You Don't Need A Scanner When You Have A Pentax K-1

Fenwoodian · 01-04-2020, 03:48 PM - **6 Likes**

.
15-years ago I scanned most of my medium format slides on an expensive Heidelburg flatbed scanner. The scanner broke down and I never did get around to scanning my 35mm slides and print negatives.

A fews weeks ago I purchased and inexpensive Nikon ES-2 Film Digitizing Adapter. I finally got around to using it to scan my ancient 35mm slides and negatives.

I used the below Vivitar macro M42 lens on my K-1. I've tried many macro lenses, and in head to head tests, this lens was found to be the sharpest macro that I tested. In fact, when properly focused, I can see individual film grains in the slides. This lens has a 62mm filter thread, which is needed for the Nikon ES-2. You can probably use other macro lenses, but you would need an adapter if the front filter threads are not 62mm.

Taking photos of the slides was easy. However, it took a considerable amount of experimentation to nail the best settings for shooting the negatives.

Once I got the hang of it everything went pretty quickly, and the results were better than I had expected.

Below are the K-1 settings that I ended up using in case you are interested:

1. Slides - large jpg files, APS-C crop, natural color setting, ISO 1600, no IBIS, f/4.5 , 1/90th

2. Negatives - large jpg files, APS-C crop, digital filter set on "Invert Colors", flat color setting, no IBIS, ISO 1600, f/5.6 (not as flat as slides), 1/10th second

I'm not sure APS-C Pentax cameras have a digital filter setting that can be set to "Invert Colors". You need this setting in order to shoot the negatives.

Also, the young boys in the below photos are my sons - they're all in their 40's now.
.

Last edited by Fenwoodian; 05-06-2020 at 10:47 PM.

tvdtvdtvd · 01-04-2020, 04:09 PM

How did you illuminate the slides?

Fenwoodian · 01-04-2020, 04:39 PM

Originally posted by tvdtvdtvd

How did you illuminate the slides?

Held the end about 4 - 6 inches away from a dining room light fixture. Used average white balance.

2B1 · 01-04-2020, 04:46 PM - **1 Like**

Cheers for posting this.

---------- Post added 01-04-20 at 04:51 PM ----------

Fenwoodian :

Just curios.

Why have you shot the negatives in crop mode and not full frame mode

and is there a reason for using the invert colours settings , in preference to others?

Fenwoodian · 01-04-2020, 05:02 PM

Originally posted by 2B1

Cheers for posting this.

---------- Post added 01-04-20 at 04:51 PM ----------

Fenwoodian :

Just curios.

Why have you shot the negatives in crop mode and not full frame mode

and is there a reason for using the invert colours settings , in preference to others?

.

If you don't shoot in crop mode you will need to do a lot of cropping in post.

Only the "invert colors" mode will work on negatives. The only other option that I can think of would be to invert colors in post, but I don't know how to do that.

.

**pres589** · 01-04-2020, 05:08 PM - **1 Like**

You can create a tone curve invert preset in Lightroom to do a straight inversion. Negative Lab Pro is a plugin like Nik Collection that works with Lightroom and it's how I do my negative copying with my DSLR. I like the results I get, and arrive at faster, using Negative Lab Pro.

I've heard good things about that 55mm f2.8 Macro. I'm using a Kino Precision 105mm Macro and a K-5 II for DSLR negative copying. Still have to do some cropping but that allows me to be slightly less than perfect in my placement of the negative.

**sergysergy** · 01-04-2020, 06:01 PM

very nice. Out of curiosity, does the aperture number make a big difference?

Not a Number · 01-04-2020, 06:59 PM

Looking at the user instructions it seems the attachment is designed to be used with the Micro Nikkor 40mm AF-S DX (crop) or the Micro Nikkor 60mm AF-S/AF. The attachment is screwed directly to the 40mm or uses the short (A) or long (B) adapter for the 60mm AF-S or AF, respectively.

I wonder how this attachment would work with the Pentax 35mm DA macro on a crop body or crop mode on the K-1.

Have you tried it with the short (A) adapter on the Vivitar lens?

Long ago Pentax made a similar slide holder for use with 50mm lenses (either macro or a normal lens with tubes):
PENTAX Slide Holder 1x, K reviews - Pentax Camera Accessory Review Database

**jumbleview** · 01-04-2020, 07:37 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by Fenwoodian

.

If you don't shoot in crop mode you will need to do a lot of cropping in post.

Only the "invert colors" mode will work on negatives. The only other option that I can think of would be to somehow figure out how to invert colors in post, but I don't know how to do that.

.

Here is the tutorial of how to invert negative in lightroom

You Tube

I do not have Adobe subscription but I tried the same with GIMP. Works approximately the same.

**ismaelg** · 01-04-2020, 08:52 PM

Thanks for posting this!
I got a M50 f4 macro with this purpose in mind , but haven't complete the setup yet.

Thanks,

**BigDave** · 01-04-2020, 10:16 PM

Excellent technique, thanks for sharing!

Fenwoodian · 01-04-2020, 10:43 PM

Originally posted by Not a Number

Have you tried it with the short (A) adapter on the Vivitar lens?

.
Great question. Yes I have - it's just a tiny bit too short to achieve good focus.
.

hypermodern · 01-04-2020, 11:49 PM

Good results, don’t suppose anyone ever made one of these for 6x6 negatives?

Fenwoodian · 01-04-2020, 11:59 PM

Originally posted by hypermodern

Good results, don’t suppose anyone ever made one of these for 6x6 negatives?

.
.
Not to my knowledge.

Please note that the b&w portrait I posted above was made from a 6x6 Hassy medium format negative. I trimmed it down a bit with a scissors to fit into the 35mm sized negative carrier. Would you consider that to be "radical cropping"?

hypermodern · 01-05-2020, 12:14 AM

Originally posted by Fenwoodian

.
.
Not to my knowledge.

Please note that the b&w portrait I posted above was make from a 6x6 Hassy medium format negative. I trimmed it down a bit with a scissors to fit into the 35mm sized negative carrier. Would you consider that to be "radical cropping"?

Trimmed, as in with scissors?!

01-04-2020, 03:48 PM - 6 Likes	#1
Fenwoodian Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,874	You Don't Need A Scanner When You Have A Pentax K-1 . 15-years ago I scanned most of my medium format slides on an expensive Heidelburg flatbed scanner. The scanner broke down and I never did get around to scanning my 35mm slides and print negatives. A fews weeks ago I purchased and inexpensive Nikon ES-2 Film Digitizing Adapter. I finally got around to using it to scan my ancient 35mm slides and negatives. I used the below Vivitar macro M42 lens on my K-1. I've tried many macro lenses, and in head to head tests, this lens was found to be the sharpest macro that I tested. In fact, when properly focused, I can see individual film grains in the slides. This lens has a 62mm filter thread, which is needed for the Nikon ES-2. You can probably use other macro lenses, but you would need an adapter if the front filter threads are not 62mm. Taking photos of the slides was easy. However, it took a considerable amount of experimentation to nail the best settings for shooting the negatives. Once I got the hang of it everything went pretty quickly, and the results were better than I had expected. Below are the K-1 settings that I ended up using in case you are interested: 1. Slides - large jpg files, APS-C crop, natural color setting, ISO 1600, no IBIS, f/4.5 , 1/90th 2. Negatives - large jpg files, APS-C crop, digital filter set on "Invert Colors", flat color setting, no IBIS, ISO 1600, f/5.6 (not as flat as slides), 1/10th second I'm not sure APS-C Pentax cameras have a digital filter setting that can be set to "Invert Colors". You need this setting in order to shoot the negatives. Also, the young boys in the below photos are my sons - they're all in their 40's now. . Last edited by Fenwoodian; 05-06-2020 at 10:47 PM.

01-04-2020, 05:02 PM	#5
Fenwoodian Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,874 Original Poster	Originally posted by 2B1 Cheers for posting this. ---------- Post added 01-04-20 at 04:51 PM ---------- Fenwoodian : Just curios. Why have you shot the negatives in crop mode and not full frame mode and is there a reason for using the invert colours settings , in preference to others? . If you don't shoot in crop mode you will need to do a lot of cropping in post. Only the "invert colors" mode will work on negatives. The only other option that I can think of would be to invert colors in post, but I don't know how to do that. . Last edited by Fenwoodian; 01-05-2020 at 09:58 AM.

01-04-2020, 11:59 PM	#14
Fenwoodian Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,874 Original Poster	Originally posted by hypermodern Good results, don’t suppose anyone ever made one of these for 6x6 negatives? . . Not to my knowledge. Please note that the b&w portrait I posted above was made from a 6x6 Hassy medium format negative. I trimmed it down a bit with a scissors to fit into the 35mm sized negative carrier. Would you consider that to be "radical cropping"? Last edited by Fenwoodian; 01-05-2020 at 09:52 AM.

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01-04-2020, 04:09 PM	#2
tvdtvdtvd Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 1,665	How did you illuminate the slides?

01-04-2020, 04:39 PM	#3
Fenwoodian Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,874 Original Poster	Originally posted by tvdtvdtvd How did you illuminate the slides? Held the end about 4 - 6 inches away from a dining room light fixture. Used average white balance.

01-04-2020, 04:46 PM - 1 Like	#4
2B1 Forum Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 72	Cheers for posting this. ---------- Post added 01-04-20 at 04:51 PM ---------- Fenwoodian : Just curios. Why have you shot the negatives in crop mode and not full frame mode and is there a reason for using the invert colours settings , in preference to others?

01-04-2020, 05:08 PM - 1 Like	#6
pres589 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Wichita, KS Photos: Albums Posts: 4,529	You can create a tone curve invert preset in Lightroom to do a straight inversion. Negative Lab Pro is a plugin like Nik Collection that works with Lightroom and it's how I do my negative copying with my DSLR. I like the results I get, and arrive at faster, using Negative Lab Pro. I've heard good things about that 55mm f2.8 Macro. I'm using a Kino Precision 105mm Macro and a K-5 II for DSLR negative copying. Still have to do some cropping but that allows me to be slightly less than perfect in my placement of the negative.

01-04-2020, 06:01 PM	#7
sergysergy Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,171	very nice. Out of curiosity, does the aperture number make a big difference?

01-04-2020, 06:59 PM	#8
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	Looking at the user instructions it seems the attachment is designed to be used with the Micro Nikkor 40mm AF-S DX (crop) or the Micro Nikkor 60mm AF-S/AF. The attachment is screwed directly to the 40mm or uses the short (A) or long (B) adapter for the 60mm AF-S or AF, respectively. I wonder how this attachment would work with the Pentax 35mm DA macro on a crop body or crop mode on the K-1. Have you tried it with the short (A) adapter on the Vivitar lens? Long ago Pentax made a similar slide holder for use with 50mm lenses (either macro or a normal lens with tubes): PENTAX Slide Holder 1x, K reviews - Pentax Camera Accessory Review Database

01-04-2020, 08:52 PM	#10
ismaelg Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Puerto Rico Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,681	Thanks for posting this! I got a M50 f4 macro with this purpose in mind , but haven't complete the setup yet. Thanks,

01-04-2020, 10:16 PM	#11
BigDave Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Hudson Valley, NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,626	Excellent technique, thanks for sharing!

01-04-2020, 10:43 PM	#12
Fenwoodian Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,874 Original Poster	Originally posted by Not a Number Have you tried it with the short (A) adapter on the Vivitar lens? . Great question. Yes I have - it's just a tiny bit too short to achieve good focus. .

01-04-2020, 11:49 PM	#13
hypermodern Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 131	Good results, don’t suppose anyone ever made one of these for 6x6 negatives?

01-05-2020, 12:14 AM	#15
hypermodern Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 131	Originally posted by Fenwoodian . . Not to my knowledge. Please note that the b&w portrait I posted above was make from a 6x6 Hassy medium format negative. I trimmed it down a bit with a scissors to fit into the 35mm sized negative carrier. Would you consider that to be "radical cropping"? Trimmed, as in with scissors?!