Benjamin Arias Explores the Possibilities Offered by the DigitaLIZA Max

In our growing desire to offer new tools to the film community, we have created two scanning kits: the DigitaLIZA+ and DigitaLIZA Max. The first allows you to scan with your digital camera and the second can be used with your digital camera or your smartphone. We gave the DigitaLIZA Max to French photographer Benjamin Arias who was already using our DigitaLIZA 120 scanning mask and shared a tutorial about it with the Lomography Community. Familiar with scanning at home, Benjamin was able to explore our new modular and compact system that makes scanning easier, fun and creative. Discover his first impressions in this article.

Hello Benjamin, how have you been since the last time we spoke? Have you worked on any new photo projects?

Hello, I am very well, we are finally starting to live again and being able to do activities and trips. I'm starting to take wedding photos and analogue portraits again.

I've wandered up hill and down a lot lately, I really needed to travel and at the same time I continue to prepare my professional photo projects doing analogue portraits for clients who want beautiful photos with character. I also started to take a real interest in working with a large format camera, always with the aim of offering different kind of photo shoots.

You have just tested the new DigitaLIZA Max scanning kit, what were your first impressions when you discovered the concept and the product?

Let's not beat about the bush, as soon as I saw the first mock-ups of the DigitaLIZA+ and DigitaLIZA Max I thought it was brilliant. This kind of tool for scanning films already existed but remained confidential, expensive and often only available for import. I really like the concept, it's simple, well built and it works perfectly.

In the past, you had already used our DigitaLIZA 120 scanning mask with your digital camera to make your own scans. What did you think of the new possibilities offered by using the DigitaLIZA Max with an SLR camera?

In my analogue work I used several scanning methods depending of the film format, a scanner for 35 mm, a DigitaLIZA 120 for medium format and a not really reliable and easy solution for XPAN panoramic, I coped with a light table or I ask a lab to scan it directly when I didn't have time. The DigitaLIZA Max allows you to do everything very simply with precision and above all very quickly. For a full scan of a 36 frames roll, it took me about 10 minutes and I was being careful to make it perfect. Once “scanned” with the digital camera, I transfer the files to Lightroom where I have a negative conversion module and then I edit my images as usual so they look the way I like.

The Digitaliza Max also allows you to scan negatives with a smartphone, what did you like about this technique?

It's very insightful!! For my kind of practice, it's a help out but it really makes sense for sharing quickly on social media. You just need to install a negative conversion application on your smartphone. You simply fix the phone on the column and you are ready for scanning on the go since you are completely autonomous with the DigitaLIZA Max which can operate on battery or directly on mini USB (for the led light).

What types of image formats did you want to scan with the DigitaLIZA Max? What did you think of the process?

I mainly scanned 35 mm film, in 24X36, in half frame or in panoramic.
A small detail that is very important to me, you can also see the film sprockets, and I love that for my scans.

To which type of photographers would you recommend using our new scanning systems?

For all the photographers who have a digital camera and who take film photos, it is very cost-effective and easy to use. It's a must-have accessory for me now. And it allows to save a lot of money compared to asking a lab for scans for a at least equivalent quality when you have a digital camera, a tripod and macro lens.

Do you have any tips or tricks to share with people who use the DigitaLIZA Max?

If you get your films developed by a lab, ask them to keep the whole film and to not cut it, you will save a lot of time for scanning and you can cut your film yourself after for archiving.

How would you integrate this new tool into your photographic practice?

It has already found its place on my desk and I will probably sell my 35mm scanner, it takes up much less space and is faster to use. You get quality scans when you have a suitable digital camera with a good quality lens.

Thank you Benjamin for trying our new system! Don't hesitate to visit his website and follow him on Instagram.

Take full control of scanning your 35 mm, 120 and special format negatives using your smartphone or digital camera ! Check out the DigitaLIZA+ and DigitaLIZA Max on our online shop.

written by florinegarcin on 2022-04-20 #gear #news #people #scanning #scan #scanner #digitaliza #self-scanning #digitaliza #digitaliza-max