Features
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Holds 120 negatives flat for high-quality digital camera scanning
Designed with a special double S-curved track to mechanically flatten the negative
Optimized for full rolls - it will work with cut strips but flatness may vary
Comes with stick-on rubber feet to prevent the holder sliding when placed on top of a flat light source
Can be used with or without the VALOI 360 Advancer
Product Details
“Valoi” is a Finnish word meaning light and creation — a nod to the creativity of analog photography. VALOI's Scandinavian roots are visible in the minimalism and functionality of their designs. VALOI 360 is a film holder system that provides an easy and effective way to digitize your film using a digital camera. With the right setup, the VALOI 360 system can deliver faster and higher quality scans than traditional flatbed scanners.
The VALOI 360 120 Film Holder is the perfect entry-point for trying out digital camera scanning. The design makes it quick and easy to scan by allowing you to push/pull film through the holder instead of a traditional clam-shell design that requires constant opening and closing (cotton gloves are recommended to prevent fingerprints). Optimized for full, uncut rolls of 120 film, its double S-curved track keeps the film exceptionally flat. It will work with cut strips, but flatness may be decreased with very short strips.
Stick-on rubber feet are included to prevent the holder from sliding around if used directly on top of a flat light source. The masks included with the CineStill CS-LITE light source make for a perfect, slide-free fit. Film transport can be further optimized with the VALOI 360 Advancer, which features knurled knobs and rubber O-rings that pull the film through the holder quickly and efficiently for faster image capture.
Accessory 120 Film Format Masks are also available, which help block off stray light when scanning 120 formats smaller than 6x9, leading to higher quality scans.
Camera Scanning Considerations:
Camera Body
Just about any semi-modern, interchangeable-lens digital camera will work great for camera scanning. There are many mirrorless or DSLR options to choose from with large lens catalogs, tethered capture capability, and excellent image quality. Some high end cameras can even use pixel stitching to deliver extremely high levels of resolution.
Macro Lens
For camera scanning, the one real requirement is that your lens focuses close enough to capture the entire frame. For full frame cameras and capturing 35mm film, the term “1:1” designates a lens that will reproduce the 35mm frame exactly onto the full frame digital sensor. With crop-sensor bodies, 1:1 lenses focus even closer. Outside of reproduction factor (1:1), also look out for lenses that are sharp, have good color reproduction, limit internal reflections (modern coatings), and have very little vignetting. Finally, it’s generally best to use your macro lens stopped down 2-3 stops from wide open, as this gives a good combination of depth of field and sharpness.
Software for Negative Conversion
There are several plugins and standalone programs for converting digitally captured negatives into positive images. Most of the options presented here allow you to download a demo version to try before you buy and determine which one best suits your workflow.
