scanning film with DSLR

I thought it sounded familiar when Jan showed it to me on facetwit, its a continuation of your display unit, very clever.
 
My concern would be fixing the camera and frame to ensure that the film was square on to the sensor. With a conventional slide copier for 35mm film used on an SLR, this is addressed either by having the film slotted into the end of a tube which contains the lens and is attached to the camera, or by having a film holder attached to the front of bellows that have a macro lens attached.

I can see problems (down to my own inherent clumsiness, no doubt) in getting a free standing film holder to stay in the correct position and accurately parallel (at least within the limits of depth of field when the lens isn't much stopped down - stopping down reduces resolution and with a flat subject brings no advantage with the increased depth of field).
 
StephenM said:
My concern would be fixing the camera and frame to ensure that the film was square on to the sensor. With a conventional slide copier for 35mm film used on an SLR, this is addressed either by having the film slotted into the end of a tube which contains the lens and is attached to the camera, or by having a film holder attached to the front of bellows that have a macro lens attached.

I can see problems (down to my own inherent clumsiness, no doubt) in getting a free standing film holder to stay in the correct position and accurately parallel (at least within the limits of depth of field when the lens isn't much stopped down - stopping down reduces resolution and with a flat subject brings no advantage with the increased depth of field).
Click to expand...

The Pixl-Latr is a free standing frame that holds its position so it can be stood on a desk or windowsill and the camera mounted on a tripod to keep them aligned. Alternatively, you can simply hand hold the camera although you may not get mm perfect accuracy in your alignment.

The various dev units I’ve used have all been with the camera hand held (because I’m lazy!) and I’ve been happy with the output.
 
I think I agree with Stephen that something like this needs a device to hold the camera in the right place and sensor parallel to the film. I have used a handheld camera to copy a print, and it was very difficult to get the camera positioned right, in fact I'm pretty certain I ended up with keystoning.

Something like the base of a Chroma, with a sliding unit combining a base for the camera to sit on and the frame of a square filter system might work. Then you screw a lens adapter onto the front of the lens, clip the filter frame on, and You should be able to get everything nicely stable and parallel.
 
ChrisR said:
I think I agree with Stephen that something like this needs a device to hold the camera in the right place and sensor parallel to the film. I have used a handheld camera to copy a print, and it was very difficult to get the camera positioned right, in fact I'm pretty certain I ended up with keystoning.

Something like the base of a Chroma, with a sliding unit combining a base for the camera to sit on and the frame of a square filter system might work. Then you screw a lens adapter onto the front of the lens, clip the filter frame on, and You should be able to get everything nicely stable and parallel.
Click to expand...

Whilst you're right that a larger unit with fixed holders would be more exact, I think the point of the Pixl-Latr is to be simple and quick to use. Whilst there may be some compromise in absolute quality with a unit like this, the benefits it offers are enough to justify those but it's each to their own really. It's never going to replace a dedicated scanner.
 
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