How to Scan Slides & Negatives - Nikon D850 - ES-1 & ES-2 Adapter Digitizer - Lightroom

Which is better? Digitizing film using Lightroom or the Nikon D850 in-camera software. Digitizing colour (color) negative 35mm film can be complex. Black/White film and slides to a lesser extent. Nikon D850, the ES-1 and ES-2 adapters do help and photo editing software, like Adobe Lightroom is mandatory.
It has been a frustrating process over the last 12-18 months, experimenting with mix results. The video explains the current process that seems to work for me. The ES-2 adapter combined with the D850 in-camera software does some peculiar things with stray light. Not sure if its my set up or if other people have experienced similar results. Comment and let me know.
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[@joffemannen]

Glad to hear the positive vignetting issue has to do with the negative digitizer feature in the camera - I'll go get Negative Lab Pro to help me with the colors then. I wonder if you were actually using f/2.8 or if the extension tubes just made the camera report wrong? I'm guessing your lens is better stopped down - and how do you even focus at 2.8? I'll try f/8 on my AF Micro Nikkor 55mm 2.8 - sharpest and a bit more leeway when it comes to focus. If the ES-2 was a bit more sturdy, focus wouldn't matter too much - but it's not...

[@Adventure8]

👍

[@joffemannen]

Might still be some light that leaks in through the ES-2, will try and make a thick black cover

[@ericlawrie7044]

A Nikon LS5000 Coolscan produces a 4000 dpi image of a 35mm slide measuring 4000 x 6000 pixels at around 21 mbs. A camera scan with the ES2 and D850 produces a 8256 x 5504 pixel file at 45 mbs. Does this mean the camera scan image is better than the scanner file?

[@Adventure8]

I think either methods are fine. The limitation is the film I think. I’m not an expert on scanning. The few times I scanned I found the process slow. My preference is to use my D850 to re-photograph my Kodachrome or B&W negatives. I haven’t found a good way to reproduce a good image out of colour negatives.

[@unrealzocker]

you might take a look at Negative Lab Pro, it's an addon for Lightroom. I used a D750 with ES-2 and a 60mm macro lens. Colors seemed fine for the task, I mainly used it to archive old negatives so perfect colors where not that important. Still looked good in my (non-professional) opinion.

[@Adventure8]

Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll try it out.

[@indrajitadvani3742]

Much appreciated. I certainly will

[@ronjenkins4257]

Seconding the suggestion of Negative Lab Pro plugin for Lightroom. It's a very fast and easy way to get excellent colour negative inversions. I have compared it to the manual process of adjustments in RGB curves in Lightroom as you show it, and found NLP generally better. Moreover, you can do batch inversions, which in my case will save a lot of time. You can download and play with a trial version of NLP. The trial version will let you convert up to 12 images for free; moreover, you can -- if you are wanting to assess colour accuracy -- take any number of screenshots of the inversions, and compare them to any other method you are considering. Screenshots won't of course give you the resolution of the original, but will be good for assessing the inversions Negative Lab Pro can provide. I have not yet bought NLP myself, but expect to do so. I'm just making related decisions of film holder and lightbox before I pull the trigger.

[@indrajitadvani3742]

@@ronjenkins4257 Much appreciated Ron. You folks have been invaluable.

[@JayGreezy]

Does anyone know how many extension tubes are needed to use the 105mm macro from NIkon? I already have that and would save even MORE money if I could find a way to use it instead.

[@Adventure8]

Thanks for watching.

[@robinsongalaxie500]

Did you have much success with the ES1 please? I too have The old 55mm Nikkor Micro (which is as you know, a pretty good & sharp lens) and thousands of 35mm slides, a good number of which my late father mounted in thick plastic frames. I’ve a D700 which only has a 12MB sensor although good enough as a reference slide for then rescanning at a higher resolution should any important or beautiful shots turn up. I have access to a D800 for bigger file sizes. Interested to know if the plastic slide holders caused any problems - light down the sides or film flatness issues? Thanks for all you efforts!

[@Adventure8]

Practise makes perfect. The ES1 works pretty well. Also the D700 should give great results. Not sure whether you will see much difference between the D700 and D800, other than pixel frame size. I find, each time I'm motivated to photograph slides, I need to do numerous test shots before I get everything in order. Good luck with your copying.

[@Winggang]

Hi Peter, two questions: If you use the ES-1 with that same 55 2.8 lens, do you still need to put an extension tube between the camera body and lens? Secondly, I’ve read that the ES-2 negative holder can be easily modified to fit the ES-1. Have you tried that?

[@Adventure8]

Thanks for your questions. Excellent questions in fact. 1: You need extension tubes for the ES-1 to focus with the Nikon 55 Micro f2.8. There are lots on the market. Here is an Amazon link to one, Fotodiox - amzn.to/3AN79d0 2: Your question prompted me to see if the ES-2 negative holder could be used with the ES-1. You are right. It works. The holder slides left & right in the ES-2. The ES-1 slide retaining springs are 90 degrees to the ES-2, so that means the negative holder can not be slid left or right, but up and down only. So to change negative holder position, the negative holder has to removed up out of the ES-1, re-positioned and slid back down into the ES-1. So process is different to the ES-2, however, the end result is the same. The ES-2 negative holder works well with the ES-1. No modification, just slightly different process. Thanks for making contact.

[@Winggang]

@@Adventure8 Thanks for your prompt answers. As you mentioned, even thicker slide mounts can fit in the ES-1 so it seems that instead of buying the ES-2, isn’t it simpler and cheaper to just buy the Nikon FH-4 Strip Film Holder?

[@Adventure8]

Yes, you are right. I got the ES-2 kit soon after I got my Nikon D850. Only the kit was available at the time.

[@michelgirard9598]

Do you know how to make the setup in or a Nikon Coolpix 990 camera in order to to use Nikon Es-e28 slide copying adapter. Many thanks. Michel

[@Adventure8]

Good question, sorry, don't have an answer for you. Best way to digitise is to use a DSLR or mirrorless camera with interchangeable lens.

[@martysielinski306]

Since you are a complete manual 55mm lens for this project, I am interested to know your lens f-stop setting to obtain the proper exposure on the 850 sensor.

[@Adventure8]

I find every time I take digital photos of slides and/or negatives, I need to re-teach myself on the set up, camera settings etc. Take numerous test shots etc to get a shot acceptable to myself from the image. Nevertheless, re f-stop. The manual 55mm f2.8 lens I try and set at around f:8 to f:16. This seems to get most of the film/slide in focus, allowing for the curvature in the film (its never completely flat). Of course, you will get all the dust on the slide, figure prints etc, regardless how much you try to clean the original. Hope that helps. Cheers Peter

[@indrajitadvani3742]

Thanks for this. Can ES-2 be used with Nikon Z lens 50mm MC? Do you know. Or any other Z lens?

[@Adventure8]

Nikon confirmed that the new Nikkor Z MC 50mm f /2.8 macro lens is compatible with the ES-2, but the Nikkor Z MC 105mm f /2.8 VR S is not.

[@indrajitadvani3742]

@@Adventure8 Thanks so much!

[@bobperry2085]

hi what was your solution for working with thick slides and the es-2 please?

[@Adventure8]

I did buy the Nikon ES-1 also. The ES-1 can handle thick mount 35mm slides. One at a time. The ES-2 with the 4-slide holder only handles the paper mount slides (typically Kodachrome) and the really thin plastic variety.

[@JayGreezy]

Does anyone know if the 60mm Nikon G is better than the 60mm D? Or if I can just save the money and buy the D and call it a day? This is a MUCH cheaper option with my Z6 to buying a film scanner

[@Adventure8]

Good question. I don't have an answer for you. Maybe someone else will comment.

[@1911geek]

Sir buy the Kodak C-41 negative for printer kit

[@Adventure8]

Let me know some more details, link etc. Would be interesting to investigate in more detail. thanks.

[@1911geek]

@@Adventure8 search old 1 hour lab standard print kit. We use it back then to standardize morning setup to make sure printer get correct skin tones and density and color checks

[@PeterKKraus]

What about slides? Ugh. The ES1 is for slides.

[@Adventure8]

Yes the ES1 is slide only, however, some people have made their own custom negative holder to fit the ES1.

[@PeterKKraus]

@@Adventure8 Oh. Ok. Sorry.

[@PeterKKraus]

@@Adventure8 How would they reverse to a positive image then?