Slide duplicators for DSLRs -- do they exist?

Before the digital era, people would routinely duplicate slides and negatives using a macro lens or with a "slide

duplicator" SLR attachment (fits right on your SLR body, holds the film at the correct distance for 1:1

reproduction, and presumably contains a fixed-aperture, fixed-focus macro lens). You would simply aim the camera

at an evenly illuminated light source and bracket a few exposures to make your duplicates. I still have one of

these devices that I use to make B&W slides from negatives, and the quality is actually quite good.

 

Now that good-quality, high-resolution DSLRs are widespread, it seems to me that a "slide duplicator"-like DSLR

attachment optimized for the DX format would be an instant hit and could populate the low-end 35mm film scanner

market that has been mostly vacant since the demise of Minolta.

 

Does anyone know of a company that makes a device like this?

Given the low price of a good slide scanner I don't see the interest. The are very convenient, handle scratches much better and have the same type of resolution (megapixels) as modern dslr. Most people, I know, bought one used, scanned all their important slides than sold the unit for about the same price. You should check out doing that

 

Edmond

Sure

 

any pentax bellows will do just get an M42 adaptor for your specific mount.

 

Eg ... http://tinyurl.com/6b8ops

http://specialtyphotographic.stores.yahoo.net/slcounpro.html?gclid=CNTnneDagpUCFROI1Qod-hyCqg

 

http://www.kauserinternational.com/Photography/Ohnar/Copier/duplicator.htm

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=slide+copier&tag=googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=697246689&ref=pd_sl_21b5bj0oj9_e

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/105-3227908-0359656?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=slide+copier&x=15&y=20

Thanks for those links, Malcolm. So far as I can tell, those devices all attach to a lens -- in that sense they're more like screw-on close-up filters than macro lenses. I would be curious if any manufacturers are making slide copiers that mount directly on a DX-format DSLR.

 

Edmond, the cheapest mainstream film scanner available new is the Coolscan V ED from Nikon, $550 at B&H. There are cheaper models from Plustek and Pacific Image but they have not gotten good reviews here at Photo.net.

 

I actually already have a Minolta Scan Dual II. I have scanned thousands of negatives and slides with it, and it easily outperforms my much newer Epson 4490 flatbed for 35mm scans. It is slowly dying, though, and I no longer shoot enough 35mm to justify replacing it with another 35mm scanner. Maybe the solution is to try fluid-mounting 35mm with my 4490 to increase sharpness and resolution.

You should still be able to get get slide copiers that fit directly to the camera using 'T' mounts- see 35mm Film to 35mm Film SLR in the slide copier category at http://www.srb-griturn.com

 

The range of 'T' mounts available cover many digital SLRs

 

Unfortunately not inexpensive.

Malcolm, I have one (made by Ohnar) and it's great for copying 35mm negs to slides using motion picture print film. However, the effective focal length is too long for copying 35mm negs onto a DX-size (APS-C) digital sensor. You will only capture the central portion of the negative or slide being copied.

It's better to use a film scanner.

 

Godfrey

Sorry,as a film user I'd forgotten about the sensor size.

 

Next suggestion :

 

If your camera lens can focus down to 1" from the lens you could try this gadget - or even make your own !

 

http://www.shotcopy.com/whatissc.htm

A 1:1 macro lens on your DSLR will do a reasonably good job if you put some energy into it. A prime would be far better than zoom, of course, because you'll double the detail resolution overall and this will be especially obvious away from the center of the image (zooms aren't flat field, prime macros are).

 

You'll have trouble with contrast, just as you would duplicating slides using common slide films, but that could be exceptionally successful if you accepted the inevitable contrast change. For example, K64 was an amusing and sometimes useful duplicating film...you could keep all the highlight details if you didn't mind losing the shadows, and color could be superb (the results from normal contrast originals looked something like Velvia) :-)

 

Subtle HDR may have some potential here. As well, Photoshop's Dust and Spot filter, used lightly, might be helpful...there shouldn't be much of a dust problem if you use a blower (such as Giotto Rocket), especially you've stored your slides with normal respect (ie in boxes with lids)

<p>I designed a box that ties a DSLR with a Kodak slide projector in order to do the scans automatically for up to 80 slides at a time. You can see a description here <a href="http://www.avidia.dk/hardware.html">http://www.avidia.dk/hardware.html</a></p>