This summer I came into a few hundred 35mm slides that I needed to digitize. While a scanner does a nice job of capturing them, I realized digitizing them with a camera or smart phone would be faster. This simple device provides a solid base to hold the slide and phone in alignment, a back lit screen, and a closeup macro lens. I have supplied a number of versions of the files so you can make something that best suits your needs.

The short version of the base holds the slide about 32mm from the phone. With this version and the extra lens, the slide will fill the camera frame on an iPhone 4 or 4s without zooming. This base should also work with most other smart phones if you use the additional lens. The tall base holds the side about 75mm from the phone. This is about the closest many phones will focus without additional lenses. You will either need to zoom in on the slide to make it fill the frame or crop the image afterwards.

There are three files for the top plate/phone mount. One fits the iPhone 4 and 4s another fits the iPhone 5. A third blank mounting plate can be use as a starting point to build a mount for most any phone or camera.

If you are using the additional lens, you will want a single or double convex lens with about a 43mm focal length. The top plate and holders with fit lens from about 18mm to 30mm in diameter. I used a double convex lens from surplusshed.com SKU: L11062, (DCX, 20mm Dia, 42mm Focal) $4.00 plus shipping. Many other lens in about this size and focal length will work though. There are three lens holders sized to fit 20mm, 25mm and 30mm diameter lenses. You should be able to use the lens mount that is the next size larger than the lens you have.