Moire pattern in scans

Hey all, I just started using NLP with the following hardware:

  • Sony A7III
  • Sigma 70mm Macro Art lens (EF Mount)
  • Sigma MC-11
  • Lomography DigitaLIZA 35mm mask
  • iPad as light source

All of my scans so far contain crosshatch moire patterns across the entire scan. They are not newton rings. I’d like to find a better solution than using the adjustment brush in Lightroom to remove these. Google search results mainly talk about this issue with flat-bed scanning but I haven’t found much about it with camera scans. Have any of you experienced this and have a faster solution? I’m curious if the iPad could be the source of the problem but I don’t have another light source available to test with yet.

What is the distance between your iPad and the negative?

Keep at least an inch between film and iPad so that it is way out of focus. iPad and camera sensor both have regular patterns that might cause the moire.

Thanks for the reply, that did resolve it! If I were to use something like the Kaiser Slimlite do you still need the standoff or is that required only for digital displays?

I use a Kaiser Slimlite and I still want to put some distance between the light and the film. Not because of moire but because of dust.

Each light panel has some kind of pattern. The Kaiser has a diamond patterned layout which can be made visible if you must, but is invisible under normal circumstances. The panel also has a comparatively low led per inch density, which furthermore prevents moire.