In the restoration forum someone mentioned using a copy table or copy stand to photo an older picture too large to scan. Does anyone have plans for a copy table for this do it yourselfer ? What lights do you use etc. Also any suggestions on a good lens to purchase for this type project. Does it have to be macro? I am using a Canon XT digital.

bcarll

Rude and crude, take a regular table, place it so you have some room at one end or side, mount your camera on a tripod, lay the tripod flat on the table with its legs together, place some heavy objects (books or bricks or?) on the legs so the tripod will not tip off the table and point the camera at the original that is laying on the floor beneath it.

Lights can be most anything as long as you can adjust them so that they are of equal intensity on the original. Remember that light changes intensity when the distance from the light to the original changes. If doing color include a color chart on one of the images then balance the others to it. It really does not make any difference what the color temperature of the lights are, adjust your white balance to it.

Macro's are better but it depends on fussy you are and on the size of the original. It is better to use all of the cameras frame rather than just part of it.

Hope this helps.

Get a cheap old enlarger from ebay, remove the head and mount your camera there.

Get a cheap old enlarger from ebay, remove the head and mount your camera there.

Not a bad idea, especially if one could find an old Omega with the column that goes up at an angle rather than an enlarger with a vertical column.

But I am not sure that one would have to buy one on ebay. I spent 2 years or so trying to sell a Omega 4x5 enlarger, then another year trying to give it away for free!

On the cheap.. made for coins but could be adapted for larger pictures.. the level is a great idea to keep things parallel
http://www.coincommunity.com/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=19857

Hi bcarll

A scanner is still the easiest way.

If a picture is too big for the scanner then scan it in sections and stitch it back together.

There is a tutorial here

http://retouchpro.com/tutorials/?m=show&id=125

Ken.