Convert negatives to slides?

<p>After having enjoyed taking b&w photos for a long period of time I'd like to make good use of the negatives and memories. Unfortunately I no longer have access to a darkroom and the logical consequence of this seems to be digitizing the collection which for many reasons is a good idea. However, I was thinking if it is possible to convert negatives to slides to then be able to show them on a slide projector. I'm not saying that it makes great economic or practical sense but if it was possible it would be a fun way to share photos with other.<br>

My question is therefore, is it possible with the help of a slide duplicator to insert an original negative and take a photo of it with a new negative. This new negative would hopefully be the opposite of the original negative and therefore be able to be used in a slide projector. From a internet searches and searches in this forum I have not stumbled upon similar attempts which makes me think I am missing several layers of complexity from this line of thought. Can anyone tell me why this is not possible or has anyone been successful in this approach?</p>

<p>Whilst the colours might be approximately correct, you will still have the orange tint of the film base. </p>

<p>I don't know if a clear base colour negative film exists any more but that is what you would need to do this.</p>

<p>Did you realize that the entire motion picture industry was based on doing just what you are asking about? The movies delivered to the theater are accurately called prints, as the movies where shot in negatives. I believe you can still get "print" film (very low ISO) in bulk.</p>

<p>I don't think it would be too difficult to make a diy rig for the exposure task.</p>

<p>Since the OP says he shoots B&W, the idea becomes more practical, as you don't have to worry about the film base color, only increased grain. We used to do this 50 years ago for B&W slide projection when we couldn't get B&W positive film. In fact, there was an even easier process then. Ponder & Best in NYC sold a product called "Slide-O-Film", which was a very low ISO negative film (think something like ISO 1) but it didn't have a silver base. In low light one would take your B&W negative and put a piece of Slide-O-Film against it in a slide mount, insert both into a slide projector, and turn on the projector to expose the Slid-O-Film for about 5-10 seconds. The Slide-O-Film was then removed, and immersed (developed) in a cup of boiling water for about a minute. What resulted was a "negative" in which whites were clear and blacks were milky white. You would then mount your new "negative" in a blank slide mount and use it like a normal slide in your projector. The milky white area was dense enough that when intense light from the projector shined on it, it created a shadow on your screen simulating black. Its tonal range wasn't nearly as wide as the original negative, but you now had a B&W slide from your original negative to share with others in the ubiquitous "slide show".</p>

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<p>Since the OP says he shoots B&W, the idea becomes more practical</p>

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<p>How did I miss that bit?!</p>

<p>Yes. Much more practical with black and white. You just need a low contrast film/developer combination.</p>

<p>You want a 100 foot roll of Eastman 5302. That's the B&W motion picture "release print" film, which has a completely clear base. Normally, you would use it by contact printing. Which would require a darkroom, or access to one.<br>

One way that makes it easier would be to get a used ELIDA contact printer made by Leica. Put the 5302 in it. That way you only need a dark place (with red safelight, since 5302 isn't color sensitized), and then you can develop it on a reel in a tank.</p>

 

<p>A high contrast film is needed because the B&W negative necessarily has lower contrast than the subject. We once used Kodak Tech Pan developed in Dektol for this. I'm not familiar with the currently available fine grain high contrast films.</p>

<p>Hi, they say great minds think alike. I may not be in that category, but at least we have been asking ourselves the same question. I'd like to give Fuji Acros a go, very clear base, but I haven't found an easy way to duplicate the negs yet. I keep those on strips, 6 negs a piece. Probably could contactprint them keeping a new film intact (I don't want to wind up with lots of loose strips), but I guess I'm looking for a short-cut. There are rigs that will let you photograph the slide, but only if already mounted. What I want to do is take a photograph of unmounted negs, thus converting them into a positives, and mount the positives only.<br>

So keep the ideas coming, they are appreciated....</p>

 

<p>Not hard at all. Buy some ortho sheet film from freestyle ,contact print 35mm negs ,develop in kodak dektol paper developer 1:9. End result continuous tone slides. You can even tone them. All you need are slide mounts.I used a cibachrome drum and a changing bag.The film is so slow you can flash it with the bathroom light switch. Chris</p>

<p>Lambertus--I used to have a Pentax Auto Bellows K with a Pentax duplicating attachment that screwed in to the bellows rail that accepted both mounted slides and film strips. I'm sure there must be other brands around that did the same thing.<br>

re the original question--I also used to make black and white slides from my 4x5 negatives with Kodak Fine Grain Positive Release Film (I think that is the same as the 5302 mentioned above) and selenium tone them. Since the film was slow--about ASA 2 or 3, as I recall, I even managed a little dodging and burning on some of the slides by putting the negatives on a light box in a 4x5 negative carrier surrounded with black paper and stopping the lens down enough for a long time interval. They looked far better than any color slides of finished prints.</p>

<p>For heaven's sake! Just hang around eBay for a while until you see one of these:<br>

Leitz Eldia35 mm film strip printer.<br>

Use any B&W neg film you like, but the slower the better for controlling exposure.<br>

Ortho film, usually around 25 ASA and permits work in red safe light. With ortho you can do everything, load the unit, exposures with improvised light (low watt at least a meter away) and load the developing tank all whilst seeing what you are doing. If you can get hold of the Fine Grain Release Film mentioned above, go fo it. Otherwise improvise.<br>

Working under red light also allows you to observe negs of varying density as they come into the frame.<br>

The biggest challenge is to create a dust free environment.<br>

The rest is a piece of cake.<br>

I use both Christophers method of ortho sheet film and an Eldia, depending on the task and format.<br>

Read about the Eldia and other equipment here: <a href="http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/entry_D105.html">www.earlyphotography.co.uk</a></p>

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<p>Now I realize that this is a film processing forum but I think it would be much easier with probably better results, to just scan the negatives and convert them to positives. Save the positive image file onto a CD or DVD and put into a Powerpoint presentation. Then you can view them on any computer or use a video projector. My guess is that older B/W negatives will be helped with some photo editing software, like Photoshop Elements.</p>

<p>@Randy:<br>

Been there, done that. No fun to do, hardly any fun to watch. Kids agree, they like the setting up, the dark, in other words the magic lantern atmosphere. So for me this is about more than just reproducing an image.</p>

 

<p>@Kevin<br>

Thanks, looking into it....</p>

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<p>Been there, done that. No fun to do, hardly any fun to watch. Kids agree, they like the setting up, the dark, in other words the magic lantern atmosphere. So for me this is about more than just reproducing an image.</p>

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<p>Absolutely. A few months ago, we had an old fashioned slide show of my late father's slides, projected just like he used to do it.</p>

<p>Scanning and viewing on a TV drags it down to the standard of any other TV programme. i.e. boring, same as everything else on TV and incapable of maintaining people's attention.</p>

<p>With a proper projector it has a certain novelty factor which keeps people (especially my children so it seems) interested. If it was just a TV viewing, people would start to chat to each other, do other things and miss half of it.</p>

<p>And coming up with:<br>

http://silfver.blogspot.com/2007/01/eldia-interesting-and-quirkybut-is-it.html</p>

<p><strong>The Slide And Negative to Digital Picture Converter </strong></p>

 

This device converts old 35mm <strong>slides</strong> and film <strong>negatives</strong> into digital images without the need for a computer, allowing you to easily preserve your memories.