It's been a long time...

[idamia]

Hi everybody,

I'm from Germany and new to this forum as I just turned back to film photography.

I gained some experience in my darkroom in the years 1998-2003. After moving to a new house I quit this "anachronistical" workflow and switched to digital photography.

But now I'm back on the analog track. It started by thinking about an efficient way to digitalize my old B&W negatives. I found an easy and low cost solution as follows:
I own an Fuji X-E2 and (among others) a Nikon 50mm F2 Ai-S with an adapter. After purchasing an extension ring an a metal lenshood, I attached a plastic yoghurt pot, which was conneted to the lens hood (fits in perfectly without glueing. A cardboard mask was attached to the open side of the pot. The mask is notched with a 4x3cm hole so that I can put on framed (slide frames) negatives. As a light source I use the overcasted sky, which turned out pretty nicely. (see attached image)

The next (logical) step was to shoot my first roll of film since over 10 years (after borrowing the OM2 of my father in law).

I could find my old developing tank and the first try (Efke 100, which has been rested in the camera for 10 years) turned out pretty well. I used new D76 and 12 year old fixer (which still worked).

The first complete roll I shot was a Kentmere 100. It was developed in D76 1:1 and has been digitalized as discribed above.

The following images are all from this roll.

 

[Jeff Kubach]

Warm welcome to APUG! Great photos.

Jeff

 

[mooseontheloose]

Nice photos! It's great to have you here!

 

[idamia]

Thanks!

I just bought a Revue Auto S22 rangefinder camera (equivalent to Konica Auto SII). The light meter ist not working, but I just paid € 20,- including shipping.
The first roll of film is loaded. I'm looking forward to the results.

 

[Chazzy]

Welcome to APUG. I spent some time in Germany back in the 70s and loved it.

 

[Hatchetman]

could you post a photo of your yogurt setup? I'd be interested in rigging up something similar myself.

 

[fotch]

Welcome to APUG.

 

[darkosaric]

Welcome to APUG !

 

[idamia]

@Hatchetman: I will photograph it and post it here.

@Chazzy: Where have you been in Germany?

 

[idamia]

@Hatchetman: This is a sketch of the setup. I'll provide the photograph of the real thing later.

 

[Hatchetman]

Thanks. I will see if I can replicate something similar. Your digitized negatives look better than those from my cheap scanner.

 

[Trask]

Welcome to APUG, idamia -- and thanks for sharing your clever set-up.

 

[idamia]

I forgot to mention:

I also put a cardboard cyclinder over the lens+yogurt cup.
for this I use the box in which whisky bottles are delivered. Like this.
I blocks light falling through the white plastic of the cup (from the side).
I just had to shorten it a bit to fit the length of the setup.

PS: sorry for my mediocre English. I try my best to make myself understood.

 

[Hatchetman]

The whiskey I buy comes in plastic jugs.

 

[idamia]

Buy whisky, not whiskey.

The good Scottish stuff comes in thick cardboard boxes.

 

[baachitraka]

Print the negatives and scan the prints ;-)

 

[mr rusty]

Welcome to APUG

hmm. This thread could go quickly OT. Some of the good scotch is in square boxes not tubes, like this - one of the best IMO

Nice images. Can't see the point in digitizing personally. I scan the odd print to share, but otherwise negs are the best/easiest way of archiving anyway. Interesting set-up though!

 

[Hatchetman]

Can't see the point in digitizing personally.

Honestly I use it to study my negatives and composition. If something is worthwhile, I'll print it. I bet it takes me on average of close to an hour to make a print I am reasonably happy with. I don't want to waste time on printing something I feel is of limited value. Plus when I mix the chemicals and set myself up for printing I want to know exactly which negatives I want to print. With work and family obligations, my time in the darkroom is precious.

 

[idamia]

I don't have a darkroom anymore. So I can't make prints myself. I need to go hybrid.

OT: Talisker is not my kind of stuff. I'm not so much into smokey malts. I prefer sherry/port wine cask matured whisky.
One of my favorites is Glendronach Tawny Port.

 

[baachitraka]

I don't know how easy on the other side, here my photo enlarger stand on holzplatte on washing machine and trays next to bath tub. Finished prints go into bath tub for overnight soak...

 

[Sirius Glass]

Welcome to APUG

 

[idamia]

Here's the setup. Simple but effective.

Sorry for the bad quality. Images were shot with my smartphone.

 

[mr rusty]

Honestly I use it to study my negatives and composition

Fair enough. I tend to print a sheet of contacts, because for me scanning all the negs is a PITA. If it works for you on the journey to making prints, why not

OT, Haven't tried that one, but yes, I have a preference for the west-coast malts, although something soft and round like Balvennie goes down just as well!

 

[idamia]

OT:
Balvenie Double Wood is my wife's all time favorite.

 

[Trask]

This system would be more productive if there were a way to "image" the multiple negatives on a strip of film, rather than cutting each negative to go into a slide mount -- as by so doing you wind up with dozens of cut negatives to store.

I was hoping that that Tawny Port drink was really Tawny Port, but sadly it's whisky, which I never acquired a taste for -- my loss, I know!