FilmLab beta v. 0.1.2 dropped today, and I wasted as little time as possible getting some film in front of it. When I have a bit more time on my hands, God willing, I’ll run some more tests (and include some medium format, and slide film, and test with my iPhone 5, even, as the new beta has support for older phones!).
For this quick test, I tried Fuji Superia XTRA 400, shot in the Diana Mini; Ilford HP5+ shot in the FM3a with the 50mm f/1.2; Kono Kolorit! 400, shot in the FE with the 35mm f/2 D; and Fuji Superia XTRA 400 shot in the FE with the 35mm f/2 D and the FG with the Holga 60mm f/8.
How did it do this time? Well, it’s still beta, but maybe getting betta.
According to the release notes, this build:
- adds support for older devices with 32bit processors (like my aforementioned iPhone 5) – untested
- improves stability of colors in preview – tested: works
- improves frame detection when extracting a single view image – tested: maybe I’m doing it wrong?
- “Fixes a crasher bug”
Fuji Superia XTRA 400, Diana Mini (half frame)
With half frame, FilmLab 0.1.2 seemed unable to find the frames. I don’t blame it, really: the Diana Mini gives non-standard frame sizes, and frame spacing is irregular at best.
Ilford HP5+, Nikon FM3a, 50mm f/1.2 ai
Again, it seemed largely incapable of finding the frames. I did get one out of it, but it flipped the image the wrong way around.
Amma should be on the left.
Kono Kolorit! 400, Nikon FE, 35mm f/2 D
Again, it was unable to find frame lines and even flipped the image upside down once, in an attempt to get the edge markings going the right way around.
I can’t blame it here: the edges are fogged, and this the Kono Kolorit! isn’t a standard stock.
Fuji Superia XTRA 400, Nikon FE, Nikkor 35mm f/2 D
Again, it was unable to find the frames. There was some strange color on this roll of slightly expired Superia. Perhaps that had something to do with it?
BUT, I did come closer to finding the optimal distance… it’s farther than I thought, but I think it’s probably capable of sharper scans than I first gave credit for.
Fuji Superia XTRA 400, Nikon FG, Holga 60mm f/8
At first, it once again refused to find a frame.
But I recentered and held still, and it got it!
Sadly, I wasn’t at optimal distance, so I tried again, and it got closer.
FilmLab really needs perfectly (or very nearly) flat negatives, with reasonably straight cuts on the edges. I’ll have to be a bit more fastidious about that in the future.
I’m charging and updating the old iPhone 5 now, and God willing, I’ll get FilmLab loaded on that and run some tests there soon. When I do, I’ll report back with my findings.
