Just getting to grips with my first conversion - LR is new to me too, so it’s quite a challenge. The biggest headache so far is what shutter speed to choose for the scans. Here’s my set up:
- Nikon D5600 DSLR
- Nikon Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 macro lens (manual focus) - focusing fully zoomed in on the tilting rear screen of the D5600 is great. Aperture is set on the lens, not the camera
- iPad Pro using SnapBridge to remotely control the scanning (you can’t focus using it, but you can set the shutter speed and a few other things)
- Valoi Easy35 scanning system
- LR & NLP on a Mac
The lens is amazing, but as an AI-S manual focus model, it only registers on the camera when you’re in full manual mode. I therefore can’t benefit from aperture priority mode to determine the DSLR’s shutter speed. My issue is therefore what shutter speed to set the DSLR to?
Other info:
I set the ISO to the camera’s native ISO @ 100 (as per Valoi’s instructions).
I dial in +1 over exposure on the camera (as per Valoi’s instructions).
I scanned at both f/8 and f/5.6 (with a f/2.8 lens)
The first test (a strip of 5 negs) I scanned at 1/30, 1/40, 1/50, 1/60, 1/80, 1/100, 1/125 (which is the range Valoi suggested would normally be ok), plus 1/160, 1/200, and 1/250. Yes, I am a glutton for punishment - that’s 20 scans per neg!
The second pass (the whole roll), I ‘restricted’ it to ‘just’ 1/30, 1/50, 1/80 and 1/125 but at both f/8 and f/5.6. So that’s ‘just’ 8 scans per neg, around 270 scans for the whole roll.
I wish I’d read forward about the edge buffer thing, as I spent hours today cropping, but that wouldn’t have helped me with wonky horizons, so I guess it was time well spent …
Here’s the first scan, shot 2 January this year, F2A, Ilford HP5+, reasonably (and rare) bright day. Can’t remember the SLR settings. Scanned at f/8, 1/30.
So, how can I cut this bracketing down further?
Can I standardise on just a single shutter speed and aperture combination?
Will this be valid for all films? All of one type of film stock? All shot with similar lighting conditions? How can I streamline the workflow to make it less painful.
Your suggestions would be very gratefully received.
Thanks,
Andrew
Cornwall, UK
Main format: 35mm
Favourite camera: Nikon F2A
Favourite lens: Zoom-Nikkor 35-70 f/3.5
Next challenge: scanning Minox negs!