DIY 4x5" scanner back

[Lenrick]

Hey

I read the post "I'm building a LF SCANNER camera" by Project ESE from 5-Mar-2010, and got inspired.

I thought that one article [1] mentioned in that thread was very good. But in the article they have used scanners with LIDE (LED Indirect Exposure) technology and more or less say that the 'normal' scanner technology used by most manufacturers is not recommended.

The Fujustu fi60-F scanner seem to be well suited for 4x5" cameras. But I guess it does not use LIDE technology, though I cannot find any information on their homepage.

If I understand the article correct, one of the problems with scanners that don't use LIDE is that the sensor is not 'full width' and uses lenses and mirrors to cover the entire width of the scan area.

But in my case I'm not after extreme high resolution, but more a fun project and a working affordable digital back for my 4x5" camera. I think it would be possible to modify the Fujustu fi60-F scanner to work with a 4x5" camera without too many modifications. I guess the scanner light and glass plate should be removed.

Does anyone have any good advise or comments before I start?


[1]S Wang and W Heidrich. The Design of an Inexpensive Very High Resolution Scan Camera System. Computer Graphics Forum, Volume 23, Issue 3, pages 441–450, September 2004

[ramon]

Hi,

Good luck in your project! Please, keep us informed.

LIDE technology means using a CIS sensor (contact image sensor).

Alternative scanner for 8x10 cameras: IRIScan Book 2

- Contact Image Sensor with 5136 dots / 8.27" (600 dpi)
- Scan WITHOUT computer
- MicroSD card up to 32Gb
- 2xAA batteries
- 149 g
- Suggested retail price: 129 Euros

http://www.irislink.com/Documents/Im...-IDcard-us.pdf

[Lenrick]

Alternative scanner for 8x10 cameras: IRIScan Book 2

- Contact Image Sensor with 5136 dots / 8.27" (600 dpi)
- Scan WITHOUT computer
- MicroSD card up to 32Gb
- 2xAA batteries
- 149 g
- Suggested retail price: 129 Euros

Thanks for this suggestion Ramon. I just got a crazy idea about how to use this IRIScan scanner. If this idea is sound, it would basically turn my 4x5" camera into a 8x10" (or rather a 7x25") camera. And it would not cost a fortune.

Main advantage:
I would probably not have any problems with vignetting, since the light always comes straight at the scanner.
I can use my 4x5" camera.
I can use almost the entire sensor on the scanner.
I don't have to build some sort of complicated motor and sleigh, since I will use a motorized tripod head witch is available of the shelf (I saw one that cost about €400).

Main disadvantage:
I have to buy a somewhat expensive motorized tripod head.
I have to set up the tripod with high accuracy, it needs to be level.
I have to tilt the camera 45 degrees, which will feel awkward.
And probably a few other disadvantages I haven thought of yet...

Please see the attached pdf (the thumbnail seem a bit strage in my preview, but I could open it and it was fine, I hope it will work for you to).

So, what do you think?

[ramon]

Great Idea !

Your lens will need a bigger image circle (180 mm, instead of just 154mm for 4x5").

If you want to do some cheap first tests: instead of motorized tripod you can buy a low rpm "synchronous AC geared motor".

Do some google searches. Electronic suppliers (farnell, rs-components, digikey) have them in stock at about $25 USD.

You can put your camera in a motorized base and do a panoramic of your house.

You don't need a motorized tripod, you can just buy a low cost tripod head and with some practice to do smooth movements.

I think that you do not need the camera either: lens, black trash bag, IRIScan Book 2, and two hands

Improved version: lens, black trash bag, IRIScan Book 2, and a U shaped aluminium with central hole (1/4 or 3/8) to allow tripod mount of both lens an scanner.

[Lenrick]

Have you Ramon, or anyone else, any experience with the IRIScan? Either normal use, or as a 'scan camera' scanner?

Things I wounder about is stuff like:
Does it scan in mid air so to say, or is there any sensor telling the scanner if it is placed on a surface or not? If it has such a sensor, is it easily 'tricked' to make it think there is a surface underneath?
Is there any way of getting the RAW-data or at least a better format than jpg?
Will it be difficult to remove the lighting and the lens array?

Any thoughts?

[Lenrick]

By the way, I have a "Rodenstock 72 Deg. APO-Sironar-N 5,6/150mm" lens. And if I understand the table on Rodenstock's homepage correct the image circle at infinity at aperture 16-22 is 214 mm. Which should cover the entire sensor.

[Ramiro Elena]

The Canon LIDE are very cheap second hand. I've gotten a couple for 10€ each. The one Ramon mentions sounds interesting too.

I went and did the modifications explained but couldn't get it to cover 8x10 without vigneting. Might have something to do with the lens... don't know for sure. There's a guy on Flickr doing amazing work called Brana Vojnovic.

[jon.oman]

I bought a Canon LIDE scanner to try this, but it is still sitting in the box........

[ramon]

I have no experience with this scanner.

CIS sensors are intended for low resolution scan of paper (or book) scanning. So they directs light to the scan area.

This could cause light reflection problems inside bellows. And this light, in some sensors, cannot be disabled.

The best DIY scan project I have seen to date is from Project ESE that you comment in your first post. Scanner-Camera v3.0 videos are great.

The reason I talked about the IRIScan is because their cost is 3x lower than FUJI FI-60F scanner being the same technology (CIS sensor) and resolution (600 dpi). IRIScan also has the advantage of lower weigth, size, and portability. With 2xAA Batteries can scan the image an store into microSD card. No need to carry PC into the field.

You can also take a look at Mustek ScanExpress H610 Scanner. Almost same specs than Iriscan book 2.

I do not believe that you can obtain raw data with this type of scanners.

[Lenrick]

For anyone who is thinking of building a scanner camera like the ones Michael Golembewski from The Scanner Photography Project is building. I found a instructive blog which I haven't seen anyone link to before: Duckie's Blog