BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: New Answers

Slide duplicator

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May 30, 2007

Ariel
ScrattyPhotography Blog

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May 30, 2007

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May 31, 2007

If your duplicator works on your film camera and has the same bayonet as a lens that works with that camera, AND if the lens works on your digital - then the duplicator should also work.

Remember when dupping, you're making a second generation image. There will always be some loss of quality - film or digital.

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June 01, 2007

Slide film/to digital duplication is best done with a high quality film scanner and software that can correct imperfections in the original transparency, as well as make adjustments to color, contrast and sharpness that might have been compromised during the transfer.
(...But you will still need to have a real good original slide if you want a decent digital equivilent.)

Bob

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June 02, 2007

I agree with Bob C in that a dedicated film/slide scanner is the best way to go when quality is paramount. Prior to switching over entirely to digital cameras; I considered this option carefully.

To your question: I had about 500 old slides my parents wanted digitized.
Below is a URL of a product I purchased.
It worked quite well for what I needed to accomplish. No problem with sharp images.

There are several pitfalls to this approach though. Unless you intend to shoot slide/film on a regular basis, I would opt to avoid purchasing a scanner. High quality scanners are not cheap in my opinion.

Here are those pitfalls I encountered in using a digital camera to copy with.

1) Very tedious work
2) White balance inconsistencies
3) Post processing is ALWAYS necessary.

Let me explain # 3.

a) I copied mounted slides. I always had to crop. Unless you take the time to position each slide perfectly, you will see some of the mount in the copied photo.

b) Imperfections, (dust, scratches etc..) had to be worked in Adobe. The better scanners eliminate a lot (not all) of this work (Digital ICE) etc...

c) Color had to be corrected on many of the slides I copied.

The first 15 or 20 slides I copied were fun to do..beyond that I grew fatiqued and bored with the process. LOL

http://specialtyphotographic.stores.yahoo.net/slcounpro.html

All the best,

Pete

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June 03, 2007

I purchased one of these duplicators and would not recommend it to anyone concerned with quality duplication. It was a big disappointment for me. I was able to make a better duplicate shooting the screen projection of the slide. I think scanning is the only choice.

Jack Perry

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December 01, 2007