Convergence of Analogue and Digital: To the Limits of a £20 Film Scanner and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

The analogue photography revival is not just a trend; it’s a commitment to a deliberate, slower workflow and the unique aesthetic of film. My own journey has been happily centred around the glorious 6x6 medium format negative courtesy of my Agfa Isolette I, a scale-focus folding camera with a superb, classic feel.

However, the itch to diversify the format portfolio - specifically to the more accessible and immediate 35mm - is strong. This contemplation has naturally led to a crucial technical bottleneck: digitisation.

Lab scanning costs, when aggregated over multiple rolls, quickly erode the affordability of 35mm. The alternative, a dedicated film scanner like the Plustek OpticFilm series, represents a significant capital outlay that I simply cannot justify at this stage.

Thus, the experiment begins: can a £20 KLIM K2 smartphone scanning platform, paired with the sheer technological firepower of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra smartphone, provide a high-fidelity scanning solution that mitigates the need for specialist hardware?

Phase 1: The KLIM K2 as a Quantitative Testbed

My recent acquisition of the KLIM K2 was purely a feasibility test. This device is not a scanner; it is a negative illumination and alignment fixture. It provides a flat, evenly diffused light source (the key to a successful capture) and a rudimentary frame holder for 35mm film strips and slides. The entire burden of resolution and optical quality falls squarely on the capturing device - my Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Initial, rapid tests of 35mm negatives were promising. The Galaxy S22 Ultra, with its 108MP primary sensor, possesses an effective optical resolution that, when combined with a macro conversion lens (or just the close-focusing capabilities of the main lens), can theoretically exceed the resolving power of many entry-level flatbed scanners (e.g., the Epson V600/V850), particularly for 35mm film.

The ability to shoot in Pro Mode and output to DNG (RAW) is the absolute analytical advantage here. This allows for:

1. Low ISO Noise Floor: By manually locking the ISO to the base sensitivity (typically ISO 50 or 100), digital noise is minimised, providing a cleaner capture of the chemical grain structure.

2. Maximal Data Capture: The 14-bit DNG file retains significantly more dynamic range (DR) compared to a compressed 8-bit JPEG. This is critical for the subsequent negative inversion, allowing for better recovery of detail in the deep shadows and blown highlights of the negative.

3. Manual Focus Precision: Critical focusing on the film's grain structure is achievable, ensuring the image circle is perfectly resolved by the sensor’s pixel array.

If the signal-to-noise ratio and captured resolution prove sufficient upon deeper analysis of test files, the K2/Galaxy S22 Ultra combination becomes a permanent, cost-effective digitisation studio.

Phase 2: The Search for the Ideal 35mm Companion

The scanning solution is a technical challenge; the camera choice is a matter of aesthetic function. My existing camera, the Agfa Isolette I, is 6x6" (approx. 56x56mm) folder, utilising an 85mm f/4.5 Agnar lens (a simple triplet design) and a leaf shutter. It embodies the methodical, scale-focused approach to medium format.

My digital setup consists of a Canon 60D and an M100, so I have a deep appreciation for the consistency of the Canon ecosystem.

My technical brief for a 35mm companion is: Immediacy, Precision, and Portability, which steers me firmly away from the bulk and mirror-slap of a vintage SLR and towards a fixed-lens rangefinder.

The front-runner is the Canon Canonet QL17 G-III.

Technical Justification for the Canonet QL17 G-III

• Rangefinder Focus: This feature offers faster, coupled focus outside of the image area, enabling rapid composition and focus setting, which is vital for capturing immediate moments.

• Leaf Shutter: Situated between the lens elements, this mechanism provides full flash synchronisation at all speeds (up to 1/500s), a huge technical advantage over focal plane shutters which are typically limited to 1/125s. It is also considerably quieter, making it ideal for discreet street photography.

• Lens Optics (40mm f/1.7): The lens is a highly-regarded 6-element, 4-group design. The short 40mm focal length on 35mm film (24x36mm) provides a slightly wider-than-standard field of view (56.8 degrees), promoting a natural, immediate perspective. Crucially, its performance, particularly stopped down to f/4, is noted to be stellar in terms of sharpness.

• Quick Loading (QL): A simple but effective quality-of-life feature that significantly reduces the risk of film loading errors, streamlining the analogue workflow.

• Manual Override: While the shutter-priority auto-exposure is convenient, the ability to operate fully manually without battery dependency ensures operational resilience - a non-negotiable trait for relying on vintage gear.

The main operational challenge remains the classic vintage meter issue: the reliance on the discontinued 1.35V PX625 mercury cell. A temporary solution involves compensating the ISO when using modern 1.5V alkaline replacements, but for critical work, a zinc-air replacement or simply bypassing the internal meter entirely in favour of an external light meter remains the most metrologically accurate path.

The plan is settled: The KLIM K2 will prove its worth over the coming weeks, and the Canonet QL17 G-III will be the target acquisition in the New Year. The convergence of classic mechanical excellence and modern digital capture promises a compelling new chapter in my analogue workflow.