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You are very welcome! 🙏🏻

Thank you!!!

Hi there, thank you for watching and for getting in touch. I made this video to share how I dealt with the problem i faced with copy stands. The lack of variety in the market and the fact that good quality ones cost a significant amount of money. I made the video having in mind that other people could find it to be a helpful resource in case they wanted to do something similar. It is not a product I am selling, it’s only a visual guidance in case you want to do something similar.

Hi Alexander, thanks for your fast answer. Ok, I understand, You don’t bought it, it’s only a tip how it can look like. So I will thinking about and will built a similar. I think I will build it from wood. By an have a nice time. Greetings Walter

I used the Canon EOS 600 and the Canon EOS 50E for all the comparison shots that you see. As for the film, I purchased it from frame24.co.uk

@@alexandermatragosAh okay sweet, do you remember the lens?

@@strawberrycrxme Zeiss 50mm 1.4 ZE

Thank you!! It totally looks really sleek, especially on the black finish i did. But the most important thing is that it’s rock solid.

From what I know, in the past, before the digital age film had to be shot and edited by hand and at the end of the process it would be printed on “print” film in order to be distributed in the cinemas for projection. A lot of it’s final look would come from this print. Have a look at Kodak’s 2383 print film. Nowadays I don’t think they have to print it unless they do 35mm screenings but they add this look digitally. You might have seen a 2383 lut if you played around with video editing software. And finally, it absolutely makes sense to me to have as much information during capture in order to be able to color grade and edit as you wish. Even though it’s not meant to be printed with RA4 chemistry in the darkroom it was fun to have a go at it. And the results are definitely not bad, just lower in contrast and saturation which gave the images an interesting look.

Just saw this question answered in one of the comments. Thanks for the brilliant design!

Thanks a lot! Anything else you might need, feel free to ask!

Thank you! The pipe is indeed 70cm and I am comfortably scanning 6x6 and 6x7 with the 100mm macro. I don’t shoot any 6x9 but it is definitely within range. And I have never tried scanning 4x5 but most probably I would need to switch lenses for that, or I would need a taller pipe. Hope this helps!

In my book this is rock solid! But whichever setup you are using, a remote shutter is the wisest choice. I’m shooting tethered through Lightroom and I would generally recommend to shoot remotely to avoid vibrations.

@@alexandermatragos Thanks for the reply. I currently use a tripod but the problem with that is that it moves a lot even when I walk around it (my floor is not very rigid lol). So I'm looking for ways to make something super sturdy that I won't need to set up each time, this method looks promising!

In that case you will see a massive improvement both in setup time and lack of vibrations. A tabletop solution will eliminate the vibrations from the floor. And it really is rock solid, it was one of my main reasons for going that route. I didn’t want to sacrifice stability and that’s what I love about this design. It’s cheap but not flimsy. You can built tables or anything you like from these materials. If you have money to spare, I’m sure the negative supply stands and other expensive options will be sturdy as well and probably quicker at switching between 35mm and 120. But they cost nearly $600 at the top end. Not $100.

Thank you! Check out Kodak’s website. They have an extensive list of all authorised distributors for every country. You can find all the information there. Hope this helps!

I totally agree, they feel way overpriced to me. That’s what initiated my search for something at a reasonable price that wouldn’t sacrifice stability/sturdiness. An older enlarger can also do the job, and as in your case sometimes you can find them for free.

Much appreciated! I recently uploaded a part 2, exploring the differences when printed in the darkroom, if you want to check it out. Many thanks!

That sounds very interesting! Thank you for sharing. I would love to see photos of it, feel free to drop me an email.

@@alexandermatragos I'm not sure where to find your address as it's not in your about section, so I've guessed you're on gmail.

@@mosfear I received your email! Great stuff, thank you for sharing, very nice approach. I like the arca rail as well, makes it easier for slight adjustments. (Also I will update TH-cam to add my email, thanks)

Thank you!

Thank you!!!

Same, if could slightly increase the contrast in the ECN-2 shots then I thinks these would be my favourite prints.

Thanks Lucien! It has been a lot of fun so far. It makes you very involved going from snap to finished print.

You are very welcome! Glad you found it useful.

Have a look at Kodak’s website, they have a list of all the authorised distributors around the world. You should be able to find a distributor in your country.

Hi there, I’m guessing if you download the files of the design you’ll have an accurate measurement for all parts. That being said I can have a look when I get the chance and send you over some dimensions.

@@alexandermatragos i have a small DIY version ive made myself out of lacquered wood and i wanted to put a circular groove marking the dimensions of a 100ft roll that can be felt in the dark.

@@madskdz Hey there, it sounds like you are crafting a really nice piece. Sorry for the late reply, I've been kept so busy lately. If you drop me an email at alex@alexandermatragos.com I will send you some photos/measurements I took. Hope this helps!

I will agree, If you look very closely there is a slight tint. Easily correctable though. I’m currently working on the same comparison but with darkroom printing instead of scanning. Things are looking much different in this one. I will be probably posting a video by the end of this month.

Haven’t noticed a grain difference so far. What’s your experience?

@@alexandermatragos 7:41 in your video. The sky has a noticeable difference in grain. I home develop my film and I stick with c-41 simply for the cost and easier temperature management during developing.

@@RonEMarks it’s kinda hard to tell on this one. One of the shots could have been slightly underexposed even though I used the same settings. Light was fading fast in this scenario. Keep in mind I had to swap lenses and change the camera on the tripod. Not a long procedure but still could have some effect.

Thanks! Send photos, I’d like to see the finished design! I hope it works out great for you.

Thanks, as for the sharpness I can’t say I noticed one being sharper than the other. Though I can have a look at my files and see if I can spot anything. Are you referring to a particular image or do all the c41s appear sharper to you?

@@alexandermatragos at 07:24 for example when you zoomed in, the left image (if i understood well was C41) looks a bit sharper. i turned up video quality to max to double check and see the left one's sharper during close ups.

@@grainificentThat one was a long exposure so there is always the potential of a slight movement from wind etc. I’m currently working on a part 2 comparison where I did darkroom prints to see if I can find the differences there. While printing I didn’t run in any sharpness issues.

@@alexandermatragos ok :)

Thanks, I appreciate it!

Yeah, it’s absolutely nuts. Slide would be a couple of days of work. I still shoot it, but it does hurt!

Happy you found it useful! Thanks

It’s manfrotto’s super clamp

No I did not use a filter.

Yes I did. Wether you develop in C41 or ECN-2 chemistry, the first step is to remove the remjet layer. Unless you are shooting an already remjet removed version of the film like the ones sold by cinestill.

Thank you!

The light holder is 3D printed. The design is free, you can find it here www.thingiverse.com/thing:5200165

@@alexandermatragos Very nice - thanks for the link. (Might I suggest you add this to the list of Resources on your blog post, too?)

@@GregJoughin You are welcome! Actually I probably should add it to the blog post, it’s one of the things I get asked about more frequently. I guess I just omitted it as the focus of this video/blog post is the copy stand and not a full “how to scan” tutorial. But I should somehow mention it. Thanks!

I assume you are comparing it to scanning it using the scanners they use in motion picture films like the Blackmagic Cintel. I have shot some Vision3 through Silbersalz so I have seen how flat the Cintel scans the film, though I have never done a side by side comparison with a dslr.

Thank you! I’m glad you found it useful.

I recently started dipping my toes in ra4 printing. I might have a quick go next time on a few of these frames. If I do I will definitely update the blog post.

Thank you! Glad you found it useful!

I'm about to bulk load 500T myself, what iso did you rate the film at?

@@jamesskehan5400 I’m usually metering at 400, just as a small safety net. Have fun with it!

I guess you can find this at a camera store?

Hey there, have a look at photography equipment stores, you should be able to find it relatively easy. It is a very versatile tool that most studio photographers are using in all kinds of rigs.

Thank you for watching, I’m glad you found it useful! As for the light holder, it is indeed 3D printed. The design is free, you can find it here www.thingiverse.com/thing:5200165

Hey there, scotch tape is fine, no need for something fancy! :)

@@alexandermatragos thanks for the reply and the video. One last question - what tape do you use to tape the canister with remaining film to protect against light and in refrigerator. Blake masking tape or gaffers tape?

@@amanpatel35 I’m using black gaffers tape but you shouldn’t worry, film sits inside a black back and then into the canister. As long as the lid stays shut there is nothing to worry about. Feel free to ask anything else you want. Happy to help.

Nice to hear! I hope you get a good use out of it. It’s still one of the sturdiest and cheapest solutions out there. And I love the modularity of the whole dslr scanning process. Every part is easily upgradable, unlike flatbed or other dedicated film scanners. And once you are done with the upfront costs you will not have to worry for anything else. You can send me a photo as well, I’d be happy to see it once you complete it. Thank you for watching!

@alexandermatragos absolutely, modularity is great! I'll be sure to send you a photo in a couple of week once all the components arrive!

I haven’t used the Valoi Easy35, so I don’t really understand why it gives you vignetting. You think it’s coming from uneven illumination? Could it possibly be the lens. I don’t have any issues with the setup I’m using. And even if I had I could work on it. The valoi you are using doesn’t give any leeway. But it’s weird that it gives you vignetting. Did you try to email them? See if they have any suggestions?

@@alexandermatragos Lens is Sigma 70mm 2.8. It's not the lens. Yeah they sent a second unit that they claim they had improved but same issues are present. It's a totally contained black 'pipe' essentially, so it could also be the light falling off on the edges due to that, and like you said, it's a fixed design.