Digitising collections of microfiche - Re: Looking for opinions...

[Zane Healy]

> On Mar 28, 2018, at 6:23 PM, Pete Turnbull via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
> 
> On 29/03/2018 00:19, Zane Healy via cctalk wrote:
> 
>> I think Bellows would be the only sane way to approach this.  You
>> could do it with extension tubes, but they’re a pain.  Another thing
>> to consider is a light source.  You’re going to need a fair amount of
>> light, given the necessary extension to get the magnification.
> 
> I was going to suggest a Bowens Illumitran (which I have) but that sort of exercise wouldn't be kind to the flash tube.  LEDs would be my preferred solution; given the small area you might only need one bright white 5mm LED.
> 
> The Illumitran uses bellows, but for a lot of DEC fiche, the page size is constant so extension tubes might actually be better - they won't slip.

Initially I was going to suggest an Illumitran, but I don’t think it would work that well with trying to move the fiche around. You might have a point on the DEC fiche, though the bellows will allow you to maximize your page size.  Of course that may not be the greatest idea, as the more you maximize the size, the more attention you’ll have to pay to positioning each frame.

>> One of my favorite books, I think I’m up to 5 editions of it. :-)
>> You’d be hard pressed to find a photography book with more data in
>> it!
> 
> My favourite is L.P.Clerc "Photography" (six volumes), but second is
> either M.J.Langford's 3-volume "Photography" set, mainly because I got it for college, or the "Ilford Photography Manual".
> 
> -- 
> Pete
> Pete Turnbull

My Circa 1945 copy of the “Ilford Manual of Photography” is another really useful book.  I have a newer version of the “Manual of Photography”, which superseded it, and I don’t find it as useful due to the quality of the troubleshooting photo’s.  I’ve not run across the two sets you mention.  Another favorite of mine is Fred Picker’s "Zone VI Workshop”, I’ve read it, cover to cover, a couple times.

More and more, I view my Classic Computer collection as a hinderance to building a proper darkroom.  Oddly enough, the main purpose of my PDP-11/44 these days is to hold a couple old enlargers that I don’t use.

Zane