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08-06-2022, 10:45 PM   #19021
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I bought a $35 flat panel LED from Bunnings on Saturday, and tried using it as a lightbox to scan some of Dad's slides with the D-FA 100 macro on a tripod. The sharpness of the slide copies is way better than my flatbed scanner with slide holder. The downside is colour consistency. Quite often what I saw through the viewfinder and what I got as a RAW file looked quite different.
I suspect auto-white balance might be part of the problem, and I need to try again with manual white balance, but I need to figure how to set it first. I'm not sure if I should use full manual for exposure too, as if the backlight is consistent, presumably the exposure should remain the same?
I tried previously using a tablet setting the screen to white, but it wasn't bright enough to shine through minor defects on the slides, but the pixels that I couldn't see showed through in images.

Here's one from 1966 that didn't come out too badly.


08-07-2022, 12:22 AM - 2 Likes   #19022
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QuoteOriginally posted by Kiwizinho Quote
I bought a $35 flat panel LED from Bunnings on Saturday, and tried using it as a lightbox to scan some of Dad's slides with the D-FA 100 macro on a tripod. The sharpness of the slide copies is way better than my flatbed scanner with slide holder. The downside is colour consistency. Quite often what I saw through the viewfinder and what I got as a RAW file looked quite different.
I suspect auto-white balance might be part of the problem, and I need to try again with manual white balance, but I need to figure how to set it first. I'm not sure if I should use full manual for exposure too, as if the backlight is consistent, presumably the exposure should remain the same?
I tried previously using a tablet setting the screen to white, but it wasn't bright enough to shine through minor defects on the slides, but the pixels that I couldn't see showed through in images.

Here's one from 1966 that didn't come out too badly.
I found when I scanned mine that colour was all over the place - varying from film roll to roll.
I had a bit of a play with your one here and as I thought simply colour temperature won't do it.
Colour balance in Gimp settled it down a bit.
Presumably the Earnslaw was white back then. And I guess the beautiful water can throw a cast on that white. So there are so many variables.
But in the end the colour is a little secondary to the historic and nostalgic values of an old family image.
Best to use raw and then you will get maximum colour control. Colour temp can be set in raw developer. Darktable has a negative film converter - can't remember what it does with the colour positives.
I use a sguare exterior light from M10. And mask down to action area. Camera is set on an old enlarger pedestal. Always manual exposure and adjust if needed. That is what digital preview is for!.
It is the dust specks that drive me nuts - at least with your positives they are black!
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08-07-2022, 01:17 AM - 4 Likes   #19023
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I've been scanning my Grandad's slides recently, using a recalcitrant Epson scanner that frequently just gives up mid-scan. But I have managed 201 so far. Because of the frequent cut-outs, I'm just using Epson's own scanning software and it seems to do a pretty decent job on the colours. They certainly look believable and well saturated.

Here's one of the man himself with zero processing other than converting and scaling the original TIFFs to JPEG and adding the caption (ex the XMP field).
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08-07-2022, 01:20 AM   #19024
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QuoteOriginally posted by GUB Quote
That was the Q b&W rendering wasn't it? Really suits the image - look fresh out of the 1980s Chron.
Yes Mate, it's a handy setting to have on the smart dial

08-07-2022, 01:22 AM - 1 Like   #19025
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Well this is annoying. I have been searching for a post I remember, I was fairly sure in this thread but maybe not, but for the life of me, I cannot find it.

It was regarding exposing night shots so as not to blow out the highlights. I specifically remember example shots of a BP petrol station sign. Hopefully the author of the post remembers it and can identify themselves if not the post in question. Having a person will help narrow the search.

I shot this recently and I really like it, except I wish I hadn't blown out the direct light sources.

08-07-2022, 01:38 AM   #19026
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QuoteOriginally posted by zkarj Quote
Here's one of the man himself with zero processing other than converting and scaling the original TIFFs to JPEG and adding the caption (ex the XMP field).
That looks really good.

I have a Canon scanner. I think at the time of purchase, there was a toss up between a Canon and an Epson, and the Epson was twice the price but could scan negatives or transparencies up to the full platen area, but I didn't need that, so went with the Canon.

I'm fairly happy with colour from the scanner, but it captures noticeably less detail than using the DSLR, and it's dead slow.

Dad used a West German Franka rangefinder with a fixed 45mm/2.8 lens. Generally, the images have preserved remarkably well.

It's sobering thinking how we can get carried away worrying about AF speed, lens selection and so on, and yet a camera with a fixed focal length, and no electronics, could capture such a lot of precious memories.
08-07-2022, 01:41 AM - 1 Like   #19027
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QuoteOriginally posted by zkarj Quote
Well this is annoying. I have been searching for a post I remember, I was fairly sure in this thread but maybe not, but for the life of me, I cannot find it.

It was regarding exposing night shots so as not to blow out the highlights. I specifically remember example shots of a BP petrol station sign. Hopefully the author of the post remembers it and can identify themselves if not the post in question. Having a person will help narrow the search.

I shot this recently and I really like it, except I wish I hadn't blown out the direct light sources.

This one I think
Iso invariance - PentaxForums.com
A prerequisite of Raw.
And the need to underexpose only by bringing Iso back means you will tend towards manual control of your settings.
It is still a fundamental core of my photographic technique.

08-07-2022, 01:43 AM   #19028
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QuoteOriginally posted by zkarj Quote
Well this is annoying. I have been searching for a post I remember, I was fairly sure in this thread but maybe not, but for the life of me, I cannot find it.

It was regarding exposing night shots so as not to blow out the highlights. I specifically remember example shots of a BP petrol station sign. Hopefully the author of the post remembers it and can identify themselves if not the post in question. Having a person will help narrow the search.

I shot this recently and I really like it, except I wish I hadn't blown out the direct light sources.

Nice image, even with the blown highlights on the bright lights.

Interesting choice of CC license. I've sometimes thought about releasing some of my images under CC license, but in addition to non-commercial, I wish there was a non-political option.
08-07-2022, 01:56 AM   #19029
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QuoteOriginally posted by Kiwizinho Quote
Dad used a West German Franka rangefinder with a fixed 45mm/2.8 lens. Generally, the images have preserved remarkably well.
It's the old story - if you have a tool, and learn to use it well, then you generally will get good results
08-07-2022, 12:33 PM   #19030
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QuoteOriginally posted by GUB Quote
This one I think
Thanks, that's it.

QuoteOriginally posted by Kiwizinho Quote
Interesting choice of CC license.
Many years ago my brother came across one of my photos being passed off as someone else's. The site in question had a clear policy and contact link to report issues, which I did, and got absolutely zero response. After that I got carried away with watermarks for a bit before realising that I generally hate them on other people's photos when done to excess. I eventually came around to the fact that a small number of people are going to make/take copies regardless of what I do, while the majority who just want to enjoy the picture are going to be annoyed by an imposing watermark. I therefore settled on "as long as you're not making money, have at it." Only recently I have changed some of my best shots to a full copyright and put a much stronger branding on them, more as a sense of pride than any expectation they will be left alone by the copiers.

I have also demonstrated to myself that watermarks need to be very imposing before they're immune to someone with a little skill removing them anyway. I've seen some people put their simple copyright text up in the middle of the picture so it cannot simply be cropped out, but it can be simply removed by modern editing software like Photoshop or Affinity Photo. So you literally have to do an overlay on the subject, and even then if you're too subtle it can often be removed.

You may note on my images I often make the watermarks very pale (I simply adjust the opacity to suit each photograph) and always in the corners (usually the bottom, occasionally the top when the photo demands it) so they are easily cropped out. The flip side is the permissive licensing encourages non-commercial users to just leave it in, which is a bonus for me.
08-07-2022, 04:29 PM - 2 Likes   #19031
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My DA 12-24/4 showed up today, in immaculate condition in the original box. It didn't get held up in customs and seems like they've not bothered with charging GST.
Unfortunately the weather is miserable, so there's not really likely to be anything worth photographing for a couple of days.

This is who I bought it from https://www.eddysummers.com.au/

Given that Pentax Australia were prepared to loan him a K-3 III to get him to do a review, I think I'll take his word that the 12-24 is an excellent lens, but I can also see why APS-C only lenses are maybe a bit surplus to his requirements.
08-07-2022, 04:35 PM   #19032
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QuoteOriginally posted by Kiwizinho Quote
My DA 12-24/4 showed up today, in immaculate condition in the original box. It didn't get held up in customs and seems like they've not bothered with charging GST.
Unfortunately the weather is miserable, so there's not really likely to be anything worth photographing for a couple of days.

This is who I bought it from https://www.eddysummers.com.au/

Given that Pentax Australia were prepared to loan him a K-3 III to get him to do a review, I think I'll take his word that the 12-24 is an excellent lens, but I can also see why APS-C only lenses are maybe a bit surplus to his requirements.
I think you will find he is Bruce Banner here. He posted in the iso invariant link above.
I would say a guy with a very steep learning curve.
08-07-2022, 05:08 PM   #19033
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QuoteOriginally posted by Kiwizinho Quote
My DA 12-24/4 showed up today, in immaculate condition in the original box. ...
Nice congrats !
Wide is good
08-08-2022, 01:54 AM   #19034
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QuoteOriginally posted by GUB Quote
I would say a guy with a very steep learning curve.
I see he engaged in quite a lot of ongoing discussion in that thread.
08-08-2022, 03:41 AM - 1 Like   #19035
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QuoteOriginally posted by Kiwizinho Quote
I see he engaged in quite a lot of ongoing discussion in that thread.
Yeah - he didn't seem to understand the colour curves / histogram tool.
And now 5 years on he is doing utubes. I think he is a professional photog and I guess 5 years gets you a doctorate!
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