Scan your film with a digital camera or phone!
The LUMINO scanning kit is an evolution of the PENSO scanner masks (which is developed with EPSON scanners in mind). Since many photographers are using the PENSO masks to scan the films with a DSLR (or even a smartphone), I decided to reproduce the same magnetic masks in a more flexible kit that is “scanner independent” and dedicated to DSLR / Digital Camera / Smarthone film scanning.
LUMINO makes scanning a photographic film with a digital camera (or smart phone) very simple. 1️⃣ Choose the right film mask, 2️⃣slide the mask into the mask holder, 3️⃣put it over a light source. 4️⃣ Insert the film you need to scan in the dedicated mask and start scanning shooting.
Available Components
- Film masks: many sizes available
- Mask holder: keep the mask off the table, helps avoiding dust.
- Light Base: connects with the holder to contain a led panel
Great Flexibility
LUMINO can be assembed in various configurations and can be used over different light sources or with a proper LED light panel inserted into the base. The Base and the Mask Holder both come with their own blocking clamps that keep all the components well connected. Here some possible variants:
How LUMINO works
MASKS: There are different masks for many types of film, from 120 to Minox, 35mm film with or without sprocket holes, 127 film, 110 & 16mm, 24mm for APS film, 4×5 large format film sheets… The film is inserted into film masks that keep the film flat and steady thanks to small magnets. Since masks are all equal in size, and they all slide into the same holder.
HOLDER: Even though it is possible to use the masks alone and place them directly on a light panel, it is recommended to use the mask holder. The advantage of the mask holder is to keep the film away from the light source and dust, and you can also place a phone under the holder as a backlight (see note below). Once the film mask is inserted into the holder, you can clamp them together with two lateral “clips” that keep the whole system tightly connected.
The Lumino mask holder has the perfect size for the CS-Lite led panel from Cine Still! A lateral notch for the cable exit has been added after I realised the the CS-Lite is the same size of the Raleno that I had when I designd the kit. NOTE that with the CS-Lite inside the holder it’s not possible to add the lateral clips.
BASE: The holder can connect with a base that is specifically designed to contain a professional led light panel: the one in the photo is a Raleno PLV-S104 which is 170mm × 120mm × 23mm h in size. Most pro led panels have colour temperature controls (cool light, daylight, warm light) from 3200K up to 6500K with very reliable color rendition, providing some control over the white balance (more notes below). The base also comes with a couple of clips that keep the components clamped together.
The scanning process
Here are some suggestions for a good film scanning with a DSLR camera workflow:
- Clean and prepare the scanning environment:
- Ensure you have a clean and dust-free area to work in.
- Set up a stable surface for your DSLR camera and negative film holder.
- Minimize ambient light sources that may affect the scanning process.
- Securely mount the film and position it for scanning:
- Use the film masks and holder to securely mount the film strip to be scanned.
- Align the film properly to ensure it is flat and in focus.
- Use a tripod or a stable stand to ensure the camera remains perfectly level with the film.
- Set up the lighting for even illumination:
- Use a dedicated light source below the film mask holder to provide even illumination behind the film.
- Better use a light panel inside the Lumino base+holder to achieve uniform lighting across the film.
- Avoid hotspots, glares, or any other lighting issues that may affect the scanning quality.
- Configure camera settings for optimal scanning:
- Set your camera to manual mode for full control over settings.
- Select a low ISO setting to minimize noise.
- Consider using a macro lens (or close focusing lens) to maximize the resolution.
- Adjust the aperture for optimal depth of field, typically around f/8 to f/11.
- Fine-tune the shutter speed to achieve a well-exposed image without motion blur.
- Capture and review test shots:
- Use a remote shutter release or a timer function to minimize camera shake. Even better: if your camera supports tethered shooting or can be controlled by an App from your smartphone, you can shoot without even touching your camera.
- Review the test shots on a computer display to verify the sharpness, exposure, and color accuracy. This is very practical with tethered shooting or with an App, since you can zoom to a 100% scale.
- Make any necessary adjustments to the camera settings, lighting, or film positioning.
Take your time: fine-tuning the setup takes time and patience, but when you’re set it will be fast and smooth.
VIDEOS!
LUMINO Setup with a “two-headed tripod” to level the camera
Scanning 135 color negatives while controlling the camera with a dedicated wi-fi App
Scanning color negative 120film
Suggestions
In most cases you will have multiple exposures inside the same mask, therefore you will have to move the Lumino under the camera to take every other scan. The camera will obviously stay level and still, and since you’re shooting in live-view mode you can always check that the framing is right. Even better, if your camera supports Wi-fi and you can shoot via a dedicated app you never have to touch the camera at all: just move the Lumino underneath!
Using a macro lens or a lens with a close focusing capability can help capture fine details and achieve high-quality scans. Test different configurations, lighting intensities, and camera settings to find the combination that produces the best quality scans for your specific film and equipment. If you change film format (for example from 16mm to medium format) you will need to adjust the height of the camera, the lens focusing, and eventually the focus reach (acro lenses often have a limited distanc tolerance for focusing ont the subject).
Useful notes:
CS-Lite vs Raleno clarification. If you have the CS-Lite led panel then you don’t need the base because the casing is flat on the back side and does not need to be supported: just get the Lumino Holder and put the CS-Lite inside. If you have the Raleno PLV-S104, you need the Base as a support, because this led panel has protruding knobs and stuff on the backside.
Keep the back-light out of focus. If you’re scanning the film with a DSLR and your light source is a tablet or phone, it is not recommended to lay the mask directly on the device’s screen. If you’re using an aperture with enough depth of field, the screen’s pixels could show thruogh the emulsion. So it’ll be important to keep te film away from the screen to avoid the pixels showing up in the photo possibly causing moiré effects: the increased distance of the holder will put the screen’s pixels off-focus. That’s why I suggest you get the mask Holder.
White balance. If you can set the light source’s color temperature, it’s better to use it at 6500K (cool light) when scanning color negatives. Controlling the orange film base of color negative film when scanning with a DSLR involves adjusting the white balance and color correction during post-processing. If you scan positive film (slides), it is better to use warm light or neutral daylight, it will give more balanced hues. If you scan black and white film, use the normal white light (daylight). The CS-Lite led panel has specific switches to set the right light temperature, while the Raleno has two knobs that control the power and the temperature of the light, progressively.
Suitable for flatbed scanners. The “film masks” are an evolution of the PENSO Scanner film masks: you can use them in a flatbed scanner with transparency module to scan your film, but keep in mind that the film will be off the scanner’s glass by 3mm: if your original masks are supposed to be thinner than that, your scans will probably be out of focus. The complete mask itself is 6mm thick.
ask me anything
I’ll be happy to read your comments and suggestions. If you need some details feel free to ask!
