Features
-
Scan full rolls or cut strips of 120 film in as fast as 2 minutes
Keeps film perfectly flat for sharp scans
99 CRI light source for high color accuracy
Sturdy copy stand holds camera+lens combinations up to "6" lbs
Great starting point for the Negative Supply system
Product Details
Introducing the Negative Supply Basic Kit for 120 Film Scanning with Basic Riser MK2, the perfect introductory setup for scanning strips or full rolls of 120 film quickly, easily, and affordably whether you’re at home, on the go, or in the studio!
Negative Supply exists to create tools for film photographers around the world that want to spend more time photographing and less time scanning. Their products allow you to digitize negatives using your digital camera and a macro lens in as little as 5 minutes (or less) with tools you may already have.
This Basic Kit for 120 film scanning kit includes:
Basic Film Carrier 120
4x5 Light Source Basic (99 CRI)
Basic Riser MK2 copy stand
Camera Body
Just about any semi-modern interchangeable camera will work great for camera scanning. There are many mirrorless or DSLR options to choose from, with the most convenient offering tethered live view capture to your computer. The Canon T2i is probably the cheapest option out there with tethering and large lens selection, and new cameras like the Sony A7 series are now very affordable with great IQ. High end setups may even use the new full frame Panasonic mirrorless cameras with pixel stitching.
Macro Lens
For camera scanning, the one real requirement is that your lens focuses close enough to capture the entire frame, without having to digitally crop. For full frame cameras and capturing 35mm film, the term 1:1 designates a lens that will reproduce the 35mm frame exactly onto the full frame digital sensor. With crop bodies, 1:1 focus even closer. There are also options to use extension tubes for older macro lenses. We have had excellent results with an inexpensive Nikon 55mm macro from the film days, using a simple extension tube to get 1:1 on our full frame bodies. Higher end, yet affordable options include the excellent Sigma 70mm ART Macro. The Outside of reproduction factor (1:1), also look out for lenses that are sharp, have good color reproduction, limit internal reflections (modern coatings), and have very little vignetting. Finally, it’s generally best to use your lens stopped down 2-3 from wide open, as this gives a good combination between depth of field and brightness.
Software for Negative Conversion
There are a few plugins and standalone programs for converting negatives into positives. Some older and some newer, all of them try to harness the color science based in darkroom paper to various degrees. Many professional scanners have used LaserSoft applications or some proprietary/built-in software to emulate darkroom printing. After all, even a professional lab scanner is simply a digital camera and a light source. The applications below do the same thing for converting negatives captured with you digital camera rather than a digital camera built into a scanner. We recommend choosing the one that best suits your workflow.
