Digital back vs Tango Drum Scan

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

Have you tried the film grain tool in Capture One v8.

Hi Doug,

Although I'm usually not a fan of adding noise, I must admit that the 'film grain' looks very convincing, although one needs to balance the amount (impact) per type with image capture size to stay believable (assuming one wants to mimic real film behavior). It's a very useful addition for those who like graininess.

Cheers,
Bart

[DanielStone]

If you're doing high-volume work, M-F 9-5 type stuff(like for a museum or large collection) I can see where the DTcam cuts down on time, which is generally the most expensive part of the solution in the long run
However, if you're doing "periodic" work, and only a few scans during a scanning session, I feel the drum scanner is probably the more appropriate tool.
Get a quote for a DTcam solution with a 60-80mp digital back and the best lens(es), I'm sure you can buy a well-serviced drum scanner, and probably pay for 2-3 decades of service/parts(if needed, due to sporadic use) and still have some cash left over for more film

Sheet film is flexible, doesn't require batteries(which seem to run out at the most inopportune times, at least for me), and you already know how to bend it to get what you want(hopefully).

OP, tally up what your "needs" are, and what your "wants" are. Then do a cost analysis based on your workflow. See if spending the cash for a high-end solution like the DTcam makes fiscal sense for your workflow.

best of luck, from a fellow sheet film user(5x7/4x5)
-Dan

[Mike Sellers]

Thanks for the replies. I  shot some Kodak Ektar 100 in medium format last fall and I am going to scan it soon. I think it will look great coming from my Tango. I will let you know how it scans.
Mike

[Chris Barrett]

A little image from my own tests... IQ 260 versus Portra 160 (scanned on Howtek 4500)

[egor]

A little image from my own tests... IQ 260 versus Portra 160 (scanned on Howtek 4500)

Chris, Is that an example of the same piece of film scanned by your Howtek vs "scanned" by your IQ260?
Or is that "shot" using IQ260 vs "shot" on film and scanned using Howtek?

I like the tones in the drum-scanned Portra film better but assume same results could be achieved using C1 on the IQ file

[Doug Peterson]

We've updated our Film Scanning Kit page with videos on use:

[Mike Sellers]

How much is it?

[Doug Peterson]

How much is it?

It's a modular system: stage, transilluminator, carriers, lens, rcam body, digital back, copy stand. Pricing of kits will therefore vary wildly based on what it is in it; we have three copy stands we make ourselves that it is compatible with (we feel these are the best made copy stands you can purchase), or we can configure to be compatible with 3rd party copy stands (you could also use a sturdy studio stand in a pinch). We can configure it with a 40, 50, 60, or 80mp digital back or you can use your own digital back. You can even use a dSLR though the quality will not be as good. If you're shooting film on an ad-hoc dSLR based system you could significantly improve your results by adding just the carriers or stage and carriers; or if you have the budget you can get a complete solution with an 80mp back that will beat a drum scanner.

[Mike Sellers]

possible to use a Leica S2 with it?
Mike

[Doug Peterson]

possible to use a Leica S2 with it?
Mike

Possible yes. We recommend our DT Rcam body with Schneider digital lenses; it's very resistant to vibration and easy to align exactly to the film plane. But the 120 leaf shutter lens on the S2 should work pretty well.

[BobDavid]

I have a Polaroid MP4 with the XL column. It sits on an Anthro cart. The nice thing about the XL version is that the column swivels to accommodate large artwork.  I rigged up a a strobe head that shoots up into a chamber/light cone to scatter the light. The old style Omega negative carriers work well for holding the film flat. For 35mm slides, it's easy to devise a slip stage. I located a Forox slip stage and a Marrron Carrol pin-registered 35mm carrier for precision 35mm copy work.  Once upon a time, I used a tethered 39MP digital back on a Hasselblad body. After selling off the Blad, a tethered D800. Now that I am out of the commercial photo business, I'd use an OMD EM-5 II in high res (multi-shot) mode with the Zuiko 60mm macro.  Or possibly a Cambo Actus/enlarger lens combo.