![]() ![]() I’ll let members of the community jump in, but here are my personal observations based on my own experiments and files users have sent me: If you prefer the “softness” of a traditional fine-art print, go for a more diffused light source. ![]() If you like the sharpness and detail you see in drum scanners or dedicated film scanner (like Nikon Coolscans), try to get a more collimated light source.Which is better? Well, it’s really a matter of opinion and the debate has been going on for a while (in a darkroom setting, you can choose between using a condenser head (for collimated light) or a diffusion head.) Collimated light produces more contrast in scans.Collimated light produces sharper looking scans (whereas diffuse light will produce softer scans). ![]() To the naked eye, it appeared to be even lighting, but by taking a photo the led table directly (and then added contrast to approximate the contrast during a negative conversion process), you can see it is terribly uneven!Ĭollimated-vs-diffused-light-rays 1142×562 55.5 KBĬollimated light has two effects when DSLR scanning a film negative: Here’s a look at a Portra-Trace LED light table that was giving a users poor results. In my experience, it is very difficult to get perfectly even illumination if you are not using a professional LED light table solution (for example, a home-built led table, flash setup, old tungsten light table, etc)Įven pre-built setups can have some issues… Using a Kaiser Slimlite Plano, I’ve never had any issues with even illumination, and the results are the same every time. Also, there are things you can do in your set up to help with this. You want Even Illumination and Predictable Results I haven’t seen too much written about this outside the private Negative Lab Pro users facebook group, but examples of seen are extremely compelling.ģ. The ideal solution to this is to have a light source that produces distinct, narrow bands of red, green and blue light, that are in a similar range to photo paper spectral sensitivity. Andrew uses sawhorses to hold his table, stabilizing it with sandbags to ensure no movement of the set.Spectral-sensitivity-curves 1428×1124 123 KBīasically, all this means that modern digital camera sensors will pick up more interference with the orange mask than photo paper would. Now that your DIY light table is complete, set it up in your studio. Get snug with the screws, but don’t go too tight, as you’ll crack the acrylic glass. Pre-drill holes on the acrylic with a regular hand drill.ĭrill in screws on all sides. Mark the screw holes every 12 inches on acrylic (Andrew recommends staying away from the corners so you have a solid grab on the wood). Place the acrylic on top of the completed frame. Install and screw in corner braces onto lumber. The lumber will fit inside itself at the corners, so cut the two short pieces less the width of the two long lengthwise pieces. The unique advantage of a light table is that it allows light to penetrate through the product you are photographing, making it the perfect setting product, still life, silhouette, and food shoots.ġ sheet of acrylic #2447 sheeting (¼” with protective backing) cut to the table dimensions you want 24 x 36Ĥ lengths of 1×2 pine lumber (cut to table dimensions)Ĭut the lumber to match the perimeter of the acrylic sheet (creating a picture frame around it). Not only is Andrew’s light table mobile and easily adapted for gels or windows, it’s a perfect option for professionals who want to conserve square feet in their small studio. ![]() This $60 DIY studio fix (compared to a $500 product purchase), is great save on budget and space. So, how’d he do it? Luckily for us, Andrew gave us a short tutorial on hacking the light table. It was large, heavy, immobile, and featured a sag in the middle of the table - in other words, this important set piece was failing to provide the professional-grade lighting Andrew needed.įrustrated, he decided to build his own - one that turned out to be cheaper, lighter, sturdier, more versatile, and better matched to his needs than even a commercial light table. Once upon a time, food photographer, stylist, and writer Andrew Scrivani, was not a fan of his light table. ![]()
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