Scanning Back in the Landscape.
As I am a photographer in New Zealand, a low wage place. I want to put together a high resolution camera system on a budget.
The scanning back I got from Ebay is a Phase One fx, which is fine until you try to buy extras from Phase One like a filter. I was Quoted $800 NZ, worse I need the software to run it.
I was told by Phase One (the dealer is great not his fault), I would have to buy version 4 for 500 Euros, out of my range, Most software comes free with the device, these scanners are selling at $38000 NZ new.
Its a bit like buying a car, then being told the engine is extra.
Phase one being the magnanimous Danes they are, offer software for free, but only for Macs and system 9.
Steep learning curve meant that the old Titanium Mac I bought for my daughter is on loan till my new/old $175.00 Ibook arrives from the US care of the defence department surplus, with out a hard drive of course, not easy to put those in.
Quick parting of the drive and OS 9 and X are working, down to the battery dealer for a new battery and she goes as long as I tape the battery in.
Now for the filter, 800 New Zealand bucks is out of my limit, I phone up better light and they send me one for about $160.00, are friendly, helpful, though wont lend me a scanner. (please)
It turns up a day or too later.
This is looking better, no extra battery mods that I had to make for my old SCUZZI model and extra kilos to carry.
Having sold my lenses to buy My 5D, I am experimenting with an old Linhof Schneider-Kreznach 65mm f/6.8 lens that just about has the coverage for the back.
Thanks to Shutter Blade on Ebay, I dont need a shutter, I can buy lenses that don't work, as long as I can hold them open. The only problem is the front bed of the TOYO is in the way, I can't drop the bed as the lens would be too far from the ground glass.
I might get the Graflex out.
The Daylight filter goes on the back of the lens and I get a result, praying the little spots of mould on the inner element doesn't hurt the image quality too much.
One tip for the Phase One, I have is to tape up the back, this one is in good condition, but a few insertions into the camera and you get excessive wear on both the camera and the back, my old light phase was almost worn through. I use paper tape as it doesn't leave sticky stuff behind when I re tape.
Danish metal seems a bit cheap, so they must have made the innards of this thing out of Gold.
Almost done, Annie takes the kids up to the top of Sugar loaf and I set up the camera.
Software is good, a bit dated (so no development there then). I can shoot 100 iso to 400 iso in highest resolution and get a 378 megabyte file in 8 bit or 700 plus in 16 bit.
The other pain is cleaning, dust leaves great streaks I use an Arctic Butterfly, good for the 5D too.
I have a few film curves to play with unsharp mask and gamut warnings, the sort of thing you would get on a point and shoot really.
No Raw just tiff.
Its quite dark so I shoot the image wide open at 60th of a second and the scan takes about 4 minuets.
The great thing about this camera and the effort to get it to location and take the image, is the time I get just to look around and relax.
Do I like the image, its ok, my 5D did a great one too. I think the large format approach to image making does make a difference. I guess size is important for big images, but I have some great vector software for resizing. Some technical information, the resolution of the back is 10,500x12,600 pixels x3 (RGB) which equals about 400 magapixels. More experiments coming soon.
If you want enthusiastic and friendly help, don't ask Danes, go for Better Light. (please)
The scanning back I got from Ebay is a Phase One fx, which is fine until you try to buy extras from Phase One like a filter. I was Quoted $800 NZ, worse I need the software to run it.
I was told by Phase One (the dealer is great not his fault), I would have to buy version 4 for 500 Euros, out of my range, Most software comes free with the device, these scanners are selling at $38000 NZ new.
Its a bit like buying a car, then being told the engine is extra.
Phase one being the magnanimous Danes they are, offer software for free, but only for Macs and system 9.
Steep learning curve meant that the old Titanium Mac I bought for my daughter is on loan till my new/old $175.00 Ibook arrives from the US care of the defence department surplus, with out a hard drive of course, not easy to put those in.
Quick parting of the drive and OS 9 and X are working, down to the battery dealer for a new battery and she goes as long as I tape the battery in.
Now for the filter, 800 New Zealand bucks is out of my limit, I phone up better light and they send me one for about $160.00, are friendly, helpful, though wont lend me a scanner. (please)
It turns up a day or too later.
This is looking better, no extra battery mods that I had to make for my old SCUZZI model and extra kilos to carry.
Having sold my lenses to buy My 5D, I am experimenting with an old Linhof Schneider-Kreznach 65mm f/6.8 lens that just about has the coverage for the back.
Thanks to Shutter Blade on Ebay, I dont need a shutter, I can buy lenses that don't work, as long as I can hold them open. The only problem is the front bed of the TOYO is in the way, I can't drop the bed as the lens would be too far from the ground glass.
I might get the Graflex out.
The Daylight filter goes on the back of the lens and I get a result, praying the little spots of mould on the inner element doesn't hurt the image quality too much.
One tip for the Phase One, I have is to tape up the back, this one is in good condition, but a few insertions into the camera and you get excessive wear on both the camera and the back, my old light phase was almost worn through. I use paper tape as it doesn't leave sticky stuff behind when I re tape.
Danish metal seems a bit cheap, so they must have made the innards of this thing out of Gold.
Almost done, Annie takes the kids up to the top of Sugar loaf and I set up the camera.
Software is good, a bit dated (so no development there then). I can shoot 100 iso to 400 iso in highest resolution and get a 378 megabyte file in 8 bit or 700 plus in 16 bit.
The other pain is cleaning, dust leaves great streaks I use an Arctic Butterfly, good for the 5D too.
I have a few film curves to play with unsharp mask and gamut warnings, the sort of thing you would get on a point and shoot really.
No Raw just tiff.
Its quite dark so I shoot the image wide open at 60th of a second and the scan takes about 4 minuets.
The great thing about this camera and the effort to get it to location and take the image, is the time I get just to look around and relax.
Do I like the image, its ok, my 5D did a great one too. I think the large format approach to image making does make a difference. I guess size is important for big images, but I have some great vector software for resizing. Some technical information, the resolution of the back is 10,500x12,600 pixels x3 (RGB) which equals about 400 magapixels. More experiments coming soon.
If you want enthusiastic and friendly help, don't ask Danes, go for Better Light. (please)
Comments
If you are putting your own hard drive in, check Macsales.com for video tutorials on installing hard drives, adding ram, etc.
If you get snagged on the software, check out our blog, www.realworldworkflow.com. if your answer isn't there, post a blog to the site and it will surely get answered.
hope that helps
Eric
ebisaac at realworldworkflow dot com
www.realworldworkflow.com