TransiDupe - a 3D printed slide/negative duplicator


TransiDupe is set of slide/negative carriers that hold 35mm 110, 120 and 6x6cm transparencies (slides and negatives) for camera scanning. They are designed to be printed with a 3D printer; either one that you own or printed by a service. TransiDupe is part of our series on camera scanning

It works with any DSLR/mirrorless camera and macro lens. It isn't tied to any particular lens. It uses new parts that are easy to buy--it doesn't depend on looking on eBay for used darkroom equipment.

The bulk of the rig are rail rig components from Amazon that cost in the $100-$200 range (depending on if you buy everything new). And slide/negative carriers that are 3D printed (cost can be under $20, depending on how you have them printed.)

Buying the parts from Amazon is easy (I give a list of Amazon links.) Getting the 3D printed parts can solved, even if you don't have a 3D printer. Once you have all the parts you just need to assemble them and you are good to go.

If you don't want to get into rail-rig equipment the slide and negative carriers can be mounted to something you fabricate. The source code for the slide and negative carriers is open source so you can modify my design if you like.

TL;DR: TransiDupe the project are film/negative carriers for camera scanning, along with a method of mounting the carriers. This page shows the "rail rig" I am using. TransiDupe-II.scad is a script written in the (free) OpenSCAD CAD system. OpenSCAD will generate .stl files that can be printed with a 3-D printer (or be printed by a 3D printing service.)

Overview

An overview of the project. Why this is a good way to camera scan your slides and negatives.

Getting TransiDupe up and working the first time Walks you through installing the proper version of OpenSCAD and TransiDupe.scad and shows you how to make a printable file. Without editing any source code or using the command line.

3D printed slide and negative carriers. About the parts that are 3D printed to make slide and negative carriers.

The rail rig Describes the "rail rig" I use to hold the camera, slide/negative carriers, and the light that illuminates the slide/negative. (This is yet to be written. For now, check out the List of parts needed.)

What's new always has the most recent version of TransiDupe.

The 2016 version of TransiDupe (that is designed to mount directly on a lens) is archived here

Misc. stuff I learned along the way

How to camera scan your slides and negatives
Light matters (LED vs. CFL)
OpenSCAD and 3D printing reference (Not updated for 2019.)

TransiDupe was inspired by (and is an adaption) of the DupliHood project and by the PhotoSolve Xtend-a-Slide (that is no longer being manufactured.)