Can I use a phone or a compact camera?

Shimmer Scans using a DSLR or mirrorless cameras are usually higher quality than scans taken using a phone or compact camera.

Your device needs to save photos in RAW format and be set to use manual exposure and manual flash power. It can be quite difficult to take well-exposed and in-focus photos using a compact camera or phone camera with these settings, which is another reason why we recommend using a DSLR or mirrorless camera.

Which lens should I use?

We recommend using a prime lens, which is a lens that has a fixed focal length (no zoom). This avoids the chance that the zoom might change during scanning, and typically gives higher quality photos. Good focal lengths to use with a full-frame camera are 50 mm or 85 mm.

However, if you only have access to a zoom lens, you can still scan. Just use the highest quality zoom lens that you have available, and be careful to avoid changing the zoom during the scan.

Do I have to use RAW format?

Yes, RAW format is essential. Our algorithms depend on having unprocessed RAW input images to accurately measure how light interacts with your material.

Can I use a different ISO than 100?

We recommend using the “base ISO” of your camera which has the best dynamic range and least noise. Usually the base ISO is 100.

Why do you recommend using such a narrow aperture, such as f/16?

We need the flash to be the strongest light source for the photos in the scan. Setting the aperture to f/16 and the ISO to 100 means the flash will usually dominate any ambient lighting. You can check this by taking a photo with the same manual exposure settings but with the flash switched off. If the settings are correct, then the photo should be completely dark when the flash is switched off . Switch it back on to do the scan.

Setting the aperture to f/16 also gives a large depth of field. This means all of the material and the Frame is in focus for every photo in the scan, even when you move the camera down to take photos from different angles.

What type of flash should I use?

We recommend using an external flash, such as a Nikon Speedlight, a Canon Speedlite, or any similar flash from other camera companies and third party suppliers such as Godox.

The flash should be attached to the camera hot-shoe and should illuminate the material from above the lens. Avoid using a ring flash.

Can you tell me more about what flash power to use?

For a typical medium power flash, we find that 1/16 flash power is a good starting point.

Different flash units have different strengths and some materials are shinier than others, so the best flash power might be different for each scan. The goal of the flash power setting is to make it low enough so that no pixels in the photo exceed the maximum pixel intensity. This avoids intensity clipping or saturation. You also want to make the flash power high enough to avoid a noisy photo, but not too high so that you can avoid clipping.