photographing with overhead scanner

[Jorgensen]

Hello,

 

In the efforts to make better pictures... I have seen those overhead / transportable 3D CMOS scanners and wondering if any have experience with those?

 

My idea is that they have build in LED lights and to my experience LED lights are very good for making the details on blades clearer. Might be good for tosugu too... They are available in A3 size, so can cover most blades with 2 or 3 "scans". But will it work?!

 

Pictures are from google search.

[b.hennick]

I would like to investigate these can you provide a source and model number? Do they make an A2 size?

[Ken-Hawaii]

I've sold several hundred of these, mostly to schools. The field isn't what I would call "flat," so I'm not sure how easy it would be to stitch together the scanned images. You don't really need an A2 size, Barry, as in most models you can just raise the scan head a bit further to get a wider field of view. Check out http://elmousa.com for some info. There are a number of other vendors, but Elmo is usually the least expensive.

 

Ken

[Jorgensen]

Hi Barry and Ken,

 

In further google search I found it in A2 size as well, all details, resolution etc is here as well:

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/575052952/A2_High_Speed_Documents_5_0.html

 

Ken; when seeing those beautiful pictures ex. aoi-art provide, made on scanner, it gives some slight 3D impression. That was exactly the idea in my head those "scanners" would do as well? Have you any experince using them?

[rkg]

Hi,

 

I looked at these briefly. You had me going for a minute - I thought that that maybe somebody had put together an actual scanner arranged like this (which would be a screaming deal compared to something like a Cruse scanner), but these appear to all basically be cameras with built-in lights and software optimized for dealing with documents/video for presenting stuff being imaged, etc. For shooting swords/tosogu, I'm not sure what this buys you over a "traditional" camera with a decent flat field/low distortion lens, especially considering you'd probably not want the lights where they are for shooting a sword. And given Ken's comments about the field flatness on the units he reps...

 

Best,

 

rkg

(Richard George)

[Jean]

aoi-art provide, made on scanner,

 

They are pictures and not scans.

[Ken-Hawaii]

Yes, I've seen Aoi Art's photo setup, & they definitely use high-resolution digital cameras. The Elmo-type scanners are primarily used for flat artwork (i.e., paintings & the like) rather than for anything like a sword blade. In a school setting where there are kids running around, setting up a simple overhead scanner makes things easy for the teacher, & that's really the target market. And although you can capture an image from the Elmo, most of the time you're just projecting a video image onto either a TV or a video projector.

 

There are other 3D overhead scanners, but they're intended for reverse engineering, rather than photography, & are quite expensive. It would be a lot less expensive to set up a full image-capture system with digital camera, lights, etc.

 

Ken

[Jorgensen]

Its my mistake, its the pictures from Sanmei.com (and not aoi-art, apologize my bad memory) that makes me think they are scanned, because of the reflections / "rainbow" colors, as shown in the picture from their website.

 

About this "overhead scanner/camera" it just might seemed as a good idea and easy way (lets call it a shortcut =) , but yes, I had my doubts it would work and this is why I made the post, if any had the same idea or might even tried it out. But for photograph tsuba etc. it might be ok. But if it could work, it would have been wonderful, right

[Jean]

Hi Ken,

 

Can you describe Aoi Art's photo set up?

[Ken-Hawaii]

Can you describe Aoi Art's photo set up.

 

Only in general, Jean. They had two camera systems set up in one room. I'm guessing one was either a Hasselblad or Bronica with a digital back, & the second was a Phase One back on a Mamiya camera, which means they are likely shooting at 25-60 megapixel resolution. One camera looked like it was set up for closeup work at about a 45-degree angle to the table, with about six lights around it; the lights weren't set up, & were all in a line, so I don't know how they would be angled in production. The second camera was set up to shoot straight down on a heavy-duty commercial rig whose name I can't quite remember. Again, its lights were just pushed up against the wall, but I also saw a ring-light that probably fit over the camera lens. Both digital backs were hardwired to laptop computers. There were several rolls of different-colored fabrics on a cart.

 

That's about all I can remember from 2+ years ago, but I'd sure like to have the same setup!

 

Ken

[Jean]

And me too :D , thanks Ken. It has been years since I have heard of these cameras (40 years )

[Ken-Hawaii]

My company used to sell cameras for Phase One, Jean, & so I got to use them for awhile to demonstrate to prospects, but couldn't pony up the then-$35,000 to keep one. I've got a Canon T2i with a few lenses, & that suits me fine for 95% of what I need.

 

Ken

[Dr Fox]

I also have found, trying to capture the fine details required, to make a point on the forum difficult. Tried scanner as per advice here, but don't have the resolution needed for dof.

 

Having more luck now with my Sony R1 on tripod, and using photo grey cards under the item. But lighting is tricky due to reflective surfaces. Hints and tips welcome.

 

Denis

[Jean]

Search the forum, there is an article on scanning Nihonto, with equipments detailed