Can someone with a 50+ MP digital back do an experiment for me?

[Stuart Richardson]

Would anyone with a high rez digital back, a light table and a macro lens be willing to do an experiment for me? Would you photograph a negative or slide on the light box with a macro lens and see how good it is? I did this with a DMR when I was without a scanner and the results were quite good, but at the time 10mp was certainly not equal to a good scanner. But with a good macro lens that can go to 1 to 1 or greater, and a good light source, I am guessing that these would do a lot better job than most scanners, maybe even the X5 that I am using now (which is limited to 3200dpi for medium format and 2040dpi for 4x5, and hampered by its decade old software). I realize this may not be so practical, but given that the X5 retails for 20,000 USD, it would be interesting if MF digital could now do the same job, as well as being deployable as a normal camera system.

I am thinking of this kind of thing, only with the film filling the frame:

 

[dick]

Would anyone with a high rez digital back, a light table and a macro lens be willing to do an experiment for me? Would you photograph a negative or slide on the light box with a macro lens and see how good it is?

I have a Sinar,
an Apo-Digitar Macro
a Hasselblad 50490 Transparency copy holder and
Some flashes,

and I have been thinking of doing some slide digitization. With a Sinar you can correct perspective digitally while you are at it.

When copying slides you think you have all the res from the slide if you can see the grain, but I believe clever lighting can give you the res without emphasizing the grain.

My H4D-60 is not yet compatible with tethering or flash with view cameras, but we may get the software/firmware update and day/month/year now.

I have a Polaroid Sprint Scan 120, but I do not know if there are Mac Snow Leopard drivers for it... 4000dpi gave an 80Mpx file, and single shot on 654 or with stitching on 66 I would get about the same res with the H4D-60.

 

[Stuart Richardson]

That sounds like the perfect setup. I also think that scanners are generally not as good as they make themselves out to be...a lot of their resolutions are interpolated, and on all but the best scanners their lenses are a far weaker link than their CCDs. I am pretty sure that the APO-digitar Macro will be better than any scanner lens, and the modern CCD in the Hasselblad is probably a lot better than the line of the scanner in terms of dynamic range, noise and so on. And of course, you have the possibility of tuning the exposure exactly, or doing perfect exposure stacking for dynamic range (most scanners cannot keep the film moving exactly enough to do HDR stacking easily). Multi-shot backs would be even better for this...I think the trickiest part would be finding a really good, even and color correct light source and some way of keeping the film precisely in place, clean and flat. Most light tables are probably not consistent and even enough, and using a glass sandwich or an old negative carrier adds dust, another glass surface and the possibility of Newton's rings. Anyway, I still think it could be worth it if you get it all sorted well.
Dick -- please let me know if you ever do a test on this!

 

[VICTOR BT]

stuart, ive been wondering about such possibility too.... maybe i miss some tech issues, but at least in theory, it seems to me a great solution, without buying a high-end scanner, but still being able to use film and digitalize.
whats the problem ?
a macro or repro lens, ideally, a specialized one, flat object very close range, schneider and rodestok have those for tech-type cameras (alpa for example). a dedicated distancer cone with included film holder (good design that keeps the film flat), and even some type of high-quality LED light already built-in (?!) ... kinda tripod assembly for quick comfortable set-up... click, and it is done, in theory at least.

 

[dick]

I have a Besler 23C enlarger, and I might use the condenser etc from it for slide copying.

I am thinking about getting a Multi-shot.