I cut 35mm film photo negatives into strips which I taped into slide mounts, such that I can directly project the negatives as if they were slides, using a Kodak Ektagraphic Slide Projector. I want to make a physical duplicate of the set of 80+ “slides”, such that I have two identical sets of slides that I can project on two different projectors, in two different exhibitions. How can I physically duplicate a set of slides? Is it possible to scan and digitize my slides, and then print a set of identical slides, which I can then set in slide mounts? I’m not looking for a digital copy, but a physical copy of the set of slides (which are not really slides, but developed negatives I want to project as slides).
Any advice would be appreciated, this project is out of my wheelhouse.
Digital copies of each frame coupled to a digital projector in each of your exhibitions would give the same result quite easily but I’m guessing you want the physical presence of the Kodak Ektagraphic Slide projector to be part of the exhibit? If that is the case then you could commission someone to copy your individual negatives on to actual slide film which would give the right impression for your exhibition even though they will have slightly more contrast than the original colour negatives.
I suppose it might also to be possible take digital copies then print these out at same size on to clear transpency film on an inkjet (aka Giclee) printer. Adobe Lightroom makes it very easy to create a layout to do this, say twenty to a page, maybe more. They’d need cutting out manually and putting into slide mounts of course which would be tedious. They wouldn’t have anything like the same resolution as the originals but this might not be noticeable, it depends how you are displaying them, and why. No idea how they would stand up to the heat when clacking through an actual slide projector for hours on end though.
replied on another thread, just saw this one. Over there I thought you were working with positives. negatives add a layer of challenge but @Harry has good advice here! Copy with positive film and it comes out as a (fairly expensive, more contrast, less latitude) negative again.
Interestingly, if you copy a negative with another negative, its a positive on typical C41/B&W neg film. Something to consider, creatively speaking.
Hi Spencer, you certainly know about slide projectors! Yes certainly expensive to copy 80 negatives on to transparency film allowing for testing, bracketing etc. I thought afterwards that an actual period slide duplicator, the Bowens Illumitran, would be ideal as it has what they called a ‘Contrast Control Unit’ where a secondary flash is fired at 90º at a very thin piece of glass positioned in the light path at 45º. I have one of these, the glass is normally missing or broken but I have that as well. There’s not really much need for it with digital copying but it could be ideal for this though we don’t really know quite enough about the precise requirements or the budget.
I think this is where some expired slide film comes into play As @Harry noted there is bunch of devices like Illumitron or Bessel Slide duplicator which were specifically produced to copy slides. Given that the original is a color negative, i suspect superior color fidelity may not be needed and expired slide film will bring contrast down. So i guess at expense of few extra E6 runs, the task is doable if one can get 3-4 rolls of slide film of the same exact batch and same storage. Another option is to scan and then send to England company which can do digital output on real film stock at i believe 2800 dpi.
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