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The Copystand

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The copystand is a commonly used device that securely supports a stills camera above a two-dimensional original object. Copystands might be used in libraries, archives or anywhere where there is a need to digitise large 2D objects. This document is an introduction to the copystand and how to use it.

Introduction

In the digital world, as long as care is taken, a digital copy is as good as the digital original. When analogue photography was dominant, duplicates had to be made from negatives, slides or occasionally prints, and the copystand was one of the tools that was used to create these duplicates.

They are still widely used to digitise large flat analogue objects. For small scale digitisation, such as the occasional recording of images for lecture slides, it may not be cost effective to purchase specialist equipment and the photographer will have to hand hold the camera above the original. For larger projects the argument for a specialist support is much stronger.

The typical copystand has a flat baseboard on which the artwork can be placed, a vertical column attached to the back of the board and an adjustable camera mount which can be raised or lowered according to the size of the object and the lens being used.

Dedicated lights may be mounted on the sides of the baseboard or general photographic lights can be positioned either side of the set-up.

The copystand shares many common features with the photographic enlarger and some models can be converted freely between the two functions.

When choosing a copystand you should ensure that the column height and baseboard size is large enough for you to copy the largest objects in your collection. Because the copystand is essentially a camera support it does allow the camera to be detached to photograph other subjects if required.

The flexibility of the copystand-mounted camera contrasts with the fixed nature of the dedicated book scanner, which is designed specifically to digitise 2D material.

Copystand. Image courtesy of kaiser-fototechnik

Why use a copystand?

For flat objects smaller than A4 in size, a good quality scanner should be able to resolve more detail than a standard digital camera on a copystand. However, the flexibility and increasing resolution offered by today's cameras is rapidly eroding the dominance of the scanner. For originals larger than A4 the choice of scanners is limited and copystands become a more attractive option, so a lot of flat A4+ material is photographed.

It is normally easier for the user and safer for the object to lay large 2D objects horizontally to photograph them from above. Most camera supports however are designed for horizontal use; if a tripod-mounted camera is tilted downwards the legs may obstruct the lighting or even appear in the image. The copystand provides a stable and secure support for the camera and its adjustable camera position helps to speed up workflow.

The copystand can also be used with a lightbox to digitise large or delicate transparent objects such as glass plate negatives. The single column at the back of the copystand's baseboard allows the operator unobstructed access to the lights, camera and original object.

How do you use it?

Check that the copystand and its supporting table are stable and level both left to right and front to back.
Mount the camera securely to the copystand and use the spirit level to check it is level
Remove the lens cap, if the camera has a neck strap remove it or keep it away from the lens (sorry if this sounds obvious, but a lens cap can seriously damage an original object if it is dropped later on in the workflow)
Place the lights either side of the copystand, point each light to the opposite side of the baseboard at an angle of around 45 degrees
Check that the lights are at the same height and the same distance from the copystand
Switch on the lights
Measure the illumination across the baseboard, this can be done with a handheld light meter or with a pencil (see film below). If the light is uneven adjust the lights. If you would like to learn more you could watch our short video on measuring light and using a hand held meter
If the original could be damaged by light or heat switch the lights off
Place the original on the baseboard and adjust its position
Adjust the height of the camera to frame around the object. Short focal length lenses may introduce distortion so avoid focal lengths shorter than 35mm on full frame camera or 25mm on cropped sensor. If you would like to learn more about focal length and distortion you could read our document on lenses. If you need to change the lens remove the original object and lower the camera, if a lens is dropped it could seriously damage the original
Focus the camera (ideally using manual focus)
Choose the desired capture format e.g. Raw, TIFF or JPEG
Choose auto white balance or the appropriate white balance for the lighting
Switch the lights on
Take a light reading, switch the camera to manual and set the camera to the settings recommended by the light meter. Alternatively use the automatic exposure setting and let the camera chose the exposure settings
When you are ready take the picture, the self-timer or a cable release may be used to reduce the risk of camera shake
Before you remove the original, switch off the lights and check the quality of the file on an accurate computer screen

Introduction to using a copystand from JISC Digital Media on Vimeo

Before using a copystand it is important that you take a few simple precautions:

Ensure that the copystand is placed on a secure and stable support. Accidents or injuries can occur when a copystand operator tries to use a camera that is too high to use comfortably. Specialist right angle viewers allow the user to view the image without having to get above the camera. Dentist mirrors can also be used to reflect the image on the display back to the photographer. It is also possible to take full control of the camera via a tethered application from a desk level computer. If you would like to learn more about this, you can read our advice on tethered camera operation.

Incandescent lights can create a lot of heat and should be switched off when not required to avoid potential damage to the original and reduce the fire risk and save electricity.

Highly reflective objects

If the original 2D object has a highly reflective surface such as an oil painting then it should be possible to reduce the shine using polarising filters and polarising lighting gels. The gels are placed in front of the lights (at a safe distance) and rotated to the same orientation.

A polarising filter is placed on the camera lens and rotated to 90 degrees from the angle of the gels. This lighting method is known as cross polarising. This is a complex approach, which is normally undertaken by professional photographers.

Transparent objects

Large transparent objects such as magic lantern slides or glass plate negatives can be placed on a light box on the copystand's baseboard and illuminated from below. If possible windows should be blacked out and all other lights should be switched off to reduce surface reflections. A black card mask should be placed around the object to reduce glare, which can degrade the quality of the image.

The colour temperature of the fluorescent bulbs used in light boxes can vary widely so it would be wise to measure the colour of the light using the camera's white balance controls. There is more information on digitising large transparent objects in this document.

Books

Copystands are designed mainly for photographing flat objects. If the surface of an object is uneven or curved then parts of the image may be out of focus or distorted. If the book is of no historic or commercial value then an option may be to carefully remove the pages from the book and scan them or photograph them individually on a copystand.

For valuable or fragile books a clean sheet of glass can be used to press the page flat; if the glass is kept parallel with the front of the lens you should avoid nasty reflections from the lights. Fragile or tightly bound books can be supported on special supports or book cradles, these can be adjusted to support pages parallel to the camera without putting stress on the other pages or spine.

The typical book cradle can be adjusted to support the changing shape of the book as the operator moves from front to back. It is quite possible to build a DIY book cradle for short run projects though for larger projects an 'off the shelf' product would make a better solution.

Alternatives to the copystand

A copystand is normally the most efficient way of photographing flat objects, however it may not be economical for occasional use. For one-off pictures it may be possible to carefully handhold the camera above the subject. Some tripods allow the central column to be braced in a horizontal position for overhead shots. If the object is supported in a vertical position, e.g. on a wall or board, the camera and lights can be positioned horizontally.

Accessories for effective copying

Spirit level

To ensure sharp, distortion-free images the camera and copystand should be kept level both front to back and left to right. A spirit level can be placed directly on the baseboard to level the copystand. To level the camera, the spirit level can be held against the front of the lens or placed on the LCD screen.

Light meter

For most projects the lights are arranged to give an even illumination across the object - the lights should be positioned either side of the object and at the same distance away. They should also both point down at an angle of around 45 degrees.

Continuous lights can be roughly compared using a pencil: if the pencil is placed on its end on the baseboard, the lights are roughly balanced when both shadows have a similar density. This method will work with continuous lighting, while flash lights have to be compared with a light meter.

Light meters give a more accurate measure of the amount of light falling on or reflected from the surface of an object. Light reading should be taken across the area of the baseboard, if the measurements vary wildly then the lights should be adjusted accordingly.

Here is a short film explaining light measurement and how to use a hand held light meter.

Measuring Exposure from JISC Digital Media on Vimeo.

Cable release

The pressure required to release the shutter can create a vibration which can lead to camera shake, this can be reduced by using the camera's self-timer or with a cable release. Ensure that the cable release does not hang in front of the lens.

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