Hello, I have a Leica M 240 camera and I am trying to find out the best way to scan with it
Options that I am aware of below.
60mm R macro lens with adapter and EVF2
Leica BEOON with my existing 50mm lens
Leica bellows system with existing 50mm lens
The Leica BEOON is an attractive option as it is compact. I have a NegativeSupply 35mm carrier and 5x4" light source.
What works for you?
More info here:
The BEEON looks sturdy to me and is small, which reduces shake.
Interesting to see the Leica BEOON mentioned, someone on another forum uses his in combination with Fju XT, Sony A7R or indeed a Leica M240. He has it on a largish light pad. Very quick & easy to setup and use, though they are a bit expensive of course. He uses Componon-S or Rodagon enlarger lenses so the camera and lens is pretty light.
Hi, Thanks for the links, I had read the dmc blogspot one, but not the L-Forum one!! Very interesting reading, and looks like the BEOON will be the way forwards for me. Cheaper than buying a Macro lens and EVF.
Hi, thanks for your reply!! Interesting you mention the enlarger lenses, they are not too expensive either. I wonder if they would be better than my existing 50mm, which is a Voigtlander Nokton 1.5?
I love that this is small setup so it will be much quicker and easier to set up to scan in an evening. Looks like I will be getting rid of my Kaiser Copy Stand (which is way too big for the space we have).
There are lot on here that use enlarger lenses, including myself, they are designed for flat field of course. Some ‘APO’ variants are also designed for 1:1 and 1:2 duplication, they tend to be more expensive of course. I don’t know the ins and outs of how to fit them to your Leica to use on the BEOON but can certainly recommend them. I’ve used 50mm Apo-Rodagon and 50/60/80mm Rodagons, all very good at around 5.6/f8, and often available relatively cheaply secondhand. The Apo-Rodagon is very marginally better in the corners than the Rodagons but I like the 80mm Rodagon because of the extra film/sensor distance. Similarly with 60mm but these are less common. Some examples on Vlads Air Table here.
The 55mm or 60mm Micro-Nikkor is just as good but the enlarger lenses are lighter and because there is no integral focusing the focus can’t move, which you do have to watch out for with an ordinary camera lens.
Hi Harry,
I appreciate your information, thanks!! BEOON is en-route.
Luckily I picked up a Focotar with an extension tube for a very good price, there were plenty options for Schneider and Rodenstock, all at excellent prices, so will see how I go with the Leitz lens and go from there.
I may pick one up and compare to the Focotar at some point.
Much of my work is on transparency film, mainly Kodak, what are your thoughts on using an IT8 Target for colour calibration?
That’s good, it should make a very neat, compact and high quality system. As far as the IT8 target goes I’d say there are two camps, those that feel it isn’t necessary because in any case they will want to adjust in Lightroom or Photoshop etc. to their tastes. In the other camp are those that are absolutely prepared to go to the trouble (and some expense) of making sure that their system is profiled using either an IT8 target or perhaps something more refined like a Hutchcolor. Don’t forget that you’d need the software (though this doesn’t need to be expensive) and I’d say a fair bit of knowledge.
The good news is that all this has been discussed in a recent thread by those far more knowledgeable than myself. Do make sure you look at the articles by Mark D Segal that are linked to from the thread.
Maybe let us know how you get on when you’ve got your system setup if you think of it. Good luck.