Hello everyone! I’d like to share the setup I’ve been using for the past four months, which has been a great source of excitement for me. I had an old color-head diffusion enlarger (Durst M670) and a Fujinon EP 50mm f/3.5 enlarger lens sitting unused, so I decided to build a film-scanning setup around them.
After buying a few accessories—an Ulanzi Super Clamp, an M39-to-F-mount helicoid adapter, and a dummy battery—I was able to pair everything with a digital camera that was also sitting unused: a Nikon D3200 (APS-C, 24MP DSLR) that I inherited from my mom, who took it with her on many trips.
Since I don’t really enjoy carrying this camera around and shooting with it (for both sentimental and artistic reasons), but it has a very capable sensor for 35mm scanning and pairs well with the enlarger lens, I’m quite happy with its new life. Maybe this is just my way of making lemonade out of what life gives us.
As you know, there are many small details involved in making everything work smoothly, so here are some of them:
• Workflow: I actually don’t use Negative Lab Pro 
. I continue to use Adobe Bridge and Photoshop to organize and develop all my digital files. Most of my work is black and white, so the conversion process is fairly straightforward. For color negatives, I use the color-head filters to get a RAW file that is closer to the final result, then fine-tune the colors in Camera Raw using the white balance, calibration, and curves panels.
• Light source: The light source is still a 100W halogen bulb. I bypassed the need for a timer by installing a push button on the original power supply, since exposure is controlled by the camera. The light output is very consistent: ISO 100, f/8, 1/250 for B&W, and ISO 100, f/8, 1/60 for color negatives with an orange mask. The camera is tethered to the computer using digiCamControl, which allows me to preview and fine-tune both camera exposure and enlarger color-head settings.
• Film handling: I use the enlarger’s film holder and diffuser for 35mm. Most of my negatives are stored in PrintFile sleeves with six frames per strip. I feed the enlarger with these short strips, which I prefer over the uncut method, as it helps reduce dust and scratches. This also prevents excessive heating of the enlarger, since I turn off the power supply between strips.
Side view: The Ulanzi R094 Super Clamp is attached to the enlarger bellows. I use the bellows to set the height (magnification) and the helicoid adapter for focusing. I added a ball head taken from a Ulanzi MT-14 mini tripod to help with precise alignment to the film holder window. Once everything is aligned, the entire system can be moved as a single unit.
Front view: The color-head dials and part of the Dell Ultrasharp monitor I use for color grading.
