joecrumley2 wrote:
Thanks fellows for all the info.
If one decides to rephotograph negatives what model camera should be used. I would be starting from ground zero. Perhaps a 20mp would do the job.
You can use just about any camera with a macro lens that has full coverage of your negative (or better, PARTIAL coverage — i.e.; you can photograph a portion of a 35mm full frame negative by using a macro lens that goes down to 1:1 on APS-C, DX, or Micro 4/3 cameras.
Lots of folks think they need a full frame, high megapixel camera to do it. That's not necessary, but it is nice. Beyond 20MP, there is very little advantage to having more pixels, because even a 12 to 16 MP camera will resolve most or all details on *most* 35mm films. That said, if you want to make huge prints, a high MP camera will make it easier.
I learned "rephotography" some 40 years ago, when I was a multi-image audiovisual producer. I had several slide duplicating rigs over the years, and all of them involved a color correct light source, a holder of some sort for my slides, an enlarging lens, a bellows, and a Nikon F3. The basic concept works exactly the same way for digital copying of film originals.
In my case, I use a 16 MP Lumix GH4 Micro 4/3 camera with a 30mm Lumix Macro lens. It will get down to a 17mm wide section of 35mm film. But I've seen many different setups. Use whatever you want, so long as it gets close enough and has the proper components.
Color Correct Artificial Light Source (5000K photo grade CFL with 91+ CRI, or 5000K photo grade flicker-free LED with high CRI and full spectrum output OR a 3200K quartz halogen source that's properly cooled)
Diffusion system (THICK milk plexiglass, scratch free on both sides)
Film holder (must keep the film flat... I use an old negative carrier from my enlarger)
Macro lens or enlarger lens and bellows
Digital Camera in raw capture mode
Post Processing Software such as Lightroom or Photoshop that handles raw files from YOUR camera.
Here's a sample of an old Ilford HP5 negative duplicated with my rig, and a photo of an early prototype of my rig: