JJC makes a similar device for about half the price. The JJC system is a bit more fiddly as it uses a plastic film holder instead of a feed system but it can also do mounted 35mm slides.
I watched this and a lot of videos on this system a few weeks ago. I got the Valoi Easy35 and I am using it with a Pentax K-3 Mark iii Monochrome with a Pentax Limited DA 35mm Macro lens and it is such a perfect setup for scanning B&W negatives. Using that lens and camera you only need the 20mm spacing tube provided in the Valoi kit and the spacing is just a few pixels wider than the 35mm image. Just a tiny bit to let you know you got the whole image. I love how with this setup your B&W isn’t passed through a Bayer filter at a color sensor and then reinterpreted as B&W, it just starts B&W and the film and goes straight into a B&W RAW file.
If and when my scanner dies, I might pick one of these up. Looks pretty straightforward with quick, good quality results. (I've got a Canon 100mm f2.8 macro lens that should work great with this). Thanks for sharing this first look!
Thanks! I was happily surprised at how easy and well it worked. It just might convince me to take a film camera with us and develop some B&W in the Airstream. 🤔 Thanks for watching, Dave.
Received mine the same day, the quality is much better than I expected. I didn't expect metal extension tube. Good sensible packaging and good instructions. I am developing a couple of rolls now and about to test it out. Initial impressions are very good.
@@VintageInsightPhotography Going forward I plan to not cut my slide film just for this unit, however, I too have many slides from 30+ years ago that I wish to scan, and this Easy35 unit would be great for that. Fingers crossed 🤞
Interesting product James and a great review. I presumed you were already on the road which is why we've not seen you in a while but maybe you just got finished scanning in that absolute mountain of negatives!
Been concentrating on the new travel channel and our massive downsizing. And, yes. That is a ridiculous mountain of images to scan. Prints, medium format, and 35mm. Some date back to the 1920’s!
After having fiddled with a few 3d prints for mounting the camera and the film at a perfect distance and focus, I've discovered this. I bought it. I'm tired of having to re-focus every frame after moving the camera accidentally, or being unable to have everything in focus.
thanks for the review! i'm interested in this. i'm concerned it is very cropped in and almost cutting off some of the frame. is it possible to capture more of the film? the sprockets?
The Fujifilm X-S10 crops in the video more than the stills. I easily had the full negative in the still shots. All that said, it’s a balance of lens focal length, camera extension tubes, and the Valoi extension tubes. Note that this only copies 35mm film. I have the original Valoi system for medium format film images.
Hey James. It is nice to see you back. I like the Veloi, but in my opinion is too expensive. A year ago I found in Amazon a similar option for a fraction of the Veloi price "JJC Photo Slide and Film Digitizer Converter with 10-Levels Brightness LED Backlight for 35mm Slide and Negatives Copying Scanning to Digital for Select Canon Nikon Sony Macro Lenses" I hope this info help somebody. Regards
@@CountDiLuna answering with my other persona. 🤣 I’m not sure about the JJC unit, but the Valoi Easy35 and 360 can both work with uncut rolls. In fact, the Valoi works better with uncut rolls.
Nice video, thanks, but this stuff is much to expensive. If you have a macro lens, you can use an iPad and a tripod to scan your negatives, and just 35mm?
i have a bit of concern about the inner part of this system. Is there a way to open the feeding system if any dust or particles stick on the light inside?
I’ve had mine packed away since we started traveling full time in our RV. I’ll need to get it out and check. Plus, I’ve got over a thousand negatives with me that I still need to scan! 🤓
James, is your lens you’re using a macro lens, or do the extension tubes you added between your lens and the camera correct the fact that it is not a macro lens?
Thanks for the video. Did you find any issues using the extension tubes in terms of overall sharpness? Am thinking of getting the Valoi and using tubes as opposed to a dedicated macro. Thanks!
Hello James, I hope the airstreamer traveling is going well. I have a few questions; Did you already us the Easy35 with a B&W negative? and did that came out as good as the color? Is Capture One also good in processing it into B&W digital pictures?
Yes. Capture One probably isn’t the best tool for converting negatives to positives, but it sure is convenient for me. I am finding myself using Affinity Photo more and more.
Hi, I see that you processed the image with capture one. What is your process on it? I also use C1 but see different thoughts about it to convert the negatives. Unfortunate there is no negative lab pro for C1. And as im using Windows the toolbox add on created by Michael wilmes is not available for me either. Do you Just swap the Black and White points and color balance from there or do you use any otter method? Kind regards
It sounds cliche, but you could actually use this unit on the go, like on a trip, in a bus, train, plane etc… just ordered mine and it will be arriving late September. Fingers crossed 🤞
Great minds think alike! I specifically bought this for on-the-go. We are now living full time in a 28’ Airstream travel trailer and will use this Valoi scanner as we travel. 😁
I have one of these, and it is a bit disappointing. The light source is not even, which makes it impossible to get good scans if you have deep shadows near the edges of the frame.
@@VintageInsightPhotography I doubt that yours is actually even, since I tested mine with multiple light sources. Try a very thin color neg, and you will probably see what I'm talking about. Too many other people have the same issue for it to be sample variation rather than a design flaw.
Meh ... expensive. This is just an expensive light source beyond the negative or slide. My $20 Opteka slide duplicator works swell with a flash pointed at a white card or with a cheap LED video light on a white card just beyond the film holder. This is an expensive way to add a light at the end of a tube. But then, your mileage may vary. Thanks - super well scripted and illustrated video. TT
JJC makes a similar device for about half the price. The JJC system is a bit more fiddly as it uses a plastic film holder instead of a feed system but it can also do mounted 35mm slides.
I watched this and a lot of videos on this system a few weeks ago. I got the Valoi Easy35 and I am using it with a Pentax K-3 Mark iii Monochrome with a Pentax Limited DA 35mm Macro lens and it is such a perfect setup for scanning B&W negatives. Using that lens and camera you only need the 20mm spacing tube provided in the Valoi kit and the spacing is just a few pixels wider than the 35mm image. Just a tiny bit to let you know you got the whole image. I love how with this setup your B&W isn’t passed through a Bayer filter at a color sensor and then reinterpreted as B&W, it just starts B&W and the film and goes straight into a B&W RAW file.
Compact and easily operable. Perfect !!
Yes. I really like it.
If and when my scanner dies, I might pick one of these up. Looks pretty straightforward with quick, good quality results. (I've got a Canon 100mm f2.8 macro lens that should work great with this). Thanks for sharing this first look!
Thanks! I was happily surprised at how easy and well it worked. It just might convince me to take a film camera with us and develop some B&W in the Airstream. 🤔 Thanks for watching, Dave.
Love your content James. Thanks for introducing us to this system, I may just have to invest in one!
Thanks so much.
Received mine the same day, the quality is much better than I expected. I didn't expect metal extension tube. Good sensible packaging and good instructions. I am developing a couple of rolls now and about to test it out. Initial impressions are very good.
I’m happy with it too. I’m hoping they add the ability to copy mounted transparencies. I have hundreds of slides to digitize.
@@VintageInsightPhotography Going forward I plan to not cut my slide film just for this unit, however, I too have many slides from 30+ years ago that I wish to scan, and this Easy35 unit would be great for that. Fingers crossed 🤞
hi there. just came across your comment and i too am contemplating purchasing this unit. how were the results?
Interesting product James and a great review. I presumed you were already on the road which is why we've not seen you in a while but maybe you just got finished scanning in that absolute mountain of negatives!
Been concentrating on the new travel channel and our massive downsizing. And, yes. That is a ridiculous mountain of images to scan. Prints, medium format, and 35mm. Some date back to the 1920’s!
@VintageInsightPhotography just subbed to airstreamer from my other channel @OutandaboutwithAndy
@@AndrewWaltonPhotography Thank you!
After having fiddled with a few 3d prints for mounting the camera and the film at a perfect distance and focus, I've discovered this. I bought it. I'm tired of having to re-focus every frame after moving the camera accidentally, or being unable to have everything in focus.
I’ve really enjoyed using the Easy35. Thanks for watching.
thanks for the review! i'm interested in this. i'm concerned it is very cropped in and almost cutting off some of the frame. is it possible to capture more of the film? the sprockets?
The Fujifilm X-S10 crops in the video more than the stills. I easily had the full negative in the still shots. All that said, it’s a balance of lens focal length, camera extension tubes, and the Valoi extension tubes. Note that this only copies 35mm film. I have the original Valoi system for medium format film images.
Valoi sells an insert (mask) that captures the sprocket holes. Nothing should be cut off with either the standard or sprocket insert.
I don't think that fits the Easy 35.
thank you...
Hey James. It is nice to see you back. I like the Veloi, but in my opinion is too expensive. A year ago I found in Amazon a similar option for a fraction of the Veloi price "JJC Photo Slide and Film Digitizer Converter with 10-Levels Brightness LED Backlight for 35mm Slide and Negatives Copying Scanning to Digital for Select Canon Nikon Sony Macro Lenses" I hope this info help somebody. Regards
Thanks for the info! I’ll check it out!
I looked at that JJC device a while back, but from what I could tell it cannot handle uncut film rolls. Am I right about that?
@@CountDiLuna answering with my other persona. 🤣 I’m not sure about the JJC unit, but the Valoi Easy35 and 360 can both work with uncut rolls. In fact, the Valoi works better with uncut rolls.
@@airstreamer Brilliant! Uncut rolls work so much better for my workflow. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing. Just ordered mine. Do you use auto exposure to scan?
I did for those first negatives. The raw file gives plenty of latitude.
Nice video, thanks,
but this stuff is much to expensive. If you have a macro lens, you can use an iPad and a tripod to scan your negatives, and just 35mm?
Yes. Just 35mm with this. I have over 1000 negatives to scan, and thus will speed up my process. Your mileage may vary.
Thx
Any time
i have a bit of concern about the inner part of this system. Is there a way to open the feeding system if any dust or particles stick on the light inside?
I’ve had mine packed away since we started traveling full time in our RV. I’ll need to get it out and check. Plus, I’ve got over a thousand negatives with me that I still need to scan! 🤓
Would a macro lens filter work as well as the extension tubes?
Possibly. I prefer tubes with the Valoi.
Do they make one to digitize slides?
James, is your lens you’re using a macro lens, or do the extension tubes you added between your lens and the camera correct the fact that it is not a macro lens?
I used extension tubes wit a standard lens.
Excellent, thank you.
Thanks for the video. Did you find any issues using the extension tubes in terms of overall sharpness? Am thinking of getting the Valoi and using tubes as opposed to a dedicated macro. Thanks!
I didn't, but my eyes aren't the best anymore! 🤓🤣 Thanks so much for watching!
I have a fuji camera and am concerned that it will skew the colors of the slide with the film sim stuff. What settings to you use?
It disposes of accessories like slides mounted?
Valoi has plans to add a slide adapter.
How do you process the scanned negatives in Capture One?
Hello James, I hope the airstreamer traveling is going well. I have a few questions; Did you already us the Easy35 with a B&W negative? and did that came out as good as the color? Is Capture One also good in processing it into B&W digital pictures?
Yes. Capture One probably isn’t the best tool for converting negatives to positives, but it sure is convenient for me. I am finding myself using Affinity Photo more and more.
Hi, I see that you processed the image with capture one. What is your process on it?
I also use C1 but see different thoughts about it to convert the negatives. Unfortunate there is no negative lab pro for C1. And as im using Windows the toolbox add on created by Michael wilmes is not available for me either.
Do you Just swap the Black and White points and color balance from there or do you use any otter method? Kind regards
Ive also got one and is very expensive for the built quality... they really need to go for injected plastic in long term
It worked better than I anticipated. I do wish they had a 2x2 slide adapter for it.
It sounds cliche, but you could actually use this unit on the go, like on a trip, in a bus, train, plane etc… just ordered mine and it will be arriving late September. Fingers crossed 🤞
Great minds think alike! I specifically bought this for on-the-go. We are now living full time in a 28’ Airstream travel trailer and will use this Valoi scanner as we travel. 😁
@@VintageInsightPhotography That is so cool, one day I would like to travel with my cat on the go taking images of our adventures. Good luck!
I have one of these, and it is a bit disappointing. The light source is not even, which makes it impossible to get good scans if you have deep shadows near the edges of the frame.
it looks well built but also overpriced for something that is essentially a 3D printed monitor holder
Sorry yours isn’t working well. The light is very even in the unit I received.
I was surprised how well it was made.
@@VintageInsightPhotography I doubt that yours is actually even, since I tested mine with multiple light sources. Try a very thin color neg, and you will probably see what I'm talking about. Too many other people have the same issue for it to be sample variation rather than a design flaw.
Did you goto DINFOS?
Meh ... expensive. This is just an expensive light source beyond the negative or slide. My $20 Opteka slide duplicator works swell with a flash pointed at a white card or with a cheap LED video light on a white card just beyond the film holder. This is an expensive way to add a light at the end of a tube. But then, your mileage may vary. Thanks - super well scripted and illustrated video. TT
It's not scanning.