Best lens to copy 8x10 "Prints" on to Digital ???

[Steve Karr]

Hi everyone,
My process is I shoot 8x10 hand coated paper negs and want to copy them while they are still wet onto digital. So I want to get the best image quality with what I currently have in hand.

So my question is do I use the Nikon 50mm f/1.4 I have now OR I also have a 63mm Nikkor enlarging lens I could fashion (not for free) to be used as a lens for better flatness of field or sharpness?

I am really interested in opinions about the sharpness and resolution and not the craft/problems of focus or mounting the lens.
I must shoot these wet and can't use a scanner or have them dry first.

Sooo ....

Is an enlarging lens a better choice or a taking lens for this 8x10 to 35mm repro job?

Thanks!
Steve

 

[wclark5179]

I would use the 50mm f1.4 lens and mount the camera on a tripod and use window light to illuminate. 100 ASA, RAW capture. If you have electric remote shutter release suggest using it or set the camera for delayed exposure. That way if any movement takes place when pressing the shutter won't blur the image. You could even flip up the mirror before taking the pic. If you do that get the focus down in manual before sending the mirror up!! Just how I've made images from examples such as yours in the past from artists that hired me to make images of their work. However, I'm all eyes and desire to learn if some one has a better idea! Thanks!

Have a great weekend!

 

[fotch]

My first choice would be a Nikon Micro (Macro) lens, however, if I did not have one, using an enlarger lens would be a very good choice. Flat field lens, up close, will be better than a regular lens. I am not familar with the 63mm lens, however, I would think it would do a very nice job.
Good Luck

 

[Ian Grant]

Use the enlarger lens, it's optimised for that magnification & a flat field.

It's no coincidence that Schneider sell Componon's as Macro lenses as well as enlarger lenses

Ian

 

[Wade D]

Agreed. The flat field enlarging lens will work better.

 

[wclark5179]

The title says on to digital. Well, I understand the results for using an enlarging lens but, for me, the 50mm f1.4 for my Canon works quite well and fits the camera body w/o any adaptation. And I don't have to fool around with additional items to mount it on camera and to focus. I do always use a tripod, remote electronic shutter release and I flip up the mirror before exposure.

If you have the 50mm f1.4 why not try it and see if it works for what you want?

Whatever.

Thanks for the other ideas though.

 

[epatsellis]

A 135 Componon with my Sinar and a Dicomed Scan Back work fine for me. I guess if you wanted to, you could use an 80mm Rodagon or such on a bellows for those "little" digital cameras

 

[Dan Fromm]

Um, not to be a complete idiot or anything but it seems to me that you must be using a Nikon DSLR. If a "full frame" you, you'll be shooting at 1:7. If one of their small chip cameras, at lower magnification.

I don't think that a relatively short enlarging lens on bellows will give magnification as low as you need. A 63 El-Nikkor almost certainly won't do what you need.

Your choices are y'r 50/1.4, a 50/1.8 (cheap, much better) Nikkor, a MicroNikkor, or a relatively long enlarging lens on bellows. 60/2.8 MicroNikkor shot at around f/5.6 is your best bet, after that a 50/1.8 at the same aperture. My first Nikkor was a 50/1.4; I found the speed useful, but it really isn't that good a lens.