First scans from my newly aquired Leica R4s

Parptarf · Oct 27, 2015

Though I'd poste them up here. Still working on that scanning method, but I'm using my D800 for it. I need some sharper macro optics to make as sharp as this Leica is on paper from the dark room. (The Summicron 50 is razor sharp, even wide open) Anyways, here's a few of the pictures, I have some more from it in the link below, including some from a FED-2. Not by any means experienced in the analog world, and definitely not with scanning, so feel free to give me a few advices. All taken with various Ilford films. I believe it's mostly Delta 100 and Delta 400.

Here's a link to a full post on my scanning setup and a few more pictures
Analog photographs in a digital world

Derrel · Oct 27, 2015

I read your blog post. Everything you are doing looks okay, except for the low-grade macro attachment you're adding to the lens. The macro attachment is causing horrible loss of image quality...but on a few images that looks kind of neat! I am wondering if you could not just buy a low-cost extension tube, like say a non meter-coupled Nikon M-2 tube, and then use any number of lenses on the front of that, and get a setup that would yield clear, sharp close-up images. Something like a rough-condition Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 pre-Ai or Ai lens from KEH in bargain condition is about $29, and the M-2 tube is $5-$10 or so.

For using with an older lens, like a 55mm f/3.5 pre-Ai or AI-converted example, you could also use one of the several super-cheap Made in China extension tubes, the kind that have no electronic contacts, and just set the lens's f/stop control on the lens itself, and the cheap extension tube, being non-Ai, and non-CPU, will work on the D810.

Parptarf · Oct 27, 2015

I'm gonna get a set of autofocusibg extention tubes for it actually. And I got my school's old flatbed scanner to work. It's Allright, but a macro tube on my fifty would give me sharper images with better editing possibilities

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timor · Oct 28, 2015

Hi Stig.
I read your blog, looked at your attempts to copy negatives to digital. Honestly it doesn't make much sense, lots of effort for poor effect. Sorry about this opinion, but this "scans" are unusable. First with the "rig" you have it is virtually impossible to align the sensor and the negative. Difference of 2 - 3 degrees will cause softness iin corners. Focusing is a problem to, some of the scans are out of focus all together. There is also very strong fringing in some, wonder, how this happened.
You are fighting with a problem, which was resolved many, many years ago already. Seemingly "simple" slide coppier will do wonders. And you gonna get your 36 MP.
through the Nikon F-Mount - How to digitise your slides (and negatives)
There is another consideration. If you want to have high resolution scans from the negative, you have to make sure this resolution is in negatives. Of course Leica glass comes to mind instantly. Yeah... For sure. But development of your negative is even more important as resolution of film depends more on that, than lens. Every fine and ultrafine developer you gonna use works against maximum film resolution, against accutation and microcontrast, in summary against retention of detail. With 36 MP scans you will need detail.
On the other hand I wonder, how sharp your negatives are in the first place. Row 5 picture 2, a portrait, front of the face is clearly out of focus. Eyebrows are one smudge of gray, but I can count hairs at the back of the head. And so on. I know Deltas, they have potential to be tack sharp, especially Delta 100, arguably the sharpest midspeed film currently in production.

Parptarf · Oct 28, 2015

Some of these aren't really in tack sharp focus from the beginning. Like that portait. I haven't got much experience doing off centre focusing with an old analog camera and manual focus. These scans are definitely not even close to how sharp my negatives are. And even if they would have been 100% as sharp as the negative, and I would have hit perfect with the focus using that Leica glass at it's sharpes aperture. My developing skills are mediocre at the very best. But I'm learning, and that's why I'm here.

And thanks for that link, looks to be some great info there. Also, this scanning rig was set up with what I had laying around basically. And I've gotten my school's old Canoscan 9950f to work. So there's some better scans coming up.

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