Digitising 110, 126, 127 and 120 film

[ricm]

I have a large quantity of 35mm film (135) and have a Plustek OpticFilm 8200i SE scanner which I can use with the provided Silverlight software or Vuescan Pro. I am happy with the results. Sorted.

I also have a quantity (approx 30) rolls of 126 film that will fit the film holder, save for the fact the frame is not centred. The 8200i is not compatible with the 126 format even though its the same width as 135 but I can physically nudge the film down into the carrier where framing is important. Mostly the shots are wide and that latitude allows a decent scan without nudging.

I also have a smaller quantity of 110 (10 rolls), 127 (2 rolls) and 120 (12 rolls) film, mostly b/w negative (and some 120 reversal) that I'd also like to digitise. I can't afford different scanners so I'm looking at my two DSLRs (Nikon D40x and Nikon D5200) for copying.

This would be a one-time exercise to digitise my collection and create archival copies for further use.

I could use some sort of tripod and light table and photograph the film, but I'd like something more robust/reproducible. I have only two lenses for the Nikons: an "AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1.35-5.6 GII ED" and an "AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1.4-5.5 G ED"; neither being macro lenses nor fixed focus. This is a constraint for which I can find no answers in various posts and also other fora. I've looked at various solutions, some I'd seriously question and others that have merit but are old posts and the equipment just isn't around anymore. I have recently purchased a light table from Amazon for about £20 and am hugely impressed with it: the evenness of the light across what is essentially an A4 format is astounding. So a solution that has a built-in LED source with constant CT would be a bonus.

My questions: a) is it even possible to create decent copies of these film formats with the cameras I have and, if so, b) what additional equipment should I be looking to?

Regards,
Ric

 

[Harlequin565]

The cheapest "decent" solution I found when in this predicament was a 50mm f/1.8 lens on my crop sensor camera and one of the extension tubes you can buy in a set (I think it was 10mm). This allowed my to pretty much fill the sensor with a 35mm negative. Both the 50mm and the tubes can be had very reasonably second hand, and the added benefit (it it's a one time thing) is that if you buy second hand, you won't lose much if you resell when you're done.

The 110 film might be a struggle - especially if you compare to the Plustek - but should be good enough for web use and 8x10 prints.

 

[Nod]

Where are you and how good a relationship do you have with any local retailer who has second hand kit for sale? IF you have a shop with reasonable stock, you might be able to hire a 2nd hand macro lens from them. Failing that, you might find a reasonably priced macro on e-bay then resell it once the job's done. I'd guess that the more obscure formats you have aren't still in (your) use, so there's a relatively short period of time you'll need the lens. Another option would be a set of macro extension tubes which will allow much closer focussing with your existing lenses.