Ali's Photography Space…

We all have lots of old file camera Negatives lots of them are for impotent occasions, we may want to digitalize them for more secure saving or using them in ‘Digital Photo Frame’.

I will list down three ways to Digitalize your Negatives:
1. Take your old Negatives to photo store and they will do the job. 🙂 simple/straight/fast and quality.
2. Buy a new scanner with Negatives adapter.
3. Do it @ home without scanner. How to?? read this article..

To Convert the old film Negative to JPG Files you need..

• Digital camera with macro lens.
• Home-made Negatives holder.
• Speed light, or any other light source.’Florescent/White‘
• Photoshop application, or any pro. Photo Editor Software.

My Studio and what been used..

• Nikon D90.
• Nikon 105mm VR Macro lens.
• Nikon SB900 speedlight.
• My old Negatives. 🙂
• Home-Made Negatives Holder.

[o] First photo to describe How to create the Negatives Holder..
You Need:

• White paper size (A):12.5cm x 10.5cm (H*W)
• Another white/transparent paper size (B): 12cm x 8cm (H*W)
• Adhesive Tape.
• Scissors and/or Razor blade.

Front Side Sketch

Back Side Sketch

Real output

Here is the studio set-up:

Now you are ready, slide the Negatives between the tow papers (A & B) adjust the focus and take the shot. [You Must NOT Change the position of the camera, Negative holder or the flash during the session] Here is the results..


The Negative..

Photoshop Time:
Open the Photoshop or any photo editor software (this demo for photoshop)
Menu–> Image –> Adjustment –> Invert (Or Ctrl + I)

Do some more Adjustment for:
[o] Color Balance as shown:
Menu–> Image –> Adjustment –> Color Balance
Tone Balance: Shadows
Color Levels: +100, 0, 0

Tone Balance: Midtones
Color Levels: +100, -1, 0

Tone Balance: Highlight
Color Levels: +56, +15, -21

[o] Brightness/Contrast
Menu–> Image –> Adjustment –> Brightness/Contrast
Brightness : -10

I fond that the above setting and the numbers will vary if we move any part of the studio, so the settings are suite for me 🙂 you have to do some changes to come up with your levels of colors/Brightness/Contrast.

Write down the setting then create an Action (in Photoshop) to apply the setting to a photo, put all the Negatives in a folder (copy of them) then (from photoshop): File –> Automate –> batch and select the folder and the action you just create, click OK. DONE!

All the Negatives in the folder are now a Positive photos, you need to tone up some of them manually as you wish.

Some samples from my Trip to Austria in 1998.













Have Fun …
Ali,