35mm photo film do-it-yourself scanner

Most recently, photographs were taken with analog cameras. The resulting images were displayed on film, which then needed to be developed and printed in special laboratories. This was done by professionals working in a photo studio. Very little time passed and digital technologies replaced the outdated ones. The process of photographing and the subsequent receipt of finished images is much easier. However, many have left a large number of negatives, which for various reasons I would like to display and print. This can be done now - at home without the use of special tools.

The easiest way to quickly and easily digitize the film is a special workshop. There are many companies that provide this service. But usually it takes a lot of time, and it is not cheap.

ATTENTION! Very often on the film there are shots that do not want to show to strangers. This should be considered when contacting the workshop.

You can also purchase a scanner and digitize the film yourself. This will allow you to select only the necessary frames.

However, the most common option is to make a homemade scanner. It is quite simple to do this, without having to purchase something specifically. The self-made device can be made of the materials which are available in any house. This will require:

  1. Cardboard box. The best option is a box of shoes or juice. They are dense, which will prevent the ingress of light inside.
  2. Digital camera or smartphone with a good camera and flash.
  3. Source of diffused light. Usually use daylight, flash or desk lamp.
  4. White paper - for dispersing a beam of light.
  5. Glass or a piece of plastic.
  6. Plastic cup.

After all materials are prepared, you can proceed to the assembly of the product.

Step-by-step production of a homemade scanner for film:

  1. In the carton you need to make two holes. One of them should be located at the end of the box and have a rectangular shape. The second need to give the shape of a circle, and cut - in the bottom of the box. The size of the round hole depends on the light source.
  2. A white sheet of paper should be rolled up into a tube and placed inside the box, inserted through a round hole. There it will take its original form and in the future it will function as a lens of light beam.
  3. Glass or a piece of plastic should cover the hole located in the end of the box. This should be done using glue or tape for fixing.
  4. Next, you need to cut off the bottom of a plastic cup. In the resulting hole will be placed the lens of a digital camera.
  5. From a small piece of cardboard you need to make a holder for the film.
  6. It is necessary to insert a film into the clamp, then place it on a fixed glass or a piece of plastic.
  7. Top set the glass with a cropped bottom.
  8. On the camera you need to set the mode "Macro", and then set on the glass. The lens must be pointing down. If you use a smartphone, then you need to set the mode "Negative".
  9. Turn on the backlight and take a picture.

In the same way, you need to take photos of all the frames available on the film.

After the photos are transferred to the memory of the phone or digital camera, the device must be connected to a computer or laptop. All the resulting photos should be copied and inverted, that is, from the resulting negative to make ordinary photos.

ATTENTION! The quality of the photos taken will depend on the resolution of the camera of the smartphone or digital camera!

For the manufacture of a homemade scanner, you can use not only a juice box or shoes. Very often the following materials are used for this:

  1. PVC pipe. The design has a rather small size. As a light source, you can use normal daylight. The diffuser in such a product is located immediately behind the film.
  2. Styrofoam. The principle of assembly is the same, just the box is replaced by foam. The camera here is located on top of a homemade scanner.

Making your own scanner is pretty easy. This will require the usual materials that can be found in any home.

Watch the video: How to Scan 35mm Film Beginner Tutorial (March 2024).

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