VALOI vs Kaiser Film Copy Vario

Digital Camera Scanning
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And opinions of either?

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Without having any of them, I’d prefer the Kaiser with its proven book design that has been used for a long time in enlargers. Having to push film through “the eye of a needle” could scratch the film’s surface, specially with 120 film.

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Valoi just love it ! there be no scratches nor on 120 or 135 it works very well.

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I recently upgraded from the EFH to the Valoi system and it’s all I wanted!

Easier to use due to wider insert slot and the S curve film guide. The knob is great and holds the film really well. The screw in feet are perfect to adjust the focal plane to be exactly parallel to the camera.

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How well does it perform with the end frame of a 35mm strip? Particularly when the image goes very close to the cut end?

David Hoffman

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Hey David.

I have not tried it yet like so. I ordered my film uncut to scan with ease, and never went back to scan a cut role in such condition, as of yet. Hopefully someone else here can answer you that.

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Not the Valoi but similar, I sent back my Negative Supply holder and replaced it with the Kaiser because the Neg Supply couldn’t hold the film flat enough. Happy with the Kaiser now.

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How were you able to send back your Neg Supply, I thought they don’t accept returns.

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Meanwhile, I got the basic Negative Supply holder 120 Model 2. While it works to expectations, it has a few flaws that are both technical and administrative

  • The holder sits in a trough that makes it difficult to insert the film because the top frame of the trough is too close and blocks reaching the end of the film, which is not a problem with uncut film but with cut strips.
  • There is a gap between the film holder and its trough and film often gets in there. This gets annoying after a few attempts.
  • The slots that take up the film and format masks are close together and at the same side of the holder. This often results in film getting inserted in the mask slot rather than in the film slot.
  • Format masks tend to break easily because the strips connecting the left and right part are too narrow and cut sharply, which promotes stress fractures. It’s best to “fix” the long edges by taping them before they break.

Considering the things mentioned above, the film holder is best used without the trough, but then it gets close to the backlight which needs to be cleaned regularly to prevent dust spots.

Negative supply offered to send a replacement for the broken mask. It never arrived though and mails I sent later were never answered.

I know that designing a good holder for 120 is less simple, and therefore, the proven book design used in enlargers (for many decades) is currently one’s best bet. And a design that allows use with and without glass is even more useful. BUT: Watch for dust and Newton rings!