Camera adapter for microfilm

I have a Canon EOS Rebel digital camera. I have rolls of microfilm that I
want to convert to tiff files. My scanner doesn't allow a good resolution to
read the films. I was wondering if there is anyone who knows of an adapter
for my camera or, in fact, any other affordable way to scan or turn in to
files the images from the microfilms? Your help is much appreciated.

Bill

On Tue, 13 Jun 2006 01:41:37 GMT, "Dr. William R. Boone"
wrote:

I have a Canon EOS Rebel digital camera. I have rolls of microfilm that I
want to convert to tiff files. My scanner doesn't allow a good resolution to
read the films. I was wondering if there is anyone who knows of an adapter
for my camera or, in fact, any other affordable way to scan or turn in to
files the images from the microfilms? Your help is much appreciated.

Bill

Microfilm is usually either 35mm film or 16mm film. Any film scanner
will progbably do a decent job of scanning either one, but you may
have to make yourself a film holder for the 16mm. In either case, with
most film scanners you would have to cut the film into either strips,
or maybe even individual frames.

An alternative, that I've used but doesn't work very well, is to
display the images on a microfilm viewer, and photograph the image
with your digital camera. It will work best if you are in a dark room,
and have a very good viewer. Focus carefully, keep the camera steady,
and DON'T use the flash.
Charlie Hoffpauir
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~charlieh/
Message board:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?ht...ames.hoffpauir
Mail list:
http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/surn...hoffpauir.html
DNA project:
http://www.familytreedna.com/(153dme45ewxtrs45rzxk5z2x)/public/Hoffpauir/index.aspx

Thanks Charlie....My microfilms are 35 mm. I have an adapter for my epson
3200 perfection scanner, but you are right, I'd have to cut the film up into
strips. I didn't want to do that as i will later donate the microfilms to a
local historicall society. Doing some internet searches i saw one product;
ScanPro 500. (http://e-imagedata.com/35mm_aperture_card_scanner.htm). I
think this would be a good alternative, but i don't want to buy. Any other
suggestions?
Thanks!
Bill

"Charlie Hoffpauir" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 13 Jun 2006 01:41:37 GMT, "Dr. William R. Boone"
wrote:

I have a Canon EOS Rebel digital camera. I have rolls of microfilm that I
want to convert to tiff files. My scanner doesn't allow a good resolution
to
read the films. I was wondering if there is anyone who knows of an adapter
for my camera or, in fact, any other affordable way to scan or turn in to
files the images from the microfilms? Your help is much appreciated.

Bill

Microfilm is usually either 35mm film or 16mm film. Any film scanner
will progbably do a decent job of scanning either one, but you may
have to make yourself a film holder for the 16mm. In either case, with
most film scanners you would have to cut the film into either strips,
or maybe even individual frames.

An alternative, that I've used but doesn't work very well, is to
display the images on a microfilm viewer, and photograph the image
with your digital camera. It will work best if you are in a dark room,
and have a very good viewer. Focus carefully, keep the camera steady,
and DON'T use the flash.
Charlie Hoffpauir
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~charlieh/
Message board:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?ht...ames.hoffpauir
Mail list:
http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/surn...hoffpauir.html
DNA project:
http://www.familytreedna.com/(153dme45ewxtrs45rzxk5z2x)/public/Hoffpauir/index.aspx

On Tue, 13 Jun 2006 09:59:59 GMT, "Dr. William R. Boone"
wrote:

Thanks Charlie....My microfilms are 35 mm. I have an adapter for my epson
3200 perfection scanner, but you are right, I'd have to cut the film up into
strips. I didn't want to do that as i will later donate the microfilms to a
local historicall society. Doing some internet searches i saw one product;
ScanPro 500. (http://e-imagedata.com/35mm_aperture_card_scanner.htm). I
think this would be a good alternative, but i don't want to buy. Any other
suggestions?
Thanks!
Bill


At one time Microtek made a 35 mm film scanner that you could feed a
strip of film in one side and out the other side... you could rig a
couple of supports to hold the reels, and scan a roll that way. I
think the model was the 35T. they may be available in the used
market.... and should be pretty cheap if you can find a working one.

The device you found in your search would really be ideal, but I
suspect that "ideal" would cost a lot more than you'd want to pay.

You might want to try taking a roll to a library and using their
viewer to photograph the film with your digital camera. Once set up,
that process is very fast.... and the results might be good enough.
Charlie Hoffpauir
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~charlieh/
Message board:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?ht...ames.hoffpauir
Mail list:
http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/surn...hoffpauir.html
DNA project:
http://www.familytreedna.com/(153dme45ewxtrs45rzxk5z2x)/public/Hoffpauir/index.aspx

I'm going to take your suggestion on going to the library. My olny problem
would be that the readers aren't in darkened areas. I have been able to
photograph from that in the past with reasonable good results. I'll check on
the availability of the one made by Microtek.
Thanks again...
Bill

"Charlie Hoffpauir" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 13 Jun 2006 09:59:59 GMT, "Dr. William R. Boone"
wrote:

Thanks Charlie....My microfilms are 35 mm. I have an adapter for my epson
3200 perfection scanner, but you are right, I'd have to cut the film up
into
strips. I didn't want to do that as i will later donate the microfilms to
a
local historicall society. Doing some internet searches i saw one product;
ScanPro 500. (http://e-imagedata.com/35mm_aperture_card_scanner.htm). I
think this would be a good alternative, but i don't want to buy. Any other
suggestions?
Thanks!
Bill


At one time Microtek made a 35 mm film scanner that you could feed a
strip of film in one side and out the other side... you could rig a
couple of supports to hold the reels, and scan a roll that way. I
think the model was the 35T. they may be available in the used
market.... and should be pretty cheap if you can find a working one.

The device you found in your search would really be ideal, but I
suspect that "ideal" would cost a lot more than you'd want to pay.

You might want to try taking a roll to a library and using their
viewer to photograph the film with your digital camera. Once set up,
that process is very fast.... and the results might be good enough.
Charlie Hoffpauir
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~charlieh/
Message board:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?ht...ames.hoffpauir
Mail list:
http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/surn...hoffpauir.html
DNA project:
http://www.familytreedna.com/(153dme45ewxtrs45rzxk5z2x)/public/Hoffpauir/index.aspx

"Dr. William R. Boone" wrote in message
news
I'm going to take your suggestion on going to the library. My olny problem
would be that the readers aren't in darkened areas. I have been able to
photograph from that in the past with reasonable good results. I'll check
on the availability of the one made by Microtek.
Thanks again...
Bill


If you take them to the library, why not just print them out there and then
scan them?
-Smitty