Scanning with TTArtisan 40mm F2.8 Macro

ashishtamhane

ashishtamhane

Suspended / Banned
Messages
476
Name
Ashish Tamhane
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi All,

I was looking for options on scanning film and would like to have your thoughts on the TTArtisan 40mm F2.8 Macro lens for the Fujifilm X mount. Originally I was looking for a used copy of the Nikon 60mm AF-S Macro lens (as I have a Nikon D750 too) but that lens is now unavailable.

Is the TT Artisan good enough for me to start scanning film or should I wait for another Nikon 60mm to pop up in the used section.

Thanks,
Ashish Tamhane
 
I doubt that it makes much difference but what size of negs are you scanning?
 
I would have thought any macro lens that can render 1:1 on you camera sensor will do. What is the concern with the TTArtisan?
 
sirch said:
I would have thought any macro lens that can render 1:1 on your camera sensor will do.
Click to expand...
Also need a very flat field of focus... probably falls within the definition of a macro lens, but still, something to check.
 
sirch said:
I would have thought any macro lens that can render 1:1 on you camera sensor will do. What is the concern with the TTArtisan?
Click to expand...
Since its comparatively cheaper than the Nikon I had concerns if the lens performance is upto the mark to start scanning film. I read some stuff online and people are saying that for its price the performance is good.
 
In theory - and in history - the two requirements that defined a macro lens were lack of distortion and a flat field, being needed for document copying. Time and creative advertising changed this to mean "focuses closer than normal"...

There is just one possibly relevant observation re sharpness (note, not the same thing as flat field or distortion free) and that's from Sydney Ray's Applied Photographic Optics where he says that any lens which is not decentred should approach a perfect lens two stops down.
 
Last edited:
A quick google suggests that the corners are not sharp wide open but get better when stopped down. Then I suppose you need to consider the corner sharpness of your film camera lens in the first place, you are not going to make the image on the neg better than it was when exposed.

I guess what you want from a film scanning lens is ideally 1:1 macro with good edge to edge sharpness and minimal distortion. IDK but I suppose there are other macro lenses out there, Sigma, Laowa, etc
 
Years ago the cheat was to use an enlarger lens on a bellows. Usually good quality, and designed for flat field.
 
sirch said:
A quick google suggests that the corners are not sharp wide open but get better when stopped down. Then I suppose you need to consider the corner sharpness of your film camera lens in the first place, you are not going to make the image on the neg better than it was when exposed.
Click to expand...

I'd still want edge to edge sharpness, even if the image itself doesn't have this. The subject might be soft depending on the original lens and focusing, but the grain on the negative won't be. I'm a fussy b****r though. :LOL:
 
I have this lens on E mount, and haven't used it for 35mm scanning yet, but intend to (and 4x5). I have used it to capture 6x6 instax and some prints to date.

With the constraints of the above I've not hit any problems yet, I see good sharpness across the frame on an APS-C crop - it actually covers full frame at high magnifications ~1:1 so the "corners" are no-where near the corners of APS-C. I've not noticed problems with field curvature either. Nearly always shooting about F8 though,

I'm very happy for the cost of it. Hang on I'll try find some examples/edge crops for you.
 
Here's a 100% crop from the corner of the APS-C frame (~14Mp on my A7 Cii).

It's the corner of the image from this print copy. (low-res uploaded for TP there, I could put high res somewhere of the full thing, but the limit is the print quality in this case, I need to scan the neg when I have a suitable LED panel).

Screenshot 2025-01-09 at 20.33.40.png

EDIT: for some reason that's enlarged the image when I've uploaded, that should be 464x458 pixels at 1:1. You should be able to right-click and download.
 
Last edited:
One comment I saw suggested that this lens focuses by extending the lens (rather than internally). All fine... except ISTR at short distances (eg focusing on 135 film frames) that focusing _and_ filling the frame definitely meant moving the camera by very small distances, which might be an issue for some kinds of camera-scanning rigs?
 
Yes this is true. Also it focuses breathes a fair bit at close distances - but this isn’t uncommon. See the existence of macro rails. The problem isn’t unique to this lens, if you’re filling the frame on any macro prime you’ll be focussing to set magnification then moving the camera.

Less of an issue on crop than trying to cover full frame with it as the angle of view keeps you further away from the subject.

At some point I’ll probably get an A mount 90 or 100mm designed for full frame instead, but I’m very happy with the TTArtisan for the money.
 
Last edited:
So the lens arrived yesterday and it seems really good for its price. I tried to scan some film yesterday with manually cutting out a holder for the film and my iPad as the light source. Turns out its not really that intuitive of a workflow.

I guess I will now have to invest in a good film scanning adapter set. The film journey keeps going on...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top