Technique Guide - How to scan with a digital camera
This guide will take you through all the information you need to scan your film using a digital camera.
It is split into sections. However, we do recommend that you glance over the whole guide, as even experienced scanners could come across something new.
This guide is under constant construction - if you feel something is missing, feel free to reach out to us through the usual channels.
This guide and much of VALOI was in part made possible by generous members of community, particularly Facebook groups such as "Digital Film Scan Tools", "Digitizing film with a digital camera", "Negative Lab Pro Users" and some very knowledgeable members of those. We have checked and verified information from those and other sources to help you learn camera scanning with the best information.
Video Guide for the 360 System
Video: How To DSLR Scan || Scanning
Anyone can learn to make amazing scans using a digital camera! Part of our goal is to make it easy and accessible to learn for anyone.
We teamed up with Nicolas Llasera who runs the channel Nico's Photography Show on YouTube, focusing on informing and teaching people in the film community. Below you can find a guide to setting up your system, full of important tips that will make your scanning better and easier.
There will be more content like this in the future, but this video contains the most important things you need to know.
Setting Up for the 360 System
Getting Started Guide for the 360 System
The most up to date version of the VALOI Getting Started Guide can be found as a downloadable PDF on the VALOI Product Operating Manuals page.
Assembling the VALOI Advancer
We teamed up with community member and friend of Valoi, Nico Llasera to make a video on how to assemble the Valoi Advancer in a few simple steps. The same steps are listed in the Getting Started Guide.
Follow these simple steps from start to finish to ensure your system is properly set up.
Attaching the camera
Attach the camera securely so that the camera does not move once attached.
If your attachment point uses a quick-release plate, a lot of the cheaper ones are not easy to tighten sufficiently with your hands - use pliers if you must.
Attach the camera as close as possible to parallel with the base of your scanning setup (the table, or the base of the copystand). This first adjustment is just by eye and is not accurate but it makes the leveling process easier later (see Align and Level).
Preparing the Holder
Select the right Holder for your film: refer to the 360 Getting Started Guide if you are unsure.
If you are using the Holder on its own, make sure the rubber stick-on feet are attached. Unless your light source is very well diffused, we also recommend that you use our Diffuser underneath the Holder for more even lighting. When scanning, you want to feed the film into the Holder from the end with the VALOI 360 Logo on it.
If you are using a Holder in the Advancer, make sure the VALOI 360 is placed on the side furthest away from the rollers and ensure that the rollers are set to the correct width for the film you are scanning.
Dimming the Lights
Turn off any lights in the room you are scanning in other than the light source under your film. Also, draw your curtains if you're scanning during the daytime.
The weaker your scanning lightsource is, the more important this step.
Failing to turn off lights in the room is one of the most common errors when starting out. It will result in areas of colour cast that is not part of the image on the film. This is caused by reflections from, for example, an over-head room light that the camera sees.
Another alternative is to make a hood between your film and camera lens which blocks out any outside light. The downside is that this blocks your view of the film making it harder to advance accurately.
In the images we can see the same picture scanned twice - once with dimmed lighting and another time with strong light nearby. As you can see in the second one, contrast is reduced and there are two areas of reflections (in the top right corner and the black spot on the left).
Align and level
To create a final scan with perfect 90° corners you will need your camera sensor and film to be perfectly parallel. This means that one plane is not slanted relative to the other. If your camera is not perfectly parallel to your film, not only will your image not be a perfect square but one side of the image will be out of focus.
There are two methods of making your film and camera parallel:
- Use a level: With a level (bubble or electronic), adjust both the Advancer's leveling feet and camera until they are perfectly level. The downside of this is that if your table is not very level, it will be hard to do, and most levels are not accurate enough for our uses. If you do use this method, an electronic level is recommended.
- 'The Mirror Trick': You will need a small-ish mirror that is completely flat on the back. A cheap make-up mirror taken out of its frame is usually good, or you can use the VALOI Leveling Mirror, which was designed for this leveling method.
Put together your setup so you are ready to scan, then put the mirror on top of your VALOI Holder. Now, when you turn on your camera, the camera will see itself in the mirror. Focus that image so the front of the lens is sharp.
Now line up the middle of the lens aperture (the little 'hole' in the lens) with the middle of your screen or viewfinder. If your camera can turn on a grid on the screen, turn that on so you don't have to guess where the middle is. Adjust the camera, you may use the rubber feet to help you get it perfectly parallel.
Once the middle of your screen and the middle of your aperture are lined up, you know your camera is pointing straight down.
You can now focus the camera back on the film and continue getting ready to scan.
We recommend checking alignment of your camera and holder for each session of scanning to ensure the best results.
Framing
Good framing of your film scan is that which utilizes the largest possible area of the sensor and thus maximizes the resolution, but at the same time cuts off a minimal amount of the original image.
There are two main approaches:
-
Loose Framing: Frame the image with a solid border so that you can capture the full image. Film photographers are often concerned with getting the full frame, even to the point of leaving a black edge in their final displayed image.
The benefit is of course that you get all of the image.
There are two downsides: firstly, you lose some resolution. If you scan with, for example, a 24MP camera, and you capture with a 10% edge outside the actual frame, the actual image is 'only' 21.6MP.
Secondly, and perhaps more important, is that if you desire this 'perfect' framing, either post-processing or scanning will take longer since each frame has to be cropped individually to account for the 1-2mm difference in framing on each image. - Tight Framing: Frame with minimal border and auto-crop. This is more in line with what most labs will do with your film: they crop off 5-10% of the captured image to ensure any misalignment of frame is cropped out and you don't get any border in your image.
The benefits of this are maximum resolution and speed: set up your camera to capture just a tiny bit of the frame around the film, scan quickly through the roll. Then apply a crop in your post-processing software, and sync that same crop across all your frames. most software like Adobe Lightroom are able to batch-process your images like this. The process is quick and skips the tedious nature of cropping each image individually, at the cost of losing a tiny bit of your image.
Note: If you use software like Negative Lab Pro or Grain2Pixel to convert negatives, these will require a small edge to be present that it can use as a reference for white balance and black-point. Keep this in mind when you frame.
Focusing
Generally you only need to set your focus once for each scanning session.
With an auto-focus lens, simply frame and then hit focus on your lens. Check focus manually by using the zoom magnifying function on your camera, if it has it.
Focusing a manual lens on such close objects is a bit more tricky. Firstly, you need to make sure you have a lens that can focus close enough - refer to the VALOI Guides if you're not sure about your lens.
When focusing a manual lens on close objects you will run into a phenomenon called focus breathing - in short, this is where focusing your lens closer leads to bringing it closer to the object, which in turn means you have to focus even closer. It also means that you can frame your image perfectly, then adjust focus and suddenly your framing is wrong.
Before you start focusing, set your aperture to as open as it will go (this is the smallest possible number) - this will give you the most accurate focusing. However, remember to 'stop down' your lens to the 'working aperture'. (Read the next section Camera Settings to see how to find the optimal aperture of your camera.)
To get the best results with both good framing and crisp focus, start by framing your image roughly, then focus roughly to the right distance. You will see your framing has changed - now adjust the framing again. Now your focusing has changed - refocus. You will have to repeat this 3-5 times, depending on how accurate and careful you are - that is fine and normal.
To check if your image is in focus, enable focus magnification on your camera, if it has it (if it does not, do your best by looking at a sharp edge on the negative). You will find that there is a fine grain structure that you can use to focus on - if you cannot see this you are either out of focus, your lens is unsharp or your camera does not allow enough focus magnification. If this is the case, then find an area of sharp contrast, such as the edge of the frame, to focus on.
Camera Settings
What settings should you use on your camera?
This is a common question, and one that depends a lot on your camera. The way you find these settings on each brand of camera also varies quite a bit. Below you will find some general instructions on how to adjust your settings for the best results:
ISO
Set the ISO on your camera as low as possible (without going into the 'pull' ISO settings, sometimes indicated by a line underneath the numbers - you can find the lowest 'base' ISO on your camera by googling the model. Ensure that your camera is not set to Auto ISO.
Aperture
The best aperture for your lens will vary, however, it is never either at the top or bottom of the scale. A good rule-of-thumb is taking the widest aperture (smallest number) and going up two stops, so if the widest aperture is f/2.8 you go: f/2.8 -> f/4 -> f/5.6.
To find the true best aperture of your lens, you can do tests: find a good, sharp negative, and scan it several times with different apertures - then observe the results and pick the best one.
Note: If you are using a normal lens (not macro-lens) with extension tubes, it is generally better to stop down the lens to f/16 or lower: it will result in less sharpness in the centre of the image but give you much better sharpness in the corners as the deeper depth of field counteracts the focus-field-curvature that these lenses have.
Manual vs Aperture Priority
You will get good results by leaving your camera in AP (Aperture Priority) mode, which is also nice and easy. However, you can get more 'true' results from your film by scanning the whole roll using the Manual setting and a constant exposure. Ignore 'Program' mode or 'Auto' - they are not suitable for scanning.
Note: some negative conversion software, like Grain2Pixel, will give better results more quickly if you scan using consistent settings because it has to do less analyzing. Using the Manual setting is therefore sometimes beneficial.
Exposure
For negatives, you want to expose slightly brighter than 'proper' exposure (as metered by your digital camera) to counteract the orange mask.
If you are using AP mode, simply dial in +0.7EV (two thirds of a stop) of exposure compensation.
If you are using Manual mode, find a well exposed frame and frame and focus on it - then change your shutter speed until your meter reads +0.7EV - +1.0EV. Leave that setting when scanning. This will also give you a good impression of what frame are over exposed and which are under exposed - potentially showing you something about your technique or the proper operation of your camera.
Shutter speed
Either let your camera select the appropriate shutter speed (after dialing in +0.7EV EV exposure compensation as described above) or choose it manually. If you need to change the exposure (the brightness of the image), then you do that by adjusting the shutter speed . Never adjust the ISO or Aperture if you need your image brighter or darker - use the shutter speed instead.
Focusing and composition aids
To help make in-focus scans with proper framing, some specific camera settings are useful. Some of these features are only available on mirrorless cameras or newer DSLR cameras:
- Turn on focus peaking, if your camera has it. This will colour in the areas that are sharply in focus.
- Turn on focus magnification. This lets you zoom in to your picture and see the focus more finely.
- Turn on a square grid. This makes it easier to position the film where it should be, and helps you find the middle of the frame if you use the mirror technique for leveling your camera.
Scanning
Dust
Removing dust from your table, holder and stand before you scan is important to keep your film clean.
Avoiding dust and scratches on your film will make the result cleaner and save you time manually removing imperfections.
Make sure to clean your surfaces.
Avoid that the film touches the floor or excessing rubbing against the table.
Laying the film on its side on the entry and exit might help avoid dust and scratches.
Try our VALOI Dusters to help keep your film clean.
Emulsion Down
We recommend scanning with the emulsion side (matte side) down for the best flatness and results.
We recommend scanning with the emulsion side down when using our holders.
To find the emulsion side, look for the matte side - this side should face down towards your light source when scanning.
You will hear, on the internet, that scanning emulsion side up will give better results. This is not true in our extensive testing and you can scan emulsion side down with confidence.
The myth likely stems from flatbed scanners with no focusing ability.
Camera Release
We highly recommend you get a remote camera release to speed up your process, but you can also use the 2s timer most cameras have.
The quality of your lens and camera are almost irrelevant if you have strong vibrations.
To avoid them, use a remote camera release - each brand of camera maker usually has their own.
It will also help to have a stable tripod/copystand and table.
Working Finding a light source that gives high shutter speeds also help a lot - see our Guides for more.
Record Data
Archiving your film well is very important - Keep a record of each film with a unique number that you put on both the negative sleeve and the computer folder for each roll.
Archiving your film properly is perhaps not very exciting, but it is how you will find the scans and corresponding films later.
There are many good systems for archiving, but the simplest is to mark each roll and the corresponding scanned folder with one unique number and a short description:
A date based system is useful for generating unique numbers:
Template: DDMMYY_NO - description
Example: 050621_01 - holiday in Portugal
If you ever need to find back to the film, the code will lead you right back to it if you archive your films in order by date.
Post Processing
Using the right tool for converting negatives to positives is very important, especially for colour negative film. Click below to read more about the tools that are available.
If you scan negatives, they have to converted into positives.
You can do this manually in a program like Lightroom or Dark Table, but getting good results manually is hard.
We recommend you use one of the below tools:
FilmLab - A standalone program for Mac or Windows that requires some manual input to get the best results. It is made to feel a bit like a colour darkroom in use.
Negative Lab Pro - Perhaps the most popular option, and a plugin for Lightroom. Expensive, but praised for good colour.
Grain2Pixel - A free plugin for Photoshop that gives really good results but requires a relatively powerful computer to run well.
Whole Rolls
We recommend scanning whole rolls, then cutting. Most labs will happily give you back film in full rolls. Once scanned, you will probably not have to rescan whole rolls, and it's fine to cut it into strips.
We recommend scanning whole rolls of film with our system.
Most film labs will happily give you rolls back uncut, if you ask for it.
We chose to design a system for this because more and more people develop film at home and because it maximizes speed.
However, you can also use VALOI holders on strips - users report that strips as short as 2 frames works quite well.
Debugging
Find solutions to bad scanning results.
The 120 Holder lifts from the Advancer when the Duster is used.
This is a known problem and will be fixed in future revisions. The easiest solution is to put a finger on top of the back of the holder when advancing. This ensure that the Holder stays in place and resolves issues with framing or focus.
The Film Holder lifts out of the Advancer
This can happen if the film is very stiff, curly or if using the Duster with the 120 Holder. We are aware of these problems and will work towards fixes in future versions. While advancing film, we recommend you put a finger on the back of the holder to keep it from moving.
The Holder moves on the table
Attach the included rubber dome feet, put slight pressure on the film holder when moving film.
Patches of colour shift or low contrast
Reflections: Turn off the lights in the room you are scanning and shade your negative from light outside your scanning light source.
Uneven light or vignetting around the edge: Diffuse your light further (the VALOI Diffuser could help), or make sure you are using a light source with even lighting.
The corners of the image has a weird colour/is brighter
Lens vignetting: Try stopping the lens down further (bigger F-number), use a correction software such as that built into Lightroom or a plugin like Grain2Pixel, alternatively you have to change your lens for a different one with less vignetting (see the VALOI Gear Guide).
Normal lenses (non-Macro) on extension tubes tend to have vignetting.
Blurry results/lower resolution than expected
- Shutter vibrations (mirrorless camera): Use electronic shutter (silent shutter) if your camera has it, use electronic front curtain shutter if your camera has it
- Shutter vibrations (DSLR): Use mirror-lockup if your camera has it
- Lens: Change the lens for a macro lens if using normal lens + extension tubes
- Focus: Check focus, use focus peaking and liveview magnification, focus on the largest aperture of the lens and stop down before scanning
- Wrong aperture: Test the lens at different apertures to see what works best with your lens
Poor colors
Colour negative conversion: Use an plugin or program to convert negatives (see VALOI Gear Guide).
Make sure you follow the instructions of the program/plugin you are using. Look for guides on how to use it.
Test a different negative conversion program/plugin (see VALOI Gear Guide).
Change your light source if using a cheap LED panel or other unsuitable light source (see VALOI Gear Guide).
I'm having problems with my scanning setup, can you help?
Yes! That's one of the things we love doing, and we have a very high success rate. Please send over sample pictures of your scans (in RAW format) and some pictures of your setup, then describe your problems in as much detail as you can.
The film is not flat
Extremely curly film: Use a professional lab to develop or change your drying practices. Press the film under some books for a few days.
Ensure that the film is seated properly in the holder.
Last resort: Use a smaller (bigger number) aperture to get more depth of field (will lead to image distortion, but the image will be uniformly sharp). Going down to f/11 or f/16 will give you less sharpness but will help you scan a curly piece of film.
Is my lens compatible with the easy35?
You can read more about easy35-compatible lenses here: Compatible Lenses for easy35
The film is not square when scanned (misalignment)
Your camera and film is not parallel: Align them perfectly by adjusting your copy stand or adjusting the leveling feet on the Film Advancer (use Mirror Trick, see VALOI Technique Guide).
Software failing to stitch images when doing several captures of the same frame
Too little overlap: Use more overlap in your frame, 1/3 overlap is a good aim.
Strong lens vignetting: See further up.
Camera and film not parallel: See further up on alignment
