In The Field With BetterLight

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Large Format Photography has never been a point and shoot thing! You are dealing with a large camera, usually sheet film . . . but you can do digital. BetterLight developed a digital scanning back, sort of like a document scanner taking a photograph, 30 years ago for 4×5 inch large format cameras. The scanner actually covers about 3.8×2.8 inches. They stopped producing these nearly several years ago, but they are still supported and often available on eBay. I have been experimenting with them and today took one outside and took a couple photos. This is not for the casual user, I am using a 70 year old Graflex 4×5 camera, the scanning back inserted in the camera where the sheet film holder normally would go, a control box, a 110volt battery pack, and a computer. The equipment to take a photo and the two photos I took this morning – Road to Maryfield Cemetery and the Cemetery on Daufuskie Island, SC – black and white, still working on getting good color images . . . about 250 megapixels, it is large format!

Better Light Scanner Back Works

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This thing is so much fun! Even the low resolution scans I made have great detail! Since it scans across the frame, you can be in the same picture numerous times, but if you blink at the wrong time, your eye, one eye at a time, looks a bit strange . . . think about how these things work and the possibilities. Also working in B&W since I need to get the right filters for it, right now is sort of a infrared camera.

One of series of test photos taken in my workroom.

Better Light Scanner Back

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My work with scanner backs has taken an unexpected turn . . .

I have had the opportunity to acquire a Better Light scanner back for 4×5 cameras. Better Light was a cutting edge company in high resolution, large format, digital photography. They ceased building new backs some time ago, but some of the former staff maintain the company’s website, offer support, and provide repairs. So here we go, it just arrived in the mail, will it work, and/or am I qualified to make it work?