JimRPhoto Loc: Raleigh NC

After reading posts from other UHH members, and communicating with them, I bought a Nikon ES-2 slide and film copier. Although it is specifically meant to be used with a Nikon lens and the D850 body, I was able to try it out at my local camera shop with my own equipment. Now that I’m using it at home, I have found that the sharpness of the digital images, compared with same-day scanning with a dedicated slide and film scanner, is much better, noticeably better. And it’s much faster as the scanner takes 10 minutes to scan 4 slides. This one can go as fast as you are able to insert the slides and take the photo. So my question: I am using it with my Olympus PEN-F and an Olympus fast zoom lens, which can focus close. I tried various combinations of my lenses, both Canon and Oly, and also my Canon 5Dii body. What I was hoping to find is a lens that would better fill the frame. Right now, I can fill the frame on the Olympus PEN-F maybe 75 or 80%. Obviously, the more I can fill the frame (on either camera) the more resolution and sharpness I will have in the final product. As it is, I need to crop each digital photo, and even with that, the digital photos are very sharp. So sharp, I will go back and re-do the more critical scans of slides I’ve already done. I should also mention that for a dark slide, you can adjust the exposure as you take the digital photo, and again the quality is much better than lightening the scanned photo with photoshop, or photoshop elements. So all around, I am very pleased. Just want to optimize the lens (and camera) for the largest fill-the-frame shots. Any advice is appreciated. And please, I do not want to even consider another manufacturer or another camera body. My full frame Canon and Micro 4/3 Oly setups are perfect for my needs. A lens recommendation for either would be very helpful. Thank you. JimR.

rcarol

I would think that a set of extension rings for your Oly would do the trick. And the nice thing is that they are relatively inexpensive for the MFT system. I believe that you can get a set of three rings for less than $75.

wthomson Loc: Tempe, Arizona

This is a really interesting experiment, as I am looking to doing something similar. Could you give more specific details on the lenses you are now using?

I assume that the lens outside diameter would be critical for the attachment to fit. Also, does the PEN-F have a 2X crop factor?

JimRPhoto Loc: Raleigh NC

Replying to both wthompson and rcarol, I am using the M Zuiko 12-40 f/2.8 zoom lens, auto focus, at about a 40 mm setting. Recall that the equivalent FF would be 24-80. The diameter of the front of the lens is 62mm, and I use a step down ring to 52mm, and then add (all 52 mm diameter set) a macro front end +1, +2 and +4. The Nikon ES-2 has a 52 mm diameter, so that goes on the front. What I have learned is that the farther I get from the slide I’m copying, the SMALLER the image is in the viewfinder. I tried several combinations of extension tubes at my local camera shop, both in front of the lens, and behind the lens, and none do better than what I have. So I’m thinking I need probably a 50 mm Zuiko lens (100 mm equivalent) that would have a macro/micro feature, and perhaps need the four front end adapters. It would be great if I could find one macro lens that would do the job for either Canon or Olympus. The shop had the Canon 50mm f/2.5 macro, but both with, and without behind the lens extension tubes, it did not work. Now maybe as rcarol suggests, front end extension tubes but with a more telephoto (with macro) would work, but clearly the image needs to be made bigger if there is such a combination. Hope that helps. By the way, I think it will be more than satisfactory as it is now, but it would seem to me that filling the frame more/using more of the sensor, would be a preferable method. Thanks again. JimR

fetzler Loc: North West PA

I am not sure that I would choose this method. Seems a bit complicated to me.

If you have a Pen F, m.zuiko 60mm macro, a copy stand, and a quality light box (I bought a nice LED one from B&H this winter. CRI 95+) You should be in business. With Lomography film holders you can even do negatives.

The Pen F has an 80MP hi-res mode that is probably over kill but you have it. You can resize later. You should note that the aspect ratio of the Pen-F is different from slides.

There are a number of macro lenses that could be adapted to the PenF in addition to the m.zuiko lens.

User ID

I fitted the ES1 to both the 30 and 60mm Zuiko macros. It does require SPACER tubes (NOT extension tubes) for the m4/3 format to copy 35mm frames. My 30 and 60 were already adapted to 52mm filter threads (my personal standard) so the ES1 (and spacer tubes) fit directly for me.

I also tested Nikon 55 and 60 macros and that was no problem but I prefer the auto iris coupling of the Zuiko.

Acoarst the big advantage of the Pen-F is its 80MP jpegs. Negs and slides present a narrower subject DR as compared to real world subjects, so jpegs are perfect.

JimRPhoto Loc: Raleigh NC

Thank you, fetzler. I do have a light box and a copy stand. At about what distance from the front end do you need to be (the slides on the light box from the front end of the 60mm) to do it? Your point about the aspect ratio difference, as well as the 80 MP high res mode, are taken. I had forgotten about the 80 MP high res mode. As to ease of doing what I have, I just have the setup pointed toward a window, put two slides in the holder, shoot one, slide the holder, shoot the other, and voila, two slides copied. Within a minute. So I think that the setup I have is quite easy, and because the distance from the slide to the lens is fixed, and the connection is rigid, there will be no relative movement between the two. So far, excellent results, and quick. Thanks again to you, and everyone, for your help. Much appreciated. JimR.

User ID

If using AC mains to power leds, keep enuf distance such that your f/8 at base iso shutter speed is around 1/10 sec. A rechargeable video light, NOT connected to its charger during use, should be free of pulsing ... but test it anyway. Acoarst you use a “full spectrum” video light.

MrPhotog

If you are using 3 stacked close-up lenses in the filter mounts then these are equivalent to a single + 7 close-up lens. (Add’em up: (+1) + (+2) + (+4) = (+7).

There used to be, (and perhaps you can still find) +10 close up filters which could be used with ‘normal’ lenses to allow focusing close enough for 1:1 reproduction and slide copying.

Obviously you can find a +4, since you have one, so go get another. Then stack the two +4 close-up lenses (filters?) to get the additional magnification — equivalent to +8. You can then add a third element, either the +1 or the +2, to get even more magnification. With the +2 that would get you in the range of +10, which should do the trick.

While this does the trick for close focus, you should realise that there are significant tradeoffs in optical quality.

There is what I call the ‘screen door’ effect. From inside your home you can look through a screen window and see something going on outside. You can even snap a picture through a screened window. But the screen steals some light and quality. You wouldn’t want to shoot through 3 or 4 layers of screen as the view would be pretty awful. And, no matter how good your original optics, the quality of your images would be limited by the quality of the screen.

The same thing happens with adding additional optics, such as these close-up lenses: your best resolution is limited by the quality of the added lens. Quality will go down a little. With two added lenses quality goes down a little more, and with three added lenses—well, you have no expectations that adding more glass into the optical path is going to improve things, do you?

Having said that, I made a bit of cash as a teen using a stack of +1, +2, and +3 closeup filters making copies of old wallet-size photos—some of families that had not been seen since WWII. I think I charged $3 in those days for a 5 x 7 copy, but it was priceless job.

My close-up filters were single-element lenses. $15 for the set of three, including the case. Cheap and not great quality. Today they make similar closeup filters which are 2 or three elements and are achromatic. Much better quality, and the prices reflect that. Even so, stacking several of them reduces the quality of your image.

What you might consider is finding a single, high-quality, optic (such as a macro lens) or using extension rings to space your lenses further from the camera body, allowing for closer focusing and better magnification of the slide you are copying.

If you want to experiment, and have some stray money, Edmund Optics sells a 100mm Achromatic lens which is 50 mm in diameter and not mounted. $142. Part #45-353.

Or, they have a simple plano-convex 100mm focal length (another way of saying +10 diopters) in 50mm diameter for $41 uncoated (more$$ for similar coated ones) part # for uncoated is #32-972

Pop either of those in front of your lens and it will work as a high quality +10 closeup lens. Maybe better than what you are currently using.

Shopping online you might find plano-convex or double convex lenses available for lower prices. Possibly much lower. You need at least 50mm diameter and a focal length of 100 mm. Knock the glass out of an old 52 or 55 mm filter and you can secure your new glass to the rim with a few drops of glue.

User ID

Yes the copy stand plus light box idea will work but to present it as simpler than the ES-2 suggests you don’t realize how utterly simple the ES-2 actually is ... not to mention that the ES-2 method is toadally immune to vibration. Vibration is the major headache of copy stands.

smussler Loc: Land O Lakes, FL - Formerly Miller Place, NY

I scan slides using an ES-1 adapter with a 40mm Macro/Micro lenses with mt D5600 cropped sensor camera.
Frame is filled.
With full frame a 60mm Macro should work. I don't know what difference is with ES-2 adapter.
Do you have the directions for the adapter? Should be down loadable from Nikon site.
The directions for the ES-1 don't describe using it with a cropped sensor. I did some googling first before buying the adapter and 40mm Micro.
I use only the adapter, Camera and 40mm lens. No extensions rings or anything else. Works great.

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

A flat bad scanner is your best option.

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Show us.

funpictures Loc: Olathe Kansas

Jim, I make my adaptors by simply back lighting the slide and moving the holder off the camera until I get full frame and critical focus in a dark room, then measure the distance. Buy extra (used bad lens filters) from your local shop take the glass out and get some plastic (pvc) pipe with ID just smaller than the filter ring OD -- cut to length and glue the filter rings male one end female the other - in each end. Now you have a screw on adaptor the right length. I make mine for Nikon 105 micro and some other lenses out of alum tube and turn to cut the recess notch in my Lathe, but plastic is where I start. If you have access to a lathe it is nice to cut a recess notch to epoxy the filter rings in place and keep everything square. I have found that it can be out about +-.005 and still manage critical focus with the proper F stop. You can calculate the distance - but I have found it is best to just do it empirically and then shorten the distance a little and use the Nikon slide to make final adjustments. I have made several with larger plastic tubes to allow me to stand the 850 on its nose on the light table or on a etched glass lit from the bottom and shoot old negatives that are larger with excellent results.

JimRPhoto Loc: Raleigh NC

Thank you, Everyone, for some really helpful “tutorial” for me as I have never had an interest in macro photography before. To address Mr. Photog and smussler in particular: thank you for the tutorial on stacking of closeup front end lenses. I get the idea, and perhaps buying a a +10 that is good quality would be worth a shot. To your comment, smussler, the Nikon ES-2 instructions are specifically for a set of two or three Nikon lenses, and the D850 body. Not having any Nikon equipment, everything else is trial and error. I tried the Canon 50mm f/2.8 macro, with and without my closeup front end lenses, on my FF Canon 5Dii. It did not work. I will check into that 100 mm lens with Edmond optics. At this point, my MAJOR issue is how to fill the frame on either my Olympus 4/3 system, or my Canon FF system.

Now, really important - I will develop a post on this with examples. Clearly, the optical method of copying old slides is far far superior to scanning, even though I have a dedicated HP slide scanner. For one thing, focus. Recall with the slides, how you had to manually focus sometimes each slide in the projector due to seating of the slide (distance from the projector lens)? With the newer Kodak projector, it became auto focus. Well, with the slide scanner as I learned from posts, and using it, there is really no focus mechanism. In one old 1969 photo my plaid jacket was not at all crisp in the otherwise OK scan, but really crisp and sharp with the photo copy. Photos of people’s faces is likewise significantly improved because of ability to focus on (well focused) slides.

Secondly is exposure. I had a couple of slides I was going to throw away because they were so dark. Remember back then, no built in light meter. Correcting in PS or PS Elements was far from satisfactory, basically not useable. Well, with the photo method, it for the most part adjusted with the in-camera exposure control. For a couple of them I used the PEN-F built-in HDR. You would not believe the astounding difference and improvement.

So I’m glad I did not get too far in scanning, since I need to go back and re-copy the poor quality scans with the photographic method.

Thank you again to everyone who has offered suggestions. Your advice has given me some options. I really like going down to the nearby camera store, where the owner lets me try things out. So that will be my next step with some of your suggestions. JimR.