otherwise I would try to find out which combination would give you the right enlargement for DX using the 55mm micro Nikkor and ES-1.

I do believe that the 55mm and ES-1 on themselves should be enough to get the job done though.

Krishna, David, reads D200 on the camera.

[Krishna Kodukula]

Thanks Dave, for sharing your experience with D300s. That was the reason for my question, but the PB-5/PS-5 with D200 looked intriguing, so wondered how 1:1 was achieved with the set up. I have a D200 sitting on the shelf, so thought of setting it up for copying all my slides and negatives, but looks like it will be a chore.

Hello Solitaire. Thanks for the suggestion on 55mm and ES-1. Will surely try. Also, aging eyes are hard pressed to see things clearly! The number was blurred from the front in the picture, but the back of the cameral looked like a D200, therefore the question.

BTW, it is great to be on the forum. I am a new member, having joined yesterday. Been following the group as a 'guest', but I liked the way you all contribute and share your experiences, so decided to join the group. Yet to write my intro, but will do so in a day of two.

[Frank Fremerey]

Thanks to Buddy I can use his copier for a week to try it.

I grabbed a random file from the shelves, found some honeymoon snapshots and tried away.

I find it hard to position, so it is a position, position, reposition, focus till it fits, then step on the balcony and shoot into the very bright overcast sky --- for every frame.

I'd like a feeder for more throughput. I have a lot of post production work later anyway.

Good thing is my slides are quite clean in the Leitz-Files, much better I guess than it will be with the ones oin the projector cartridges...

PS: I see also, that the idea of a "sharp" image with high definition has changed as technology advanced

[Asle F]

I think a PK-12 was required to mount the D300s on the PB-4 complicating the setup.

It's not. The trick is to mount the camera in portrait orientation, and rotate the camera when mounted. Works at least for D200, D300, D700 and D800E.

[the solitaire]

Thanks to Buddy I can use his copier for a week to try it.

I grabbed a random file from the shelves, found some honeymoon snapshots and tried away.

I find it hard to position, so it is a position, position, reposition, focus till it fits, then step on the balcony and shoot into the very bright overcast sky --- for every frame.

I'd like a feeder for more throughput. I have a lot of post production work later anyway.

Good thing is my slides are quite clean in the Leitz-Files, much better I guess than it will be with the ones oin the projector cartridges...

PS: I see also, that the idea of a "sharp" image with high definition has changed as technology advanced

Not just a week Frank. If an urgent need arises I will let you know, and until then, feel free to give it a try, regardless of whether it takes a week or a month.

Film can be sharp in a modern terms as well

2015-07-22-0015 by b j, on Flickr

2015-07-22-0014 by b j, on Flickr

2015-07-22-0006 by b j, on Flickr

2015-07-22-0008 by b j, on Flickr

[David H. Hartman]

It's not. The trick is to mount the camera in portrait orientation, and rotate the camera when mounted. Works at least for D200, D300, D700 and D800E.

Thank you for the correction regarding the PK-12.

Dave

[Mongo]

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.

Dear K sorry Mongo could not answer you earlier (been in hospital suddenly for the last 4 days).

Yes, it was a D200 at that time. Mongo now uses full frame cameras on the same set-up. Cannot recall at the time if 1:1 was obtained. What Mongo can say to you is that with some fiddling of both bellows on the PB-5 and dedicated slide copier, the whole area of the slide is captured within the new image. That is certainly the case with the full frame cameras. From memory, it worked with the crop sensors also but it was harder to achieve and perhaps not quite the total area of the slide. Mongo is sorry it has been too long ago to give you more accurate answers concerning the crop sensor with this set-up. Hope this helps.

PS - just had a thought that if the D200 and this set-ip does not quite cover the slide area, a wider lens may do the job. While Mongo has not had the need to try this, he does have a 40mm Nikon enlarging lens for a dark room enlarger . If this were set up properly on say, the PB-5, in theory, it should give superb results and maybe capture the whole of the slide area. Just a thought.

PPS- While Mongo has no current need to try the suggestion above, he might just do it anyway to see if it works well. The only problem is that Mongo now no longer owns a crop sensor camera............Maybe the D800E will do for the test by setting it to crop mode just for this test...?. If time and health permit, might just try it for the sake of knowing the answer.

[Frank Fremerey]

I can be very stupid at times. Haha! I forgot to switch of "Auto ISO" so I managed to scan my slides at 5000 ISO. No wonder I find them less detailed than they looked in the view finder and zoomed in Live View.

As Buddy is so generous, I hope for some bright days to catch full spectrum light from my balcony on a tripod with ISO 100. HAHAHA!

So this is ISO 4500:

[Frank Fremerey]

An this is ISO 100 on Tripod:

[Frank Fremerey]

PS: Picture of Joseph Weizenbaum taken in Berlin 1998 with my FM-2n and the 1.4/50mm Ai.  ES-1 Slide Copier to D600 from Fuji Sensia, iirc 400ASA.

[PeterN]

Thank you for this informative post. I've been using the D750 with 60mm micro and ES-1 set iso100, f8 and 1/15 with a backlit light source. I had problems with WB especially but will experiment further based on info provided here. I will now use the D810 probably.

2 examples from slides that are appr. sixty years old.



converted via Silver Efex:

[Frank Fremerey]

Super, Peter. Do you know who took these shots?

[Asle F]

PS - just had a thought that if the D200 and this set-ip does not quite cover the slide area, a wider lens may do the job. While Mongo has not had the need to try this, he does have a 40mm Nikon enlarging lens for a dark room enlarger . If this were set up properly on say, the PB-5, in theory, it should give superb results and maybe capture the whole of the slide area. Just a thought.

You need longer focal length. That is the way to get less magnification when the minimum extension is set.