Photographing Negatives

[SoulfulRecover]

As much as Id like to buy a nice scanner, theres no way the wife will let me right now. Normally I have the local shop scan the 4x5s that I really like while the others I photograph with my D600 and invert in PS. Well the problem I run into is that the image needs to be cropped a ton so I lose a lot of information. I am using a 50mm 1.8 D but I am looking to buy a macro lens for this. What would you all recommend? a 60mm macro? Id like to spend as little as possible. I found a 55mm Ais nikkor macro for 89.00 but I wasn't sure if its worth while

 

[compur]

I have the 60 Micro and I'm very happy with it. I've also used several 55 Micros (non-AI, AI, AIS) and they are fine lenses too. Since owning the 60 I am spoiled by its AF mode but that's the only advantage over the 55s as far as I can tell. They are all sharp as hell.

 

[SoulfulRecover]

That's good to know. Im honestly not worried about AF with photographing negatives which I figured would also save me some money

 

[SoulfulRecover]

I think, allthough the purchase of a macro lens can never hurt, you can approach digitization/reproduction in another way. Various reprographic companies in the Netherlands and probably also in other countries, that digitize art (painting, drawing, etching, etc.) and produce glicee prints, for example, photograph objects in sections.

A 4x5 "negative can ofcourse also be photographed in this way, see the diagram below, where the images overlap and are stitched later on. By capturing a 4x5" in 4 or 6 sections you get a digital copy that needs to be expanded less. The main focus is, of course, that your camera is fully plan-parallel with the 4x5" negative all the way.
It will take more effort to photograph everything, but ultimately it's a cheap solution that will give good results.

View attachment 149381

My 50mm and 85mm wont focus that close to the negative which is why I am looking for a macro. I have to crop in too much to where I lose a ton of information. It comes out to about 2588x3280 when it should be closer to 6016x4016

 

[Orrin]

You could try a simple close-up lens (+2 or +3) on the front of your existing lens!

 

[SoulfulRecover]

You could try a simple close-up lens (+2 or +3) on the front of your existing lens!

Never thought of that. Thank you

 

[vvcarpio]

Extension tubes will also let you focus very close to the negative -- with the lens almost touching the negative. I use this:

https://www.amazon.com/Fotodiox-Ext...&keywords=extension+tube+sony#customerReviews

I think any lens will do. But matching the "mm" of the lens with the "mm" of the extension tube as close as possible will fill the entire frame (or viewfinder) of the camera with the negative. In my case, I use the 20mm extension tube on my 18-200mm lens zoomed in at around 20mm.

I asked a similar question here and got the suggestion to use the extension tube:

How to photograph transparency?

 

[vvcarpio]

 

[SoulfulRecover]

Extension tubes will also let you focus very close to the negative -- with the lens almost touching the negative. I use this:

https://www.amazon.com/Fotodiox-Ext...&keywords=extension+tube+sony#customerReviews

I think any lens will do. But matching the "mm" of the lens with the "mm" of the extension tube as close as possible will fill the entire frame (or viewfinder) of the camera with the negative. In my case, I use the 20mm extension tube on my 18-200mm lens zoomed in at around 20mm.

I asked a similar question here and got the suggestion to use the extension tube:

How to photograph transparency?

its only 10 bucks!

Fotodiox Macro Extension Tube Set for Nikon F Mount SLR Cameras for Extreme Close-up Photography

 

[Derrel]

its only 10 bucks!

Fotodiox Macro Extension Tube Set for Nikon F Mount SLR Cameras for Extreme Close-up Photography

I would go for the AF set...contacts, EXIF information, autofocusing...better overall usefulness; the el-cheapo tubes likely will not work with G-series lenses. I'd go for this $39 AF set with contacts.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ORLQJR6/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?psc=1

As far as the lenses go, the 55mm f/3.5 pre-Ai manual focus or the 55/2.8 Ai-S or the 60mm AF-D are both pretty good lenses at close-range. I personally think the 60mm/1.8 AF-D is a FINE lens...very nice, saturated color from it, very GOOD on close-range plants, small-scale garden shots, landscape details, etc.. You might not have a body that can safely mount a pre-Ai lens, so keep that in mind, and get one that has been Ai'd if you go "old" with a 55mm f/3.5 Micro~Nikkor.

 

[webestang64]

This all reminds me of the thousands of Inter-negs and slide dupes I shot over the years.....I used to use a (daylight) light box and a Nikon F2 w/55mm macro and a ext-tube (1:1) on a copy stand.