Vlads Test Target
Unparalleled Sharpness, Precision, Hi-Fidelity for 35mm,
Medium & Large Format Slides and Negatives Digitizing
Welcome Fellow Digitizer!
In the world of film scanning, precision is everything. At the beginning of your scanning session, you use targets to fine-tune your equipment, ensuring optimal performance and alignment. These targets serve as benchmarks. The quality, consistency, and faithfulness of your digitized images cannot be ensured without targets providing reference for sharpness, contrast, and resolution. Moreover, using high-quality targets like the VLDAS TEST TARGET can significantly streamline your workflow, saving time and reducing the need to redo work due to technical issues. In essence, targets are indispensable tools that elevate your film scanning results from good to exceptional, freeing you to focus on artistic work. These targets are available in all the most popular photographic formats (see below).
Welcome to the ultimate hub for mastering the art of digitizing slides and negatives!
Explore the products we offer and browse through our Frequently Asked Questions to gain valuable insights into film scanning and digitizing using a digital camera. Take a look at our Film Scanning Rigs Gallery and peruse Full Products Catalog. Buy targets at Amazon.
35 mm Targets for Slides and Negatives
The latest 35mm targets, optimized to scan slides, produced on high-resolving Adox CMS 20 film. They have been perfected based on extensive feedback from the film digitizing community. Ten USAF 1951 charts are strategically placed in the center, edges, and corners of the frame to facilitate a comprehensive evaluation of your scanning equipment's quality up to 110 lp/mm. Siemens stars, situated in the four quadrants of the frame, simplify camera focusing and sensor alignment. To assess the resolving power of your camera and lens combination, an actual resolution chart is directly placed on the image for your convenience. See the detailed image of the single 35mm frame below. Here is how to use the target...
Buy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3LtLBtm
Type 120 targets for 6x6, 6x7, 6x9 Slides and Negatives
The type 120 targets are now available as negatives, as shown. Each strip, comprising two frames of 6x9 and 6x7 dimensions, can be effectively used for any medium format film—including panorama shots. These strips boast exceptional geometric consistency, resolution uniformity, and edge-to-edge sharpness for each individual image element. The overall optical density of the frame has been reduced to assist with in-camera exposure measurement. The maximum resolution for this target is 43 lp/mm, as measured by ten strategically situated USAF 1951 charts. Here is how to use the target...
Buy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RnOAaK
Single 35 mm Frame As Seen in Camera Viewfinder
The overall density of frame has been lowered to help in-camera exposure measurement. The grid of dots helps track the distortions during the scanning.
Max resolution for this target is 98-110 lp/mm. (In custom USAF 1951 terms Group 0 element 6 or Group 1 element 1, see chart below.) Here is how to use the target...
The single 35 mm frame can be purchased on Amazon for less than 10 US$ : https://amzn.to/45W9AK0
Large Format 4x5" targets
The 4x5" targets are designed to assist in scanning/digitizing LF slides and negatives. Should photographers choose to scan by regions and then stitch the final image in software, numbering across the frame will help place all fragments in the proper sequence. The target boasts exceptional geometric consistency, resolution uniformity, and edge-to-edge sharpness for each individual image element. The overall optical density of the frame has been lowered to facilitate in-camera exposure measurement. The maximum resolution for this target is 43 lp/mm, as measured by twenty strategically situated USAF 1951 resolution power charts. Here is how to use the target...
Buy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/460gKgj
ORDERING
For the digitizers in USA, the easiest way to buy targets is at Amazon.com or Freestyle Photo in California.
My shop at Etsy.com - SilverKnits serves mostly foreign visitors and provides a bit costly, but reliable Global Shipping services.
My distributers on the other side of the pond:
Targets Resolution Charts
The charts below contain lookup information pertaining the resolution of the images digitally captured from the film targets. As a matter of personal advice I (Vlad) would not recommend putting too much of emphasis on the absolute resolution numbers below. IMHO, the consistency of the captured image across the whole frame is more important for successful camera scanning operation then achieving higher resolution at any given region on your film original. Typically, having 35 mm target resolved at Group 0 Element 2 is the very good result for the decent 24 MP camera and true macro lens.
Chart 1. Use this chart for the old and new 35 mm strips on Adox CMS 20 Pro film.
Chart 2. Use this chart for current Universal Target PO69 or NG69 on Type 120 film strips. This chart is also applicable to legacy Agfa Copex Rapid strips.
Chart 4. Here is comparison of microphotographs of PO69, NG69 and Agfa Copex Rapid USAF1951 charts around Group 0.
Discontinued 35 mm targets (batch 006-014)
(replaced by version above)
(replaced by version above)
USAF 1951 Test targets on high resolution film will help you align and fine-tune your digital camera scanning rig to get the most from your priceless negatives and slides. Classic USAF 1951 charts have been strategically placed in the center, corners and sides of the frames to allow photographer check the focus and alignment reliably and quickly. Those frames shown above are no longer available except on the secondary market, but new design below has all the features from above and some improvements as well.
Type 120 (roll) Film targets - discontinued
Siemens stars and USAF 1951 targets placed strategically across the frame will help you put the film holder in the precise position for fast focusing and optimal digital capture. Will work for 6x6, 6x4.5, 6x7, 6x8, 6x9, 6x12 negatives and transparencies.