Jump to content

Welcome to NikonForums.com
Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!
Photo

Photographing Historic Documents


  • Please log in to reply
4 replies to this topic

#1
nbanjogal

nbanjogal

    Nikonian

  • Forum Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,094 posts
  • Country Flag
  • LocationUT, USA

Site Supporter

Hello all,

 

What setup and technique would you use to photograph historic documents?

 

I've been using Google and making my own guesses on this, but I thought I'd check to see what you all might advise.

 

I work in the publishing arm of a library and archive, and we like to use high-quality, high-resolution scans or photos when we publish images of historic documents. When we use images from other repositories, we usually just pay to have the repository make and send the images. BUT, there are a few repositories who don't do this (too small, I'm guessing) or who charge a LOT of money for their images. So this summer I will be traveling to the midwestern United States to a couple of these repositories to photograph some of these documents (the photographs are secondary--the trip is actually for research purposes, but as long as I'm out there, I might as well get these photos too).

 

Tripods are allowed. I think I recall that flashes or other added lighting is not allowed. The documents obviously are not allowed to leave the repository. They will likely be flat on a table. Some will be a bit faded (nearly 200 years old).

 

I will be taking my D810 and tripod and several lenses. The top arm of my tripod can become a horizontal slider. I envision putting my D810 on the slider, pointing straight down at the document--preferably high up so as not to create shadows on the documents. I may take some white cards.

 

Have any of you done this sort of thing before? What lens would you use? Any suggestions for settings or technique?

 

(We mostly scan images from our archive, but we do occasionally make photographs of documents or other items that are not scannable. Our photographer here uses a Hasselblad on a slider affixed to a pole that goes floor to ceiling--super stable. And the Hassy is one that takes four images--one in each color channel--and then blends them into one...the detail is incredible. Unfortunately, I don't get to take the Hasselblad with me.) 



#2
Merco_61

Merco_61

    Nikonian

  • Premium Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 10,588 posts
  • Country Flag
  • LocationUppsala, Sweden

Site Supporter

I have mostly used a MicroNikkor 55/3.5 for repro where lighting is prohibited. I usually shoot tethered so I can really zoom in to check focus. I have Camera Control2, but there are others that work well with the d810, unfortunately Sofortbild isn't one of them. The reason for the 55 MicroNikkor is that it has the flattest field and the least distortion of all MicroNikkors I have tried, and I think I have had all except the bellows 105 and the S-mount versions. 

 

I usually either use an incident meter like my Sekonic or use a Lastolite gray card with the camera's built-in meter. The Lastolite card is nice to use for a basic white balance to get in the ballpark before profiling the light with a Colorchecker. I like to use an A4 version of the colorchecker rather than the passport version for repro use. 

 

Make sure you know the sweet spot of your lens when it comes to contrast beforehand, for the 55, it is @f/8. For this, a Siemens star is hard to beat, just shoot a series of it at different apertures, compare the shots and select the one with the most contrast.



#3
nbanjogal

nbanjogal

    Nikonian

  • Forum Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,094 posts
  • Country Flag
  • LocationUT, USA

Site Supporter

Thank you, Peter! Excellent advice--I'm glad to know about the 55mm. It wasn't even on my radar, but it looks like I can get a new version of it at B&H for $399. Seems pretty dang reasonable! Thanks for reminding me about the color checker. We usually shoot with one here, but I hadn't really got to the part where I thought about taking one with me. I also hadn't thought about shooting tethered in the archives--if they are allowing photography, I'm guessing they will also allow a laptop, so that is also great advice. And the Siemens star for checking contrast--brilliant!

 

I had a feeling you'd have lots of good advice about this! Thank you, thank you!!



#4
Ron

Ron

    Nikonian

  • Forum Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,255 posts
  • Country Flag
  • LocationMagic City

The only thing I can add to Peter's excellent answer is that I used to use a dedicated copy stand and a right angle finder when I did this stuff long ago. If you're shooting tethered then, of course, you won't need the right angle finder but the copy stand might still be a good idea. I found that it didn't take any more space or hassle than setting up and adjusting a tripod and the results were more consistent.

 

--Ron



#5
Marcus Rowland

Marcus Rowland

    Loyal Member

  • Forum Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 234 posts
  • Country Flag
  • LocationLondon

Quite a few enlargers can double as copy stands - typically there's a slanting column, the enlarger head is held onto the bit that moves it up and down by a 1/4" screw like a tripod screw. You'd need to add safe lighting, but LED or CFL should do the job nicely.