VALOI easy35 Main Kit User Guide
- August 13, 2024
- VALOI
Table of Contents
VALOI easy35 Main Kit
Congratulations!
- You have chosen a fast, cost-efficient, and high-quality scanning solution made by people who love film.
- The easy35 is part of the VALOI Scanning family. We produce a range of products to suit your needs. Visit www.valoi.co to read more about this product and others.
- The easy35 requires a little bit of learning to use and we recommend looking through this whole manual. In the end, there are also some resources for you to learn more about scanning, converting images, and solving issues.
- If you, at any point, should have problems, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at hello@valoi.co The VALOI Team
What’s in the Box
- easy35 Main Body with Holder
- Standard Tube set
- Long-lens Tube set (where included)
- 7x Filter thread adapters
Main Components
Getting Started
Finding the Right Tube Length
- The distance between the film and the camera is changed by altering the number of attached distance tubes. The table on the next page is a good starting point, and you can make fine adjustments from there.
- The number of tubes can vary quite a bit depending on your lens, despite the focal length being the same, so don’t worry if your length doesn’t match the table.
The set comes with different lengths of tubes:
- 10mm for fine adjustment (1x)
- 20mm for medium adjustment (1x)
- 40mm for length extension (2-5x)
- We recommend you stack the longest tubes farthest from the easy35 body, then put the adjustment tubes (10mm and 20mm on the end facing the easy35 as this will give easier access to them.
- If you want to measure the distance from the front of the lens to the film, you can focus on this square and measure the distance using a ruler.
Adjustment
- If you cannot see the edges of your frame, you are too close and must add tubes.
- If you see too much black edge, you are too far away and have to remove tubes.
- Take your time on the first use to get this right – you will not have to repeat it for the same lens/camera combination.
Choosing the Right Filter Thread
- The kit includes the following thread adapters that will allow you to fit most lenses to the 62mm thread of the easy35. You can also buy third-party step-up rings if none of these fit your lens.
- Simply screw the correct adapter on your lens so you can attach the easy35 to it. If you have a 62mm filter thread on your camera, no adapter will be necessary.
- Most lenses will have a number written on them, sometimes with 0 in front of them (for example 0 52). This refers to the filter thread diameter – choose the corresponding one from the supplied adapter rings.
Attaching the easy 35 to the Lens
- The easy35 screws straight on the lens once the filter thread adapter is attached.
- Hold the camera/lens facing upwards with your non- dominant hand and screw on the easy35 with your dominant hand.
Rotational Adjustment
- The easy35 has a rotational adjustment mechanism with a locking screw.
- With the camera attached, turn on the light, loosen the screw, and rotate the tube until the frame lines up with the rotation of the sensor.
- The easy35 logo should point upwards so the rotation lock is easy to access.
- Do not overtighten the screw as this can damage the internal parts.
Scanning Orientation
- For most cameras and lenses, the easy35 should be used in the horizontal position. This means the camera sitting on the table and pointing into the easy35 lying down on its side so the VALOl easy35 logo is pointing up.
Horizontal
Tripod and Mounting
It is not necessary to mount the camera on a tripod this can stress your lens more than necessary. The tubes and the lens will be sturdy enough even if the camera + easy35 is sitting at a slight angle.
Vertical not recommended
Vertical Position
Using the easy35 in a vertical position is not recommended for most lenses as the focus can sag, slowly creeping out of focus while in use due to the weight of the camera.
Light Settings
The easy35 should always be used at maximum brightness when scanning. For framing and focusing you can turn down the light to preserve battery life.
Temperature settings
- We recommend the following guidelines for the best results.
- Color negative film: Coldest setting
- Black and white film: Middle setting
- Color positive film: Warmest setting
Charging
- The easy35 has about 2 hours of battery life when new.
- Like all Lithium-ion batteries, the capacity will decrease with use and over time.
- It can also be used while charging.
- To charge it, use the included USB-C charging cable with any charging power adapter (‘brick’). It will also charge by connecting it to a computer, but charging might be slower.
Camera Settings
For the best results check the settings below:
- File type: RAW (uncompressed)
- White balance: Not important, can be set to auto
- ISO: Base ISO of the camera (typically 100 or 160) – make sure you don’t use the ‘pull’ ISO available on some models. If you are unsure about the base ISO of your camera, we recommend checking the manual or searching the internet
- Aperture: 5.6-8 on most lenses
- Shutter speed: We recommend using Aperture Priority mode, this will set your shutter speed automatically
- Turn on focus peaking
- Set focus magnification to an easily accessible button
- Turn on the electronic (front curtain) shutter if you have it (mirrorless only)
- Use mirror-lock-up if you have it (Pro-DSLRs only)
- Turn on a grid on your live view screen if you have it (live-view only available on modern cameras)
- Tether your camera to a computer if you can
- Utilize a camera with a flipping screen if possible to improve ergonomics
Focusing
- Ensure you have the correct tube length
- Turn on the light to maximum brightness and adjust your temperature setting
- Put the easy35 down on the table and keep it steady
- Open the aperture of the lens to the largest aperture (smallest number)
- Activate focus peaking if your camera has it
- Focus roughly without magnification
- At this point, you can use autofocus if you want to
- If you are using manual focus, activate focusing notification and zoom in as far as possible
- Now focus on fine detail or grain (if visible)
- Close down the aperture to the working aperture (around 5.6-8)
Capturing Images
- Capturing is the easiest part of scanning with a camera.
- Before you start, we recommend wearing cotton gloves and using a shutter remote for the camera – these are a cheap investment that will improve your scanning dramatically.
- Place the camera on a table and feed the film in the direction of the arrow on the easy35. Insert the film from the entry side (right side when the VALOl logo is pointing up) and push it through until the first frame is visible through the camera.
- Position the frame of the film carefully and capture the image. The easy35 is naturally stable when put on a table as it is attached to the camera. Vibrations are therefore less of a problem compared to copy stand-based scanning systems.
Scanning without a remote:
- You can experiment with pressing the shutter carefully without a timer – make sure you double-check sharpness, comparing it to results with the self-timer.
- Using a 2s timer will dramatically slow down the scanning process but can improve results. Check your results when scanning without a remote to make sure vibrations don’t degrade the results – if they do, use the self-timer.
Converting Negatives and Editing Positives
- Once you scanned your pictures, you need to transfer them to a computer or phone with appropriate photo editing software to convert them.
- Negatives must be converted to a positive and doing so manually is not trivial, therefore we recommend dedicated software.
- For beginners, we recommend FilmLab – a stand-alone piece of software available for Windows, Mac, and iOS (iPad and iPhone). This is plenty powerful to give you great results without the hassle or cost of plugins.
- For advanced users, we recommend using Adobe Lightroom (Classic) with the Negative Lab Pro plugin.
- Alternative plug-ins exist for Adobe Photoshop such as Grain2Pixel (Free) and Negmaster (Paid).
- Remember that scanning film at home means that you also have to take care of the post-processing.
- This does not mean that you are producing results that are any less true to the film than a professional service, it just means that a service is not taking care of the post-processing for you.
Changing Holders
Available Holders
- The VALOI easy35 has a growing number of holders available for the system.
- The standard holder is the easy35 35mm holder.
Other holders that will be available by the end of 2023 are:
- 35mm holder with visible sprockets
- Holder for 50x50mm slides
- APS Holder
- 110 Holder
- 126 Holder
Instructions
- To insert a new holder, locate the entry side of the main body with the rounded finger cutout on it. Now locate the arrow on the holder.
- With the bottom of the easy35 sitting on the table and the arrow on the holder pointing up towards the tube, insert the holder all the way. Finally, lightly tighten the holder using the included key or any size 5 allen key.
DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN THE SCREW
Keeping the Diffuser Clean
Good Practice and Cleaning
- To achieve the best results, you want to keep the diffuser inside clean. This is best done by avoiding dust in the first place.
- We recommend keeping the easy35 in a sealed zip- lock bag or a plastic container with a lid. If you travel with it, this is especially important.
- If dust has already settled on the diffuser, remove the holder following the steps described on the previous pages.
- Now use a rocket blower, canned air, or an air compressor to blow air on the diffuser while holding the device upside down.
- You can also use a clean paint brush to dislodge dust, then blow on it.
- If you cannot remove the dust from the top, or you want to remove the diffuser, follow the steps below to remove the light source. Now you can clean the diffuser.
- Never touch the diffuser with your bare fingers – use cotton gloves if you need to touch it.
Removing the Light Source
For Maintenance and Replacement
- The light in this product is a Vijim/Ulanzi VL81 bi-colour LED light. It can be replaced by the user without voiding the warranty, but due to modifications, the light has to be acquired from VALOl.
- Removing the light should not be necessary, but can be done safely by the user by following the below steps:
- When unscrewing small screws, take care not to strip the head of the screw. We will charge for the replacement of screws that have been damaged due to improper operation.
- Using a small Phillips screwdriver (PHO), unscrew the three screws on the sides of the easy35.
For Maintenance and Replacement
- Put your finger in the cutout for the charging port on the back and pull it towards the side with the two wheels for adjusting the light while also lifting it up. The back cover will come off.
- To remove the light housing, lift it from the side with the adjustment wheels. It should come out relatively easily.
- Now you have access if you want to clean the diffuser from the bottom or to replace the light source.
- When you reattach the light, follow the procedure in reverse.
- NOTE that when reattaching the screws, you must rotate the screws in the opposite direction until they settle in the original threads to avoid damaging the plastic threads already formed in the housing.
- Once the screws settle in the original threads, they can bescrewed in normally. Failing to follow this will cause the hole for the screws to become too large and eventually not grip the screws.
Resources
- Instagram: Here we weekly post tips to get better results, and share results from other users for inspiration. You can also message us with any questions .@valoi.co or www.instagram.com/valoi.co
- www.valoi.co is our website, which contains information about scanning, equipment for scanning, and articles about basic and advanced techniques.
- www.valoi.co/easy35-learn contains learning material specific for the easy35.
- www.valoi.co/articles has articles about scanning with a camera, including tips on software and techniques.
- www.valoi.co/gear-guide has information about cameras and lenses for scanning.
- www.kamerastore.com is our webstore, selling used cameras and lenses – a great place to start if you want to upgrade your scanning setup or sell your used gear (analog and digital).
- www.negativelabpro.com is a plug-in for Lightroom to convert negatives to positives.
- www.filmlabapp.com is a stand-alone program to convert negatives to positives.
- www.grain2pixel.com is a free plug-in for Photoshop to convert negatives to positives.
- www.negmaster.com is a paid plug-in for Photoshop to convert negatives to positives.
- Negative Lab Pro Facebook Group
- Film Scanning Tools Facebook Group
- VALOI Facebook group
- www.valoi.co
Documents / Resources
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VALOI easy35 Main
Kit
[pdf] User Guide
DAFjul-z4CU, BAEgJEq8qk0, easy35 Main Kit, easy35, Main Kit
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Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Read User Manual Online (PDF format) >>