Chapter 1: The Slide Digitization Dilemma

Have you ever pondered your patience level? Do you possess unwavering determination? These are the reflections I've found myself grappling with lately, as I face a significant challenge that tests my resolve.

To provide some context, the onset of the pandemic in 2020 profoundly affected many, particularly those who lost loved ones. Numerous individuals are still navigating the economic repercussions and lingering health concerns from those trying times. For the majority of us, life was momentarily paused, altering what we once considered normal.

During a recent conversation with my son, we recognized that we now perceive time as divided into "before" and "after" the pandemic. Many took this enforced break as an opportunity to tackle tasks that had long been overshadowed by more pressing commitments. For me, that meant embarking on a project to digitally archive our family's collection of photo negatives dating back to the early 1960s.

The Family Negative Archive

In many instances, we had physical prints, but they were often small and varied in condition. While some prints had been digitized, the quality was subpar. My project involved capturing RAW images of the negatives using a digital camera and then converting them into positives through software. This method provided a high-quality foundation for creating JPG images to share with family members. My setup included a Fujifilm X-T3, a Zeiss Touit 50mm Macro lens, a Nikon ES-2 film copier, and Negative Lab Pro within Lightroom.

For those interested in a deeper dive into my process, I created a video detailing my equipment and workflow for my Photo Store.

Discover how to digitize 35mm slides and negatives using a digital camera in this comprehensive guide.

So, have I resolved my initial questions? Not entirely. Although life has returned to a semblance of normalcy, my retirement has afforded me more time than I had before the pandemic. However, my determination is still put to the test for two main reasons.

The first challenge is that most of the slides have already been digitized. This task was not one I undertook but was rather completed by my father long ago. Unfortunately, the resulting files are merely 2MP JPGs. While they served their purpose at the time, they now seem inadequate in a world where 48MP smartphone cameras are commonplace. Despite being shared with an audience less concerned about resolution, the motivation to redo this work stems from my desire for personal satisfaction and the need to future-proof our memories.

To be completely candid, the second reason truly deters me. The Nikon ES-2 slide holder accommodates only two slides at a time, whereas the film strip holder could handle up to six frames. Together, my father and I possess two large filing boxes filled with slide magazines, many containing 36 slides each. The thought of having to load and unload the slides 18 times for each magazine presents a significant mental hurdle.

It doesn't help that inserting a film strip into the holder was considerably more cumbersome. Yet, the limitation of just two slots feels somewhat stingy on Nikon's part. It's challenging to find a rhythm with such frequent reloads, and having to remove slides from perfectly functional magazines is frustrating. I found a product from Reflecta that can scan directly from magazines, but it's a hefty investment for a one-time task. Custom solutions exist on YouTube, yet they require DIY skills I lack and involve modifying my projector, which is still a backup solution.

Perhaps I should take comfort in the fact that the workflow for slides is less complicated. There's no need to convert negatives to positives, and it often takes longer to process negative images with Negative Lab Pro. Still, I will miss the enchanting moment of watching the positive images emerge from the initially indistinguishable "streetlight orange" film strips. It brings back memories of watching a print develop.

So, will my determination prevail? Will I find myself distracted by alternative archiving projects or, worse, by tasks that are genuinely necessary? Only time will reveal the answer.

Do you have any alternative methods that pose less of a challenge to your resolve? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Chapter 2: Exploring Alternative Solutions

Learn how to digitize slides efficiently using a camera in this informative video.

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