G1 and digitizing 35mm film images

[brinsc]

Hi! I'm needin some technical expertise on G1's and focussing for a PhD research project I'm involved with.
Here's the deal:
Source:
A4 pages of 19thC handwritten correspondence shrunk to 1/10th size (30mmx21mm = 1 1/5inx 4/5in) and placed on 35mm film stock.
Destination: Digital images on CD-ROM disks
Method: Direct imaging of 35mm images via G1 and Remote Capture to PhotoShop LE etc...
The story so far
Using Standard lens set-up @ 6cm, Macro mode and Manual focus I'm getting an impression of the handwriting. - but really blurry and indistinct.
Q1 Can this be imaged directly or must it be projected
on a screen first?

I'm getting the close-up lense this week (250D)
and I haven't tried optical zooming at this stage.
Q2 Can I capture this in Raw data mode?

Thanx for any guidance you can give me

Brianc

[Roumen]

Brianc,

There are such adapters for 35mm Slide/Film Copying, example: http://www.photosolve.com/xtendaslide.asp

There are also film scanners which are 2 times more expensive.

Although you could use flatbed scanner to scan your paper materials and get a perfect result.
Using G1 on tripod to scan your paper materials is also possible.

Greetings,
Roumen

[John_T]

You could also get a Canon Canoscan 9900F flatbed scanner and use the film strip or slide masks. It might be faster and more accurate, plus you get the automatic dust and scratch removal, age and color correction along with other software enhancements.

It depends on what your quality parameters and other requirements are. Using the G1, while challenging, would have too many potentially negative variables and too little options for me.

[Jesper]

Is there some reason why you have to do this the hard way, by taking photos of 35 mm film frames with a digital camera, or is it just because you don't know there is a better and easier way to do this?

Using a film scanner such as the Minolta Scan Dual III will give you much better quality and it's much easier.

[stopbath]

The 250 close up lens will likely work well. (You may still need to crop.)

Recommend using a light table for the light source. This will give you an even back ground so that you don't have variations in the documents from changes in the back ground.

If you have lots of slides, bother setting up an copy stand arrangement. Use a tripod or copy stand to hold your camera. Arrange to somehow hold the slide perfectly paralell to the CCD and away from the table.

Perhaps rental equipment may help.

Good luck on your research.