Light Source for Slide Duplication? I am preparing to embark on a slide duplication project. I have many thousands of slides that I would like to duplicate digitally and am...

dickwilber Loc: Indiana (currently)

I am preparing to embark on a slide duplication project. I have many thousands of slides that I would like to duplicate digitally and am establishing a system to do this en masse with a Nikon D 800 recording the images. These slides (all slides) were originally intended to be viewed using a dedicated projector with a specific color incandescent light source. My question is how to best illuminate these slides -not using said incandescent light source - to obtain the best color match?

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

dickwilber wrote:

I am preparing to embark on a slide duplication project. I have many thousands of slides that I would like to duplicate digitally and am establishing a system to do this en masse with a Nikon D 800 recording the images. These slides (all slides) were originally intended to be viewed using a dedicated projector with a specific color incandescent light source. My question is how to best illuminate these slides -not using said incandescent light source - to obtain the best color match?

Diffused light source around 6000 Degrees Kelvin
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1388019-REG/bescor_led70s_single_led70_studio_lighting.html

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

I'm guessing that the projector light source was specified in terms of color temperature. The way I would approach your project would be to start by trying to find a light source as close as possible to that color temperature. Let's say that the projector was 3600K. And let's say that the closest light source you can find is 4000K. That's a little bit too blue. But your D800 will let you adjust scenes that are too blue by entering a custom color temperature under the WB function. Your light is a little too blue, so to compensate, go even more blue on your WB setting in the camera...to 4400K. That should get you close, but you will need to take a few test shots and maybe do a little fine tuning, because the WB scale isn't completely linear.

Others are going to tell you just to shoot the images and fix it later, but that is going to be way too much work since you have so many slides.

Hope this makes sense.

There are some good small LED panels with filters for under $200 at B&H and other places.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

dickwilber wrote:

I am preparing to embark on a slide duplication project. I have many thousands of slides that I would like to duplicate digitally and am establishing a system to do this en masse with a Nikon D 800 recording the images. These slides (all slides) were originally intended to be viewed using a dedicated projector with a specific color incandescent light source. My question is how to best illuminate these slides -not using said incandescent light source - to obtain the best color match?

Dick, I believe in the KISS principal.

Keep it simple stan
With that said, I would get:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/135-Film-Negative-Scanner-Slide-Viewer-Convert-35mm-Film-Slide-to-Digital-JPEG/283377034192?hash=item41fa9663d0:g:Ox0AAOSwXHpcY43E

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

dickwilber wrote:

I am preparing to embark on a slide duplication project. I have many thousands of slides that I would like to duplicate digitally and am establishing a system to do this en masse with a Nikon D 800 recording the images. These slides (all slides) were originally intended to be viewed using a dedicated projector with a specific color incandescent light source. My question is how to best illuminate these slides -not using said incandescent light source - to obtain the best color match?

Slide projectors typically used an ELH 300-Watt 120-Volt 3350K lamp. Later Kodak models used a 3300K lamp.

However, digitally copying slides seems to work best with 5000K sources. I use a flicker-free and color accurate CFL AND LED combo, with a white mixing chamber and a thick diffuser (milk Plexiglas). I white balance through a clear piece of the film I’m copying, when I have one. Otherwise, I white balance the light source itself.

BebuLamar

I used to use a dichroic enlarger head and I dial in the filter to get close to 5000K. Short of that a flash can be used but you will need another light source for focusing.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I just used a slide/negative copier I got at Costco years ago.

dickwilber Loc: Indiana (currently)

burkphoto wrote:

Slide projectors typically used an ELH 300-Watt 120-Volt 3350K lamp. Later Kodak models used a 3300K lamp. ... I white balance the light source itself.

Thank you Burkphoto, this is the direction I was thinking, but it was really nice to get the correct color temperatures and confirmation of my reasoning.

dickwilber Loc: Indiana (currently)

PixelStan77 wrote:

Dick, I believe in the KISS principal. ...

Thanx PixelStan77, but I expect I can get better copies (if my technique is good) much faster with the D800. If I had access to a Nikon Super Cool Scan 5000 I would certainly go that way (though the camera will be quicker).

I am taking a close look at that Bescor LED-70 Daylight Studio light as a possible light source. It would have other potential uses here.

dickwilber Loc: Indiana (currently)

larryepage wrote:

I'm guessing ... There are some good small LED panels with filters for under $200 at B&H and other places.

Looking at the Bescor unit. Will check out other options at B&H. Thanx.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

dickwilber wrote:

I am preparing to embark on a slide duplication project. I have many thousands of slides that I would like to duplicate digitally and am establishing a system to do this en masse with a Nikon D 800 recording the images. These slides (all slides) were originally intended to be viewed using a dedicated projector with a specific color incandescent light source. My question is how to best illuminate these slides -not using said incandescent light source - to obtain the best color match?

I used to get good results using a speedlite!

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

dickwilber wrote:

I am preparing to embark on a slide duplication project. I have many thousands of slides that I would like to duplicate digitally and am establishing a system to do this en masse with a Nikon D 800 recording the images. These slides (all slides) were originally intended to be viewed using a dedicated projector with a specific color incandescent light source. My question is how to best illuminate these slides -not using said incandescent light source - to obtain the best color match?

I use the sky from 10 am to 2 pm when the color temp. is just about right.

par4fore Loc: Bay Shore N.Y.

dickwilber wrote:

I am preparing to embark on a slide duplication project. I have many thousands of slides that I would like to duplicate digitally and am establishing a system to do this en masse with a Nikon D 800 recording the images. These slides (all slides) were originally intended to be viewed using a dedicated projector with a specific color incandescent light source. My question is how to best illuminate these slides -not using said incandescent light source - to obtain the best color match?

I use my computer monitor.

dickwilber Loc: Indiana (currently)

billnikon wrote:

I use the sky from 10 am to 2 pm when the color temp. is just about right.

The same method I use to check my camera's light meter (Sunny 16).

speters wrote:

I used to get good results using a speedlite!

Too many slides.

par4fore wrote:

I use my computer monitor.

I've heard of someone using their IPad; I wouldn't trust either without a color meter that I don't have.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

dickwilber wrote:

I've heard of someone using their IPad; I wouldn't trust either without a color meter that I don't have.

Shoot one, check the color balance, and manually set the camera WB accordingly?