PetaPixel pixl-latr is a Simple Holder and Diffuser for Digitizing Film


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Film photographer and blogger Hamish Gill wanted a cheap and simple way to scan 5×4 large-format film. After searching and failing to find a suitable diffuser holder for his film, Gill decided to create his own, and that’s how the idea for the pixl-latr was born.

The pixl-latr is an innovative modular system that lets you hold films of various formats in place in front of a diffused light source to digitize using a standard camera.

“If you’ve ever tried to digitize a negative or transparency with a digital camera, you’ll know that two of biggest headaches are keeping the film in place and flat; and backlighting it in a uniform manner,” Gill says.

His invention solves both of those problems.

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Everything is built around a diffuser with 4 locator pins and a texture that avoids Newton rings.

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Different film formats are positioned against different pins.

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Next, you slide on the frame and then the necessary number of gates depending on your film format to fill the remaining gaps.

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With your film held securely in the pixl-latr, you can then backlight it with various light sources and then photograph the evenly-lit film for a digital file.

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An actual digitization done with the help of the pixl-latr, shot on an iPhone and edited in Snapseed.

“pixl-latr is a handy tool for anyone looking to digitize film with a camera rather than a scanner,” Gill says.

pixl-latr is currently being crowdfunded through Kickstarter, where supporters have already blown the project past its initial $10,000 goal (nearly $60,000 has been pledged at the time of this writing).


A pledge of £32 (~$42) will get you a pixl-latr if the project successfully delivers. The estimated ship date is September 2018.

(via Kickstarter via DPReview)

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