[wombat2go]

Pentax Slide Copier ?

I don't have a FF dslr so this it a crop on M4/3
I don't have a 50 macro or a reverse adaptor either so this is with the SMC Pentax 1:2 55mm in normal direction so it loses sharpness off centre.
The shot was at f/5.6
I have the SMC Pentax 1:4 100mm macro but it does not fit in the slide copier train.
Here is the copy of the M4/3 shot with reversal and small amount unsharp mask in Gimp.
https://www.box.com/s/b90ef650d273149f5d40

Here is a scan of the neg using the Epson V600 last year:
https://www.box.com/s/848ec684582a198da77e
The neg is from the MX with the SMC Pentax -A 1:1.4 50mm and is in a Gepe steel mount in both above images.

Well the slide copier is not as good as the scanner but I have a way to go on the slide copier yet.

[hollywoodfred]

After researching this issue last winter, I finally chose the Canon Canoscan 9000F. My decision considered the features, online reviews, and price. These are currently selling new as low as $162 according to Google.

The 9000F has film guides for 35mm negatives, 353mm slides, and 120. The software is easy to use, and I'm satisfied with the results.

I also considered the Epson V500 and V700, as well as the PlusTek models. I chose the Canon over the Plustek due to price, and over the Epsons based on online reviews. But I probably would have been satisfied with any of them.

[keyofnight]

After researching this issue last winter, I finally chose the Canon Canoscan 9000F. My decision considered the features, online reviews, and price. These are currently selling new as low as $162 according to Google.

The 9000F has film guides for 35mm negatives, 353mm slides, and 120. The software is easy to use, and I'm satisfied with the results.

I also considered the Epson V500 and V700, as well as the PlusTek models. I chose the Canon over the Plustek due to price, and over the Epsons based on online reviews. But I probably would have been satisfied with any of them.

Hey I was wondering about the software that comes with the V700 and the 9000F—are Canon and Epson good about updating their Mac OS X software? Is the software good to begin with? Will I be able to scan using the drivers built into Mac OS X (and through Aperture 3)?

[hollywoodfred]

Hey I was wondering about the software that comes with the V700 and the 9000F—are Canon and Epson good about updating their Mac OS X software? Is the software good to begin with? Will I be able to scan using the drivers built into Mac OS X (and through Aperture 3)?

As a Windows 7 user, I can't speak to the Mac questions. But the 9000F is packaged with the Canon MP Navigator. It's easy for me to use - it has several modes of operation, auto-scan, basic, and advanced. I've only use the advance mode, and I haven't had a problem with the software yet.

[wombat2go]

Can Pentax Slide Copier do the job of a cheap flatbed scanner?

Trying to improve the fidelity of my first try yesterday
I worked out how to reverse the SMC Pentax 1:2.0 55mm in the bellows
Changed the body from M4/3 to ist ds
iso 400 f/5.6 pointing the slide copier at the blue sky
Reversed the neg so the dull side faces the camera
In Gimp:
Flip image, invert grayscale
De gamma of 1.33 for Tmax 400
Unsharp mask of 8, level 1.5
Fidelity is getting closer
https://www.box.com/s/1122137e5e76c4faa561
It is a crop because the 55mm can't reduce the image size to fit the sensor

I don't have a 50 mm macro here which I read is sharper across the plane than a conventional reversed lens.
But I have a Rodenstock Rogonar S 1:2.8 50 mm. Some tests with this lens reversed on the enlarger show this will match all: FF, the aps-c, and m4/3.
So I might go ahead and machine up 2 adaptors for the Rogonar to the Pentax Bellows set, also a bigger focussing knob for the Bellows.
I am focussing with the Pentax Magnifier M and actually I think getting focus is the limiting factor now.

[artobest]

Wombat, you've got a long way to go before you come close to the V600 scan. Your main problem seems to be blown highlights, but in general the tonality is weird and you seem to have wide-radius sharpening artefacts. The original scan, however, is quite nice.

[wombat2go]

Thanks, Arto, First i have to get a flat sharp image, to remove the need for that unsharp mask.

[stevebrot]

belongs in the scanner section?

[jolepp]

belongs in the scanner section?

Moved.