It was suggested to me that focusing directly on the emulation side would produce sharper results. I flipped them in Photoshop so view was corrected and then I also discovered for negatives there was nothing quicker or better than Negative Lab Pro. Well worth the money! Good video!
For 120, 4x5 and other formats, negative carriers from darkroom enlargers work well. The hardest part is squaring the carrier with the camera's film/sensor plane. The best solution I've found (for the economically challenged among us) is to *stack* the camera with rigid lens hood on top of wooden spacers, the negative carrier, more wooden spacers, and a suitable light box.
The ES-2 adapter works with my Pentax K-1 with modifications. The ES-2 adaptor works best with 60mm lenses. Pentax does not have that focal length in macro so I simply added extension tubes to fill the frame. This can be adapted to fit other brands also. My wife said I can buy The Z7 just as soon as I buy a cot as I will have to sleep in the garage.
Great review. I had an issue with the Nikon ES-2 slide adapter, as it did not work with my F-Mount 105mm macro, so rather than look for a new lens, I tried an old video camera slide duplicator, which I picked up on ebay for almost nothing. I think it was a Prinz brand, but there seems to be a lot of similar devices under different names. It has a diopter inside, so I took it apart, removed the lens, and then added the correct step up ring. I modified a cheap negative tray, to fit, as the duplicator only takes slides. The extra length of the slide duplicator perfectly matched my 105 macro lens, and I was up and running with an Aperture MC1 light. It is really great to be able to go back over those old negatives and bring them into LR. I agree that you definitely should try the plugin for converting the negatives. The Z7 is perfect for this work. You can use an ipad as a light table in flashlight mode, or even an old phone. It takes time to go through 100's of negatives, but its fun.
Great video demonstrating how I don't want to be spending my time. At 40 cents an image, I have my film commercially digitized with exceptional results.
I would suggest shooting emulsion side to the camera so that you are not shooting through the film backing material. Easy to batch flip in photo editor.
Thanks for covering this topic on digitizing! I had experience a couple of years ago with using the ES-1 to digitize 800+ slides with my old DX D5200 and a DX Micro 40mm f/2.8G lens, but I wanted to try digitizing negatives with my new Z 6. You have given me a lot of valuable suggestions to be able to try this conversion. I sold my ES-1 and now I think I'll get an ES-2 to get started with negatives. (By the way, thank you for your service in the Navy. I served as an AT2 in an E2-B squadron onboard the USS Saratoga during the Vietnam war.)
Very informative video Hudson, well done! I have had a D850 for 3 years now and have an ES 2 & 60mm macro on order. So your presentation was very appropriate for me at this time. My slides go back to 1960's with a Yashica SLR and negatives from 1986 with a Nikon F501. I will have a look at your site for more gems.
I used to have the ill-begotten Nikon ES-1 adapter. The ES-2 is better, but... considering that I still have the LS5000 + roll film adapter and the (also ill begotten) slide feeder... no matter how primitive the Nikon Scan was and is, it has the 4th IR channel, recognizing scratches, dust particles and the ICE grain reduction. Its slow and as compared to DSLR does not provide the so flexible raw file. So, I guess, its a difficult choice. Film scanning is by ratio of market share to digital photography a tiny factor, and not much design goes into it. I did not new about your service! Thanks you and best wishes to you and your family!
Wow, Hudson, your unique instructive/didactive manner to explain things excell. I wish you were a physics expert instead of photography so that you could translate into common people's grasp the meaning of 2021's Nobel prize to physics. I watched your video up to frame 21:47 so all my comments herein are circunscribed to that restrict lenghth of viewing. I have lots of considerations to bring forward, vis-a-vis what is depicted within that video lenghth and, if I may, please be patient to follow the logical path beneath my reasonings which, BTW, are completely undressed of either scientific parameters nor passionate personal preconceived racial, religious, social, political and any other sort of bias judgement elements astray from the core of the streamlines of this channel. I am just a common next-door man with a inherited passion for photography and the art of filmmaking. That said, let me start first with my preamble two comments, both positive ones, BTW.: 1- I noticed how well you framed the video scenario, well lighted too. Sharp, no excessive useless visual spaces at the borders, properly angled, stable and pleasantly color/light graded. 5 stars! 2- Yourself: 100% of all the video lenghth you look so natural, not a single moment of artificial planned "visual marketing" abnoxious presentations, so common of 95% of Vbloggers. It is impossible not to feel genuinely attracted by your heartfelt sincerity (pls consider running for a public political chair) 5 Stars! Now, before I enter into the realms of my negative comments, please endow me onto a brief account on my own expectancy of what an ideal result from scanning old film negatives/positives should be yielded. I have the utmost respect for any given photograph taken, be them new or old. Behind each photograph there is a person who, for whatever reasons, got hold of his/her camera, pointed at the subject and froze that precise moment of inner eagar need to register for history and, thanks God for science's evolution, register that moment into a recoverable media, film of digital. Well, billions of those such moments were registered in old film technology and, I repeat, each one of those photos must be respected. Wow, the digital era brings us the magic possibility to store those shots in computers and other digital media. I praise this leapfrog advance to make our lives easier but provided it does not undermine the basic element of all, ALL, photos taken, the absolute preservation of the original photos elements, particularly the framing, colors and B&W whatever original effects intentions. It seems to me that these basic principles of respect to photograph authoring is not being valued, from what I see in your video. All eggs fried, after all, all I want to see is a print of my original old 35mm (or other formats) negative/positive photo PRECISELY as I shot them 50 years ago, earlier or later. Let us see why this is not being respected (my reading from your video): Sorry, ... TO BE CONTINUED ... PLS . Will return tomorrow..
It's a noble sentiment, this idea of affording a depth of respect for any image one might choose to digitize, and it's a sentiment I wouldn't quibble with, there being far too little of it found in modern discussions of this sort. As someone who's also so inclined to being earnest to the point of reverence for preserving the integrity of an artist's intentions and vision, I have spent much time both in the diligent study of how best to do this properly and in the consideration of the philosophy of such projects I encounter personally. I'll only add that to preserve the integrity of a slide, for instance -- and all the context or history connected to it -- you'll really need to save the slide itself. No reproduction, to my eye, works to convey quite the same sense of the object as the object itself. Of course, then there's the problem of the increasing difficulty of finding a way to view these images, but at least the information is intact. Having said that, after a few years of working with my personal family archives, going back several generations and feeling particular reverence to those long dead who were active during the time when photography was in its early stages of technology, I have been grateful to have the tools of Lightroom, with its grounding in non-destructive file handling, and Camera RAW, which has freed me up to consider the possibilities of this capture. Hopefully, I'm able to come close to passing forward the original vision of the photographers in question, but to the degree that I fail, I'm happy to have the RAW files well preserved. With this being addressed, I have felt some freedom to consider my purpose in translating images to a digital format, and I have explored images in ways you may or may not approve of. There have been a few good photographers in my family's past, and some great photographs, but there are many, many photos (including most of my own) that are just not great in quality, and which, I suspect, the photographer would hope nobody would expend too much effort in reverence. After all, I actually throw away most of my photos -- probably 95%, these days -- and certainly wouldn't want anyone to waste their time trying to preserve them perfectly. On the other hand, there are images that I have such pride and affection for that I'd be annoyed if anyone thought they might improve upon them. It has been interesting to be able to look at slides, specifically, in ways that earlier generations wouldn't have had the tools to do, and to consider if they would've wanted to change their images in any way, but I do feel a little uncomfortable in thinking I could read their mind. At least there is all the metadata too keep track of my process on those days when i recall that it won't be long before the sun swells into earth's orbit and none of this will matter a whit.
Another photographer recommended and I have found with practice that you get slightly sharper scans by facing the emulsion side towards the lens and then flipping the image horizontal in Lightroom. Otherwise you are shooting through the film acetate which slightly degrades sharpness. I’ve used this technique with my ES-2. I’m using negative lab pro for color negatives. I love it
Constant light is much, much easier. Plus you can focus each shot very easily. Strobes are great for some things, not this though. I've heard the emulsion side in advise from two people now. I've been scanning film 20 years on dedicated film scanners well as flatbeds and never found that to be better, but go for it if it's working for you. :)
I would agree that focusing is easier with constant light and that an LED light Panel is the way to go for constant light. Not having one and following another ES-2 demo recommendations I experimented with flash as a light source. I set up an incandescent light for focusing to solve that issue. The advantage of flash for me is not needing to set an exposure delay because of the high speed of the flash. I’ve also found that after first focus, my images have remained clearly focused through the session. This has sped up my workflow to a point where I can scan over 100 images in less than an hour maintaining high quality results
I used the Nikon adapter on my D850 in May/June, digitizing over 2000 pictures from negative, Kodachrome and Ektachrome. There was quite a bit of adjusting in Photoshop due to the blue cast the Kodachrome has taken over the years. The easy way to turn a negative into a positive in Ps or Lr is go to the curve and reverse the sliders! I used the original Lume Cubes and they were awesome!
If you have to do any more, you really should try out Nate's Negative Lab Pro plugin for LR. It's such a big timesaver over using the curves and color correcting. I've been shocked how much time it saves per scan and how good the results are. You can even batch them. I've done thousands in the past too with Minolta medium format scanners, Nikon scanners, and Epson flatbeds. This is so much easier. Yes, Lume Cube is great. I'm proud to be an ambassador for them. :-)
When I learned this technique, best practices for copying slides and negatives involved facing the emulsion side toward camera and flipping the image in Lightroom. The reason is it's a tad clearer if you're focusing on the grain, not the image and not shooting through celluloid which can slightly blur some of the grain. The flipping in post is of course quick. I tried shooting through celluloid at first to save the step but eventually found that I got a better result with many negatives and slides that were not pristine. Arguably, the advantages of shooting the emulsion side is negligible but it's the way to do it for perfectionists.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto When the ES-2 first came out with the release of the D850, a Nikon rep put out a video that laid it all out, including where the sweet spot was for edge-to-edge sharpness on their 60mm macro.
This is consistent with darkroom practice. The only downside is that the default preview of these images in Finder or other file browsers shows the image reversed. Our memories, however, are not reversed, so it's harder to recognize what we're seeing on the screen. I wonder if anyone has created a utility that reads in the reversed image, 'un-reverses' it, and writes back to the DNG.
Hey Hudson! I’ve had the ES-2 kit for a while now but haven’t had the macro lens to use it. I finally bought a 60mm f2.8d to use with my Z6ii. My question is should I shoot with the electronic shutter or use the mechanical shutter?
Interesting video Hudson, nice to know you were a Navy Guy involved in the Gulf war at such a young age. Well, I was at the receiving end during the Gulf war, working in Kuwait and at the end of it I lost all my Nikon camera gear and my prize, award winning photographs. Had to start all over again.
Thank you for this video and your thoughts. Very helpful. At the beginning of lockdown in March, I finally took the plunge and got the ES-2 and have been using it with my D750 on my slides and negatives from the '60s - '80s. I may try Negative Lab Pro, because messing with the inverted tone curve is a challenge. Thanks again!
I have the same setup using my D600. I amazed at the ability to get quite good digital images of my slides, some 30 years old. The old Kodachrome slides yield quite good color, can even bring out “blow-out” sky. In high contrast slides, exposure blending can yield good results. Yes, the ES-2 is expensive, but if I think about how much money was spend on film and developing, it really is cheap. On the other hand it is time consuming.
Aperture setting (Possibly related to Stephen Spiteri's post) In the video, I see that you are using an aperture of f4.5 and adjusting shutter speed for exposure based on the histogram. If the Z6ii behaves like Nikon DSLRs then this would be the effective aperture which to me suggests that you are running the lens full open (ie f2.8). Is there a reason for using this aperture? Have you found that this lens' macro performance is better open? Certainly your tripod and release approach is solid enough that California could fall into the Pacific and not jar it. I would have thought that closing down aperture would reduce errors of focusing and transparency warp in its mount. BTW: This month have been setting up with ES-1 & D300 but using flash as the light source. Confirming focus is a PITA. Maybe Santa can find room for a Lume Cube.
Crazy I see this now because I was thinking of digitizing negatives from the Gulf War as a winter project, so they don’t get destroyed or lost. First thank you for serving. If you don’t mind me asking what ship you were on? I was an embarked Marine on the USS Germantown.
USS Ogden LPD-5. :-) You too man. That's really a fun cooincidence. If you can't find the ES-2, I have some other advice for how to do it with a high quality lightboard and a macro lens. just let me know. Email is best hi@hudsonhenry.com
And make sure your light source is well diffused - I had LED patterns the first Time. It looks like your ES-2 is set up to crop. Some of my earliest slides & film show mold from fingerprints. I wished I'd cleaned them when they returned from clients.
I started a digitizing project last winter, with an all in one negative scanner that I bought on Amazon. Really mixed results, but, overall, not that happy with the results. Strangely enough, the best results were old black and white and Polaroids that were inherited from my parents and grandparents and scanned on a flat bed scanner. I still have hundreds more to process,so maybe this is a better option.
It's a lot quicker and I've gotten better, more flexible results than I've achieved with my nikon coolscan, Minolta Dimage multi scan pro or Epson V700 film scanners. :)
Histogram black from mount Hudson: In the video you commented that the histogram will always show blown blacks because of the edges of the slide holder. Do I assume that this is because you have set the ES-2 extension length on the conservative side and thus are exposing the slide mount and part of the holder? Or is there some reason I've totally missed? Since I'm working with the ES-1 and a lower resolution D300, I'm trying to crop the slide as best as possible on exposure. I'm presuming that with the Z6ii, the resolution exceeds that of the original slide so losing a few bits is nonconsequential. Cheers.
Thanks for this very useful process. I'm curious, though. I have a Nikon Super Coolscan scanner that I used several years ago to digitize my slide collection. I have the auto feeder and negative tray. Is this still a viable way of digitizing, or does it lack the modern technology oomph to get the quality you're obviously getting from your set up? The scanner is a nice, compact method that doesn't require the set up and take down time of your method. I have used the Vuescan scanner app in the past to good effect.
I've used the cool scan and several other film scanners. I think this gets you better quality in a very small fraction of the time per scan. :) click, click, unload, load, click click,... vs a long, long time waiting for each set in the cool scan. A long time. :)
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Know what you mean. I heard the coolscan grunting and groaning for days when I digitized my slides. BTW, the scanner is worth about double of what I paid for it back in 2013 or so. R Jones
Hmmmmm. I need to research that. There are others I could link. I wonder if it's better to boycott Myanmar products due to the oppressive regime, or does that hurt the people more...?
This is really timely and the albatross of thousands of slides/negatives going back to the early ‘60’s around my neck! Any idea what the quality falloff will be if I use my 24MP D750 instead of your 46MP Z7?
Well it's not going to suffer quality issues so much as enlargeability issues. To be honest the older film shows a lot of grain and flaws at 46mp. It likely is better suited to 24. :-) The truth is that with a good sharp 12MP frame from my old D700 I made wonderful prints 24x36 that sill hang in my house. I think you'll be fine.
@@cmichaelhaugh8517 Michael, it's a slippery slope once you start going back -- like finding a treasure chest. Slides, being the only source of the image unless you've printed them, are worth the effort because you can share them with others who will likely never see them unless they have a slide projector. I've been amazed at the colors of Kodachrome. Negatives are another story, but B&W is very easy to edit. Vincent Versace, a Nikon ambassador, has a nice video on digitizing using the EN-2, but Hudson's is more interesting and helpful (thanks again, Hudson). Versace uses gloves and cleaning fluid on the negatives before using them. I was impatient and only used the rocket blower. Good luck with the process!
Thanks for this one, Hudson! I have the Nikon 60mm macro, so I'm going to have to try the ES-2. Do you have any recommendations on scanning 120 film? It seems like that would be fantastic using a high-megapixel camera.
Thanks for this topic, Hudson. I've had a project I've been putting aside for years to digitize old negatives and slides, and so this is a good reminder and prompt. I have a Nikon Coolscan 5000ED scanner (4000 dpi) as well as an Epson Perfection V750 PRO (4800 dpi). At around 3:10 you said the thought of using a flatbed was "onerous". The Epson comes with a holder for scanning film or slides (If I can remember where I put them); is that significant, or do you think the ES-2 is still easier to use? What about quality? Or how would it compare with the Coolscan, in either ease or quality? An issue with the Coolscan is software, since Nikon stopped supporting it a looooong time ago. I gather Negative Lab is only a Lightroom plugin so won't support capture from a scanner. Apparently VueScan or Silverfast are current products that support the Coolscan. I have an older Silverfast version that came with the Epson (and it only supports that scanner), and my recollection of trying it out that it seemed complicated to use. Have you used VueScan, or have impressions?
Hey Peter! I've used everything you mentioned and more. I had the Nikon Coolscan. Rick and I shar an Epson V700 (very similar to the 750) and I have a Minolta Dimage Multi Scan Pro that does dry or wet mounts up to 6x9 120 film. Silverfast & Viewscan check... I used to really like Silverfast with my Miinolta scanner, but all of it takes far more time in capture and post than using a color temperature calibrated LED with the ES-2 and the Z7 or D850. Far more time! Load, blow off, focus, shoot, focus shoot, load, blow off, focus shoot, focus shoot, ..., ..., ... Yes, the Epson flatbed is likely the easiest alternative, but it takes the scanner so long to do the grid of slides or negatives. It's like 10-15 minutes between unload reloads. Just enough time you need to occupy yourself some other way, but too little time to really get productive on the other project.
The only reason I do that for the negatives is that Negative Lab Pro requires it. It's a fantastic plugin. A huge time saver and I get better results from it every time.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto As I said, I am using Z7 NEFs to copy positives and negatives and then processing via the LR plugin. AFAIK, you only need DNGs (or TIFFS) if you are using a scanner to output the files. I may be missing something here, but I am getting excellent results while not using DNGs, but rather NEFs (and similar for other RAW formats). Converting to DNGs just seems like an extra step which isn't needed. I went back and re-read Nate's instructions but may have missed something- if I am wrong about this, and can get even better results via processing into DNGs, that would be great to know.
Hmmm that's fascinating. I read your comment too fast. I'll try it. I was following the instructions I found on Nate's site. I'll have to give my Z7 NEF's a shot.
They have curves which you can reverse to get a positive and then tinker with the color, but it sure is easier and the results better with that Lightroom Plug-in Negative Lab Pro.
I picked up an Epson v850 and i'm doing large and medium format, as well as slides, prints, crazy old WW2 stuff from my dad as well. I've even got some old (1874) tintypes that have produced some very nice digital images. It comes with software, and holders for everything. the only thing it doesn't have is a dust cover.
Those flatbeds are very nice. It's much more time intensive for 35mm, but it opens up other formats. I think the Z7 es-2 combos results with care are better, faster and easier, but no go for larger format.
Hi Hudson, please would you be able to offer advice on how I switch off display overlays on my Nikon Z7 screen as I am a landscape photographer and don't wish to see any data when in live view?
It's a valid compliant. They addressed that in the z7ii, albeit in an odd way. You can program clean view to a button, but it's not in the display cycle or menus. I usually use the level display with a grid which let's me see the edges quite easily. It has never really bothered me that much to be honest, but I do keep my image review settings limited to RGB histogram and clean view to check critical scenes really easily as I hone exposure and composition.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto I understand Hudson, o love how.you found a workaround by forcing the grid display funny. I Have spoken to Nikon Europe asking them.to.speak to Japan and they are raising the issue. Let's wait and see. Firmware should be updated past the Z7ii to bring the Z7 inline it's a critical ask of Nikon's venture so far as they are going well
Thanks, great video. Wondering if you can use the 105 macro? Just further away or does the ES-2 not work with it with extension tubes? I have the Lume thingy but may need a bigger light source? (also have that) Trying to use the stuff I already own...grin!
It depends on what camera you're using. Dng is for sure, but no. It's a Lightroom only app. You can go into ON1's curves and reverse it, then all adjustments will be reverse and you'll need to work on the white balance.
your video puts me back to time, when I usd th Nikon coolscan II. In those days I used to shoot 1 slide for projction, and a second one a half stop brighter für the scanner. To take the dust of I used also a trick to remove that with an electric diy self thing. (Don't know how to explane in english) When passed all this, you're really happy with the digital era of our days.... :-)
Oh yeah. I used a Nikon Coolscan (was it 4000?), Minolta Dimage Multi-scan Pro for 120 film and Epson V750 for large format. This is so much easier and digital is so much better. :-) I'm totally with you.
It's linked right in the video description as well as in my links with the cameras: www.hudsonhenry.com/atslinks It's a great eyepiece for a small fraction of Hoodman's cost. :) It rotates with just the right resistance for vertical comps or left eyed folks too.
One of these 95CRI LED light tables: bhpho.to/3oXEWtY and a Matthews Stand with a Magic arm to put my camera right over it. You could use a copy stand like this too: bhpho.to/3nKI64d Probably find a great old one on eBay.
Interesting, thanks for the tutorial Hudson. One of these days when I’ve caught up on “current” projects I’d like to figure out a way to scan some negatives from the 70’s shot in a “Yashica Wardflex” TLR camera. IIRC it was 120 film.
I have an old Minolta dimage multi scan pro I used for my 120 film somewhere. It's great, but painstaking and requires a scsi adapter. Another option is Epson's V700 or V750 flatbed. I've used those for everything from 35mm to 4x5 with great results, but it's much more time consuming than clicking the Z7. :)
@@HudsonHenryPhoto thanks for the response. That’s kind of what I figured, so this will probably be on my “future” list for a long time. It’s ok, I have plenty to do on current projects.
After 3 years I'm posting to a non-existent audience. But I question your efforts to eliminate camera movement while shooting. With the E-2 or similar attachment, camera movement shouldn't have any effect because the adapter moves with it.
Hmmmm. I got mine from B&H earlier this year. I'd run an ebay saved search too. It's a weird year for supply chains.for sure and I'm sure it's a lower nikon priority.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Thanks. I’ve been on w watch list for B&H and Adorama for months and they keep stating it’s on back order. Same with Nikon of course. I’ll call them and keep trying! eBay is shipping from Japan and are more expensive, but maybe I need to just bite the bullet. Thanks for the detailed videos as always!
You may wish to consider the ES-1 at about half the price. Single slide held in place by spring clips. 52mm so you may need adapter rings. In my case for D300 need extension tubes as well to get back to 1:1 ratio. (And Santa is not bringing me a Z6ii). The web is full of cobbled up holders. 3D printing would still need extra parts and futzing around to get the threads and the diffusion screen.
The only thing that you may have missed is to set the camera to aperture priority and set the lens to its sharpest f stop. Just to get the sharpest image possible.
I think I did talk aperture... I prefer manual mode to tweak for each image using the RGB histogram as I show. You should check focus at 100% on each too. :)
@@HudsonHenryPhoto I've been trying the same thing with a Micro-Nikkor 60 mm f/2.8 D lens, the Nikon ES-1 and my Z7. I've been using mid-day window light, and I think something like the Lume-Cube Panel will help. I find I have to lock my 60 mm f/2.8 at f/32 or I can't get it to work. Can the Z7 plus FTZ adaptor adjust the aperture on my lens, or should I just leave the aperture at f/32 and not worry. ... Barry
The F lenses with aperture rings always have to be locked at minimum aperture (32) for the modern cameras to control aperture. My Z7 has no issues adjusting aperture with the ring locked in that lens. :)
Hi Hudson, thanks for this subject, I have the ES-2 for using on my D850 ... however I found that for all my slides I’ve used, the than, standard GEPE 3 mm frame .... in the past and these do not fit the Nikon slide holder. Do you know of any other slide holder that will fit the ES-2 and these 3mm slide frames ?
Ughhh. Short of pulling them into the 2mm mounts (with lint free gloves of course) to scan, I don't think it's going to work. :-( Those are epic mounts, but they'll keep you from using traditional scanning jigs.
It was suggested to me that focusing directly on the emulation side would produce sharper results. I flipped them in Photoshop so view was corrected and then I also discovered for negatives there was nothing quicker or better than Negative Lab Pro. Well worth the money!
Good video!
For 120, 4x5 and other formats, negative carriers from darkroom enlargers work well. The hardest part is squaring the carrier with the camera's film/sensor plane. The best solution I've found (for the economically challenged among us) is to *stack* the camera with rigid lens hood on top of wooden spacers, the negative carrier, more wooden spacers, and a suitable light box.
The ES-2 adapter works with my Pentax K-1 with modifications. The ES-2 adaptor works best with 60mm lenses. Pentax does not have that focal length in macro so I simply added extension tubes to fill the frame. This can be adapted to fit other brands also. My wife said I can buy The Z7 just as soon as I buy a cot as I will have to sleep in the garage.
Great review. I had an issue with the Nikon ES-2 slide adapter, as it did not work with my F-Mount 105mm macro, so rather than look for a new lens, I tried an old video camera slide duplicator, which I picked up on ebay for almost nothing. I think it was a Prinz brand, but there seems to be a lot of similar devices under different names. It has a diopter inside, so I took it apart, removed the lens, and then added the correct step up ring. I modified a cheap negative tray, to fit, as the duplicator only takes slides. The extra length of the slide duplicator perfectly matched my 105 macro lens, and I was up and running with an Aperture MC1 light. It is really great to be able to go back over those old negatives and bring them into LR. I agree that you definitely should try the plugin for converting the negatives. The Z7 is perfect for this work. You can use an ipad as a light table in flashlight mode, or even an old phone. It takes time to go through 100's of negatives, but its fun.
Great video demonstrating how I don't want to be spending my time. At 40 cents an image, I have my film commercially digitized with exceptional results.
I would suggest shooting emulsion side to the camera so that you are not shooting through the film backing material. Easy to batch flip in photo editor.
Looking forward to your video on Z6 II autofous.
Thanks for covering this topic on digitizing! I had experience a couple of years ago with using the ES-1 to digitize 800+ slides with my old DX D5200 and a DX Micro 40mm f/2.8G lens, but I wanted to try digitizing negatives with my new Z 6. You have given me a lot of valuable suggestions to be able to try this conversion. I sold my ES-1 and now I think I'll get an ES-2 to get started with negatives. (By the way, thank you for your service in the Navy. I served as an AT2 in an E2-B squadron onboard the USS Saratoga during the Vietnam war.)
ABF2 on the Amphib USS Ogden when I left for college at 23. Long ago, long ago... Thanks to you too compradre.
Very informative video Hudson, well done! I have had a D850 for 3 years now and have an ES 2 & 60mm macro on order. So your presentation was very appropriate for me at this time. My slides go back to 1960's with a Yashica SLR and negatives from 1986 with a Nikon F501. I will have a look at your site for more gems.
I used to have the ill-begotten Nikon ES-1 adapter. The ES-2 is better, but... considering that I still have the LS5000 + roll film adapter and the (also ill begotten) slide feeder... no matter how primitive the Nikon Scan was and is, it has the 4th IR channel, recognizing scratches, dust particles and the ICE grain reduction. Its slow and as compared to DSLR does not provide the so flexible raw file. So, I guess, its a difficult choice. Film scanning is by ratio of market share to digital photography a tiny factor, and not much design goes into it.
I did not new about your service! Thanks you and best wishes to you and your family!
Wow, Hudson, your unique instructive/didactive manner to explain things excell. I wish you were a physics expert instead of photography so that you could translate into common people's grasp the meaning of 2021's Nobel prize to physics.
I watched your video up to frame 21:47 so all my comments herein are circunscribed to that restrict lenghth of viewing.
I have lots of considerations to bring forward, vis-a-vis what is depicted within that video lenghth and, if I may, please be patient to follow the logical path beneath my reasonings which, BTW, are completely undressed of either scientific parameters nor passionate personal preconceived racial, religious, social, political and any other sort of bias judgement elements astray from the core of the streamlines of this channel. I am just a common next-door man with a inherited passion for photography and the art of filmmaking.
That said, let me start first with my preamble two comments, both positive ones, BTW.:
1- I noticed how well you framed the video scenario, well lighted too. Sharp, no excessive useless visual spaces at the borders, properly angled, stable and pleasantly color/light graded. 5 stars!
2- Yourself: 100% of all the video lenghth you look so natural, not a single moment of artificial planned "visual marketing" abnoxious presentations, so common of 95% of Vbloggers. It is impossible not to feel genuinely attracted by your heartfelt sincerity (pls consider running for a public political chair) 5 Stars!
Now, before I enter into the realms of my negative comments, please endow me onto a brief account on my own expectancy of what
an ideal result from scanning old film negatives/positives should be yielded.
I have the utmost respect for any given photograph taken, be them new or old. Behind each photograph there is a person who, for whatever reasons, got hold of his/her camera, pointed at the subject and froze that precise moment of inner eagar need to register for history and, thanks God for science's evolution, register that moment into a recoverable media, film of digital.
Well, billions of those such moments were registered in old film technology and, I repeat, each one of those photos must be respected.
Wow, the digital era brings us the magic possibility to store those shots in computers and other digital media.
I praise this leapfrog advance to make our lives easier but provided it does not undermine the basic element of all, ALL, photos taken, the absolute preservation of the original photos elements, particularly the framing, colors and B&W whatever original effects intentions.
It seems to me that these basic principles of respect to photograph authoring is not being valued, from what I see in your video.
All eggs fried, after all, all I want to see is a print of my original old 35mm (or other formats) negative/positive photo PRECISELY as I shot them 50 years ago, earlier or later.
Let us see why this is not being respected (my reading from your video):
Sorry, ... TO BE CONTINUED ... PLS . Will return tomorrow..
It's a noble sentiment, this idea of affording a depth of respect for any image one might choose to digitize, and it's a sentiment I wouldn't quibble with, there being far too little of it found in modern discussions of this sort. As someone who's also so inclined to being earnest to the point of reverence for preserving the integrity of an artist's intentions and vision, I have spent much time both in the diligent study of how best to do this properly and in the consideration of the philosophy of such projects I encounter personally. I'll only add that to preserve the integrity of a slide, for instance -- and all the context or history connected to it -- you'll really need to save the slide itself. No reproduction, to my eye, works to convey quite the same sense of the object as the object itself. Of course, then there's the problem of the increasing difficulty of finding a way to view these images, but at least the information is intact.
Having said that, after a few years of working with my personal family archives, going back several generations and feeling particular reverence to those long dead who were active during the time when photography was in its early stages of technology, I have been grateful to have the tools of Lightroom, with its grounding in non-destructive file handling, and Camera RAW, which has freed me up to consider the possibilities of this capture. Hopefully, I'm able to come close to passing forward the original vision of the photographers in question, but to the degree that I fail, I'm happy to have the RAW files well preserved.
With this being addressed, I have felt some freedom to consider my purpose in translating images to a digital format, and I have explored images in ways you may or may not approve of. There have been a few good photographers in my family's past, and some great photographs, but there are many, many photos (including most of my own) that are just not great in quality, and which, I suspect, the photographer would hope nobody would expend too much effort in reverence. After all, I actually throw away most of my photos -- probably 95%, these days -- and certainly wouldn't want anyone to waste their time trying to preserve them perfectly. On the other hand, there are images that I have such pride and affection for that I'd be annoyed if anyone thought they might improve upon them.
It has been interesting to be able to look at slides, specifically, in ways that earlier generations wouldn't have had the tools to do, and to consider if they would've wanted to change their images in any way, but I do feel a little uncomfortable in thinking I could read their mind. At least there is all the metadata too keep track of my process on those days when i recall that it won't be long before the sun swells into earth's orbit and none of this will matter a whit.
Thanks Hudson for sharing your expertise and thanks for your service!
Another photographer recommended and I have found with practice that you get slightly sharper scans by facing the emulsion side towards the lens and then flipping the image horizontal in Lightroom. Otherwise you are shooting through the film acetate which slightly degrades sharpness. I’ve used this technique with my ES-2. I’m using negative lab pro for color negatives. I love it
I’m also using a Nikon SB700 triggered by the cameras commander mode for a light source
Constant light is much, much easier. Plus you can focus each shot very easily. Strobes are great for some things, not this though. I've heard the emulsion side in advise from two people now. I've been scanning film 20 years on dedicated film scanners well as flatbeds and never found that to be better, but go for it if it's working for you. :)
I would agree that focusing is easier with constant light and that an LED light Panel is the way to go for constant light. Not having one and following another ES-2 demo recommendations I experimented with flash as a light source. I set up an incandescent light for focusing to solve that issue.
The advantage of flash for me is not needing to set an exposure delay because of the high speed of the flash. I’ve also found that after first focus, my images have remained clearly focused through the session. This has sped up my workflow to a point where I can scan over 100 images in less than an hour maintaining high quality results
I'm gonna continue to exonerated) recommend folks use the simple method of a constant source and focus each for those that mattet.:)
I used the Nikon adapter on my D850 in May/June, digitizing over 2000 pictures from negative, Kodachrome and Ektachrome. There was quite a bit of adjusting in Photoshop due to the blue cast the Kodachrome has taken over the years. The easy way to turn a negative into a positive in Ps or Lr is go to the curve and reverse the sliders! I used the original Lume Cubes and they were awesome!
If you have to do any more, you really should try out Nate's Negative Lab Pro plugin for LR. It's such a big timesaver over using the curves and color correcting. I've been shocked how much time it saves per scan and how good the results are. You can even batch them. I've done thousands in the past too with Minolta medium format scanners, Nikon scanners, and Epson flatbeds. This is so much easier. Yes, Lume Cube is great. I'm proud to be an ambassador for them. :-)
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Thanks for the headsup! I've got a few more negatives to do!
When I learned this technique, best practices for copying slides and negatives involved facing the emulsion side toward camera and flipping the image in Lightroom. The reason is it's a tad clearer if you're focusing on the grain, not the image and not shooting through celluloid which can slightly blur some of the grain. The flipping in post is of course quick. I tried shooting through celluloid at first to save the step but eventually found that I got a better result with many negatives and slides that were not pristine. Arguably, the advantages of shooting the emulsion side is negligible but it's the way to do it for perfectionists.
Hmmm that goes against everything I read online, but I'll give it a shot. Makes sense. I'm always game to try something new. :)
@@HudsonHenryPhoto When the ES-2 first came out with the release of the D850, a Nikon rep put out a video that laid it all out, including where the sweet spot was for edge-to-edge sharpness on their 60mm macro.
This is consistent with darkroom practice. The only downside is that the default preview of these images in Finder or other file browsers shows the image reversed. Our memories, however, are not reversed, so it's harder to recognize what we're seeing on the screen. I wonder if anyone has created a utility that reads in the reversed image, 'un-reverses' it, and writes back to the DNG.
Great Video, they finally got the ES-2 back in stock at B&H just ordered one!
Hey Hudson! I’ve had the ES-2 kit for a while now but haven’t had the macro lens to use it. I finally bought a 60mm f2.8d to use with my Z6ii. My question is should I shoot with the electronic shutter or use the mechanical shutter?
Interesting video Hudson, nice to know you were a Navy Guy involved in the Gulf war at such a young age. Well, I was at the receiving end during the Gulf war, working in Kuwait and at the end of it I lost all my Nikon camera gear and my prize, award winning photographs. Had to start all over again.
Oh wow, brutal. Seems a lifetime ago. I had a car theft go that way once. A whole bunch of transparencies and my camera gear. Terrible.
Thank you for this video and your thoughts. Very helpful. At the beginning of lockdown in March, I finally took the plunge and got the ES-2 and have been using it with my D750 on my slides and negatives from the '60s - '80s. I may try Negative Lab Pro, because messing with the inverted tone curve is a challenge. Thanks again!
Great !! Answered so many Questions about this subject !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great channel, Hudson. I am curious if you plan to get Z 50 1.2?
You have convinced me to get this setup. Thank you my friend.
I have the same setup using my D600. I amazed at the ability to get quite good digital images of my slides, some 30 years old. The old Kodachrome slides yield quite good color, can even bring out “blow-out” sky. In high contrast slides, exposure blending can yield good results. Yes, the ES-2 is expensive, but if I think about how much money was spend on film and developing, it really is cheap. On the other hand it is time consuming.
But not as time consuming as the other scanning methods.
Aperture setting
(Possibly related to Stephen Spiteri's post)
In the video, I see that you are using an aperture of f4.5 and adjusting shutter speed for exposure based on the histogram. If the Z6ii behaves like Nikon DSLRs then this would be the effective aperture which to me suggests that you are running the lens full open (ie f2.8). Is there a reason for using this aperture? Have you found that this lens' macro performance is better open? Certainly your tripod and release approach is solid enough that California could fall into the Pacific and not jar it.
I would have thought that closing down aperture would reduce errors of focusing and transparency warp in its mount.
BTW: This month have been setting up with ES-1 & D300 but using flash as the light source. Confirming focus is a PITA. Maybe Santa can find room for a Lume Cube.
Crazy I see this now because I was thinking of digitizing negatives from the Gulf War as a winter project, so they don’t get destroyed or lost. First thank you for serving. If you don’t mind me asking what ship you were on? I was an embarked Marine on the USS Germantown.
USS Ogden LPD-5. :-) You too man. That's really a fun cooincidence. If you can't find the ES-2, I have some other advice for how to do it with a high quality lightboard and a macro lens. just let me know. Email is best hi@hudsonhenry.com
Great video brother! I’m going to start watching many many more of your videos. Thanks
Awesome, thank you!
And make sure your light source is well diffused - I had LED patterns the first Time.
It looks like your ES-2 is set up to crop.
Some of my earliest slides & film show mold from fingerprints. I wished I'd cleaned them when they returned from clients.
I started a digitizing project last winter, with an all in one negative scanner that I bought on Amazon. Really mixed results, but, overall, not that happy with the results. Strangely enough, the best results were old black and white and Polaroids that were inherited from my parents and grandparents and scanned on a flat bed scanner. I still have hundreds more to process,so maybe this is a better option.
It's a lot quicker and I've gotten better, more flexible results than I've achieved with my nikon coolscan, Minolta Dimage multi scan pro or Epson V700 film scanners. :)
Thank you for that video, negatives work well, but what about the slides? The ES-2 only works with slim slide frames. what is your experience?
It worked great with all my old velvia and provia slides.
Thanks for a great video! Would you recommend Z6ii. Z7ii or z9 for digitizing slides?
I'd take the 7 series or 9 just for the higher resolution.
Histogram black from mount
Hudson:
In the video you commented that the histogram will always show blown blacks because of the edges of the slide holder.
Do I assume that this is because you have set the ES-2 extension length on the conservative side and thus are exposing the slide mount and part of the holder?
Or is there some reason I've totally missed?
Since I'm working with the ES-1 and a lower resolution D300, I'm trying to crop the slide as best as possible on exposure. I'm presuming that with the Z6ii, the resolution exceeds that of the original slide so losing a few bits is nonconsequential.
Cheers.
Thanks for this very useful process. I'm curious, though. I have a Nikon Super Coolscan scanner that I used several years ago to digitize my slide collection. I have the auto feeder and negative tray. Is this still a viable way of digitizing, or does it lack the modern technology oomph to get the quality you're obviously getting from your set up? The scanner is a nice, compact method that doesn't require the set up and take down time of your method. I have used the Vuescan scanner app in the past to good effect.
I've used the cool scan and several other film scanners. I think this gets you better quality in a very small fraction of the time per scan. :) click, click, unload, load, click click,... vs a long, long time waiting for each set in the cool scan. A long time. :)
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Know what you mean. I heard the coolscan grunting and groaning for days when I digitized my slides. BTW, the scanner is worth about double of what I paid for it back in 2013 or so.
R Jones
Great video! Im just about to shot again with film. Saludos desde Chile
Got my tripod stone bag yesterday and love it except for where it's made-----Myanmar!
Hmmmmm. I need to research that. There are others I could link. I wonder if it's better to boycott Myanmar products due to the oppressive regime, or does that hurt the people more...?
This is really timely and the albatross of thousands of slides/negatives going back to the early ‘60’s around my neck! Any idea what the quality falloff will be if I use my 24MP D750 instead of your 46MP Z7?
Well it's not going to suffer quality issues so much as enlargeability issues. To be honest the older film shows a lot of grain and flaws at 46mp. It likely is better suited to 24. :-) The truth is that with a good sharp 12MP frame from my old D700 I made wonderful prints 24x36 that sill hang in my house. I think you'll be fine.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Thanks. Very good points.
I have been using the ES-2 with My D750 for several months and the results are great at 24mp. I have been using a Lume Cube 2.0 which is very bright.
@@glennkphotog Thanks Glenn. Time to buy the gear (while the Christmas spending habit is in full swing)!
@@cmichaelhaugh8517 Michael, it's a slippery slope once you start going back -- like finding a treasure chest. Slides, being the only source of the image unless you've printed them, are worth the effort because you can share them with others who will likely never see them unless they have a slide projector. I've been amazed at the colors of Kodachrome. Negatives are another story, but B&W is very easy to edit.
Vincent Versace, a Nikon ambassador, has a nice video on digitizing using the EN-2, but Hudson's is more interesting and helpful (thanks again, Hudson). Versace uses gloves and cleaning fluid on the negatives before using them. I was impatient and only used the rocket blower. Good luck with the process!
FYI: May be old news. This works great with the Sony 50mm with a 55-52mm step-down adapter as well.
Thanks for this one, Hudson! I have the Nikon 60mm macro, so I'm going to have to try the ES-2. Do you have any recommendations on scanning 120 film? It seems like that would be fantastic using a high-megapixel camera.
Thanks for this topic, Hudson. I've had a project I've been putting aside for years to digitize old negatives and slides, and so this is a good reminder and prompt.
I have a Nikon Coolscan 5000ED scanner (4000 dpi) as well as an Epson Perfection V750 PRO (4800 dpi). At around 3:10 you said the thought of using a flatbed was "onerous". The Epson comes with a holder for scanning film or slides (If I can remember where I put them); is that significant, or do you think the ES-2 is still easier to use? What about quality? Or how would it compare with the Coolscan, in either ease or quality?
An issue with the Coolscan is software, since Nikon stopped supporting it a looooong time ago. I gather Negative Lab is only a Lightroom plugin so won't support capture from a scanner. Apparently VueScan or Silverfast are current products that support the Coolscan. I have an older Silverfast version that came with the Epson (and it only supports that scanner), and my recollection of trying it out that it seemed complicated to use. Have you used VueScan, or have impressions?
Hey Peter! I've used everything you mentioned and more. I had the Nikon Coolscan. Rick and I shar an Epson V700 (very similar to the 750) and I have a Minolta Dimage Multi Scan Pro that does dry or wet mounts up to 6x9 120 film. Silverfast & Viewscan check... I used to really like Silverfast with my Miinolta scanner, but all of it takes far more time in capture and post than using a color temperature calibrated LED with the ES-2 and the Z7 or D850. Far more time! Load, blow off, focus, shoot, focus shoot, load, blow off, focus shoot, focus shoot, ..., ..., ...
Yes, the Epson flatbed is likely the easiest alternative, but it takes the scanner so long to do the grid of slides or negatives. It's like 10-15 minutes between unload reloads. Just enough time you need to occupy yourself some other way, but too little time to really get productive on the other project.
You mentioned needing to convert negs to DNG, I thought you said to use NLP in LR- ? I am using Z7 NEFs in LR without a problem as far as I can see.
The only reason I do that for the negatives is that Negative Lab Pro requires it. It's a fantastic plugin. A huge time saver and I get better results from it every time.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto As I said, I am using Z7 NEFs to copy positives and negatives and then processing via the LR plugin. AFAIK, you only need DNGs (or TIFFS) if you are using a scanner to output the files. I may be missing something here, but I am getting excellent results while not using DNGs, but rather NEFs (and similar for other RAW formats). Converting to DNGs just seems like an extra step which isn't needed. I went back and re-read Nate's instructions but may have missed something- if I am wrong about this, and can get even better results via processing into DNGs, that would be great to know.
Hmmm that's fascinating. I read your comment too fast. I'll try it. I was following the instructions I found on Nate's site. I'll have to give my Z7 NEF's a shot.
Hi Hudson, enjoying your tutorials. can I use ON1 raw to process the negatives? Girish Sharma.
They have curves which you can reverse to get a positive and then tinker with the color, but it sure is easier and the results better with that Lightroom Plug-in Negative Lab Pro.
Nice video! Thx!
What's about digitalizing medium format or 4x5?
Regards Stefan
I have an old Minolat Dimage Multi-scan pro I used for 120 film and an Epson V700 flatbed for the 4x5. :-) Much more onerous though.
I picked up an Epson v850 and i'm doing large and medium format, as well as slides, prints, crazy old WW2 stuff from my dad as well. I've even got some old (1874) tintypes that have produced some very nice digital images. It comes with software, and holders for everything. the only thing it doesn't have is a dust cover.
Those flatbeds are very nice. It's much more time intensive for 35mm, but it opens up other formats. I think the Z7 es-2 combos results with care are better, faster and easier, but no go for larger format.
Nikon needs to add the negative to positive thingy to the Z-Series menus... Unbelievable that they haven't yet.
I don't think it does anywhere near as good a job as Negative Lab Pro. I want too impressed by it in the D850 to be honest.
Thanks
Hi Hudson, please would you be able to offer advice on how I switch off display overlays on my Nikon Z7 screen as I am a landscape photographer and don't wish to see any data when in live view?
It's a valid compliant. They addressed that in the z7ii, albeit in an odd way. You can program clean view to a button, but it's not in the display cycle or menus. I usually use the level display with a grid which let's me see the edges quite easily. It has never really bothered me that much to be honest, but I do keep my image review settings limited to RGB histogram and clean view to check critical scenes really easily as I hone exposure and composition.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto I understand Hudson, o love how.you found a workaround by forcing the grid display funny. I Have spoken to Nikon Europe asking them.to.speak to Japan and they are raising the issue. Let's wait and see. Firmware should be updated past the Z7ii to bring the Z7 inline it's a critical ask of Nikon's venture so far as they are going well
Thanks, great video. Wondering if you can use the 105 macro? Just further away or does the ES-2 not work with it with extension tubes? I have the Lume thingy but may need a bigger light source? (also have that) Trying to use the stuff I already own...grin!
I'm sure you could do it with extension tubes. Wait, what's the filter thread of the 105 .if greater than 62 it might get trickier.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto it's 62mm thankfully! you're a gem!
Fro did it with the 105 in his video of this product and to be looks like it's the better mm to use for this
@@TheSlackassCrew thanks but I just watched his video and he used the 60mm lens. Is there another video somewhere?
@@terilapetino6337 Really> The whole time I thought it was the 105. My bad
Is there a similar negative to positive converter for On1 as the one that you used for Lightroom? Does it only work with DNG files?
It depends on what camera you're using. Dng is for sure, but no. It's a Lightroom only app. You can go into ON1's curves and reverse it, then all adjustments will be reverse and you'll need to work on the white balance.
HH, if you're under duress, change up the opening line.
0:20 "Well hey everybody...welcome to this week's ATS..."
Uh oh. 😂
your video puts me back to time, when I usd th Nikon coolscan II. In those days I used to shoot 1 slide for projction, and a second one a half stop brighter für the scanner. To take the dust of I used also a trick to remove that with an electric diy self thing. (Don't know how to explane in english) When passed all this, you're really happy with the digital era of our days.... :-)
Oh yeah. I used a Nikon Coolscan (was it 4000?), Minolta Dimage Multi-scan Pro for 120 film and Epson V750 for large format. This is so much easier and digital is so much better. :-) I'm totally with you.
good video. cheers
What eyepiece do you use? I can't find a z series Hoodman the has the teardrop shape.
It's linked right in the video description as well as in my links with the cameras: www.hudsonhenry.com/atslinks It's a great eyepiece for a small fraction of Hoodman's cost. :) It rotates with just the right resistance for vertical comps or left eyed folks too.
what would you use for med format and 4x5?
One of these 95CRI LED light tables: bhpho.to/3oXEWtY and a Matthews Stand with a Magic arm to put my camera right over it. You could use a copy stand like this too: bhpho.to/3nKI64d Probably find a great old one on eBay.
Interesting, thanks for the tutorial Hudson. One of these days when I’ve caught up on “current” projects I’d like to figure out a way to scan some negatives from the 70’s shot in a “Yashica Wardflex” TLR camera. IIRC it was 120 film.
I have an old Minolta dimage multi scan pro I used for my 120 film somewhere. It's great, but painstaking and requires a scsi adapter. Another option is Epson's V700 or V750 flatbed. I've used those for everything from 35mm to 4x5 with great results, but it's much more time consuming than clicking the Z7. :)
@@HudsonHenryPhoto thanks for the response. That’s kind of what I figured, so this will probably be on my “future” list for a long time. It’s ok, I have plenty to do on current projects.
After 3 years I'm posting to a non-existent audience. But I question your efforts to eliminate camera movement while shooting. With the E-2 or similar attachment, camera movement shouldn't have any effect because the adapter moves with it.
No, there's plenty of room for play or vibration in that system, and shooting with a macro closer up will only magnify it. :)
The ES-2 has been back ordered for over a year. 😞
Hmmmm. I got mine from B&H earlier this year. I'd run an ebay saved search too. It's a weird year for supply chains.for sure and I'm sure it's a lower nikon priority.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Thanks. I’ve been on w watch list for B&H and Adorama for months and they keep stating it’s on back order. Same with Nikon of course. I’ll call them and keep trying! eBay is shipping from Japan and are more expensive, but maybe I need to just bite the bullet. Thanks for the detailed videos as always!
it was backorderd ,however, I bought mine from Nikon website few weeks ago
@@TheKnags I’ll keep trying. Still shows back ordered but Nikon currently has the best price so I’m just going to order and then just wait it out.
FINALLY got mine after all this time! #stubborn
The ES-2 is stupid expensive for plastic. Someone needs to 3d print one
You may wish to consider the ES-1 at about half the price. Single slide held in place by spring clips. 52mm so you may need adapter rings. In my case for D300 need extension tubes as well to get back to 1:1 ratio. (And Santa is not bringing me a Z6ii). The web is full of cobbled up holders. 3D printing would still need extra parts and futzing around to get the threads and the diffusion screen.
The only thing that you may have missed is to set the camera to aperture priority and set the lens to its sharpest f stop. Just to get the sharpest image possible.
I think I did talk aperture... I prefer manual mode to tweak for each image using the RGB histogram as I show. You should check focus at 100% on each too. :)
@@HudsonHenryPhoto I've been trying the same thing with a Micro-Nikkor 60 mm f/2.8 D lens, the Nikon ES-1 and my Z7. I've been using mid-day window light, and I think something like the Lume-Cube Panel will help. I find I have to lock my 60 mm f/2.8 at f/32 or I can't get it to work. Can the Z7 plus FTZ adaptor adjust the aperture on my lens, or should I just leave the aperture at f/32 and not worry. ... Barry
The F lenses with aperture rings always have to be locked at minimum aperture (32) for the modern cameras to control aperture. My Z7 has no issues adjusting aperture with the ring locked in that lens. :)
Hi Hudson, thanks for this subject, I have the ES-2 for using on my D850 ... however
I found that for all my slides I’ve used, the than, standard GEPE 3 mm frame .... in the past
and these do not fit the Nikon slide holder. Do you know of any other slide holder that will fit
the ES-2 and these 3mm slide frames ?
Ughhh. Short of pulling them into the 2mm mounts (with lint free gloves of course) to scan, I don't think it's going to work. :-( Those are epic mounts, but they'll keep you from using traditional scanning jigs.