Copy stand for analog digitization and scanning

• Tip-resistant construction: The profile is flush-mounted in the 20 mm film-faced plywood: CNC-milled, with four threaded inserts, not screwed on top. It remains stable with up to ~1.5 kg on the arm; from around 1.9 kg total load, the profile bends slightly. It is not designed for heavy-duty setups with a bellows unit, macro rail, and heavy ball head.
• Designed for use with a tripod head: The camera mount has a 3/8" thread (professional standard, more load-bearing than 1/4-20), compatible with all common ball heads and adapter plates. If you do not have your own head, choose the “Copy Stand + Leveling Base” variant, optionally with an alignment mirror.
• Takes apart: The profile is bolted to the base; the camera mount is held by a Fast-Lock clamping lever. With the included Allen key, you disassemble the stand for transport or for storage under your desk.
• Set the height once per film format: Loosen the clamping lever on the camera mount, slide the mount along the profile, tighten the lever again; designed for a fixed height per format, not for frequent readjustment during repro work.
• Enough height for medium format: Up to 54 cm of distance between film and sensor is sufficient for 35 mm and roll film up to 6×9 with macro lenses from 50 to 105 mm, and for 4x5 with a 50 or 60 mm macro lens (table below).

Compatibility

• Camera mount: 3/8" tripod thread (compatible with all 3/8" tripod heads and adapter plates)
• Included leveling base (variants “Copy Stand + Leveling Base” and “Copy Stand + Leveling Base + Alignment Mirror”): 1/4" camera screw, fits the standard tripod thread of virtually all cameras
• Sony A7 series (A7 II, A7 III, A7R IV, A7C, …)
• Canon EOS 5D Mark III / IV, Canon EOS R series
• Nikon D810, D850, Nikon Z series (Z5, Z6, Z7, Zf, …)
• Fuji X-T series, X-H series
• Panasonic S series (S1, S5, …)
• Compact medium-format systems (e.g. Hasselblad X1D/X2D: check total weight with lens)
• Macro lenses: 50 mm, 60 mm, 90 mm, 100 mm, 105 mm (and comparable)
• Modular accessories: Film Scanner Holder System, CineStill CS-LITE, alignment mirror (sold separately)

Which film format you can scan depends on the lens focal length. Overview for full-frame sensors and macros up to 1:1, calculated with a maximum distance of 54 cm between film and sensor:

yes means at least 2 cm of clearance, limited means it just fits, and no means the Copy Stand is too low. The number below the result is the distance between the film and sensor required by the combination.

For Micro Four Thirds, APS-C, and digital medium format from Fujifilm and Hasselblad, the tables with camera names are available on the page Which film format can your camera handle on the Copy Stand?

Scope of delivery

• Copy Stand (without tripod head):
  • 32×32 cm base plate (20 mm film-faced plywood), 4 stick-on rubber feet
  • 30×30 mm aluminum profile, 60 cm
  • Camera mount with 3/8" tripod thread
  • 1× Fast-Lock clamping lever for the camera mount + end cap + mounting hardware (5 M8 screws, 2 T-slot nuts, Allen key) + assembly instructions (DE/EN)
  • No tripod head. You need to add one separately (3/8" connection), or you choose the “Copy Stand + Leveling Base” variant
• Copy Stand + Leveling Base:
  • 32×32 cm base plate (20 mm film-faced plywood), 4 stick-on rubber feet
  • 30×30 mm aluminum profile, 60 cm
  • Camera mount with 3/8" tripod thread
  • 1× Fast-Lock clamping lever for the camera mount + end cap + mounting hardware (5 M8 screws, 2 T-slot nuts, Allen key) + assembly instructions (DE/EN)
  • 1× leveling base (3/8" connection, 1/4" camera screw, up to 10 kg) with 1/4" to 3/8" adapter screw, hex key, and instructions
• Copy Stand + Leveling Base + Alignment Mirror:
  • 32×32 cm base plate (20 mm film-faced plywood), 4 stick-on rubber feet
  • 30×30 mm aluminum profile, 60 cm
  • Camera mount with 3/8" tripod thread
  • 1× Fast-Lock clamping lever for the camera mount + end cap + mounting hardware (5 M8 screws, 2 T-slot nuts, Allen key) + assembly instructions (DE/EN)
  • 1× leveling base (3/8" connection, 1/4" camera screw, up to 10 kg) with 1/4" to 3/8" adapter screw, hex key, and instructions
  • 1× 50 × 50 mm alignment mirror, with protective film on both sides

Technical details

• Base plate: 20 mm film-faced plywood, 32 × 32 cm, with CNC-milled profile recess
• Profile: aluminum T-slot 8 (30×30 mm), 60 cm total length
• Distance from film to camera sensor: up to 54 cm (measured with film holder on CineStill CS-LITE and ball head)
• Camera mount: 3/8" thread (professional standard)
• Recommended max. camera load: ~1.5 kg (usable up to ~2 kg with slight flex in the profile)
• Leveling base (variants “Copy Stand + Leveling Base” and “Copy Stand + Leveling Base + Alignment Mirror”): aluminum, 3/8" female thread, screws directly onto the camera mount, 1/4" camera screw, ±15° tilt in any direction, 360° rotation, bubble level, 10 kg load capacity, weight 230 g
• Alignment mirror (only variant “Copy Stand + Leveling Base + Alignment Mirror”): acrylic, mirror-coated, 50 × 50 mm, shatter-resistant
• Clamping system: profile bolted to the base with one M8 screw, camera mount with Fast-Lock clamping lever (one T-slot nut 8 each)
• Mounts: engineering plastic
• Fastening: 4× integrated threaded inserts (M8) in the base plate
• Feet: 4× soft stick-on rubber feet (non-slip, vibration-damping)
• Weight: ~1.9 kg
• Dimensions (L × W × H): 32 × 32 × 62 cm
• Color: Black

Description

The Copy Stand is our camera copy stand for anyone who scans negatives and slides with their own digital camera instead of a flatbed scanner. Its centerpiece is the base plate made from 20 mm film-faced plywood, the same material used for load-bearing floors in exhibition construction. The CNC-milled recess and four threaded inserts keep the profile in position even under load instead of merely screwing it on top. The profile itself is a standard aluminum profile with T-slot 8; if you want to scan larger formats, simply buy a taller profile.

The profile does not have a permanently attached camera holder, but a 3/8" mount. The Copy Stand is designed for use with a tripod head for a technical reason: every copy stand bends slightly under the weight of the camera and lens, even the most stable one, and even light combinations can cause a few tenths of a millimeter of deflection. A tripod head between the Copy Stand and camera compensates for exactly that: attach the head to the 3/8" screw, mount the camera on the head, and use the joint to set the camera exactly parallel to the original. The alignment mirror shows whether it is truly parallel: it sits where the film would normally be, and in Live View you align the reflection of your lens with the center of the image. Use an existing ball head or geared head directly. If you do not have your own head, choose the “Copy Stand + Leveling Base” variant: the leveling base screws onto the camera mount without an adapter, tilts the camera on a hemisphere by up to 15° in any direction, supports 10 kg, and includes the 1/4" screw for your camera’s tripod thread. The “Copy Stand + Leveling Base + Alignment Mirror” variant includes the mirror as well.

With a heavy camera near full height, the profile keeps swaying for a while after adjustment: One user with 1.8 kg of medium format equipment, i.e. above the recommended load, observed 20 to 25 seconds at almost full height. Give the setup a moment to settle after adjusting or release the shutter with the self-timer.

The Copy Stand is the foundation of our film-scanning system. Add a negative holder from the Film Scanner Holder System and a light source for a complete scanning workflow.

If you are unsure which combination suits your setup, the Film Scanner Finder recommends one after three questions. The range diagram shows all components in the layered setup, with clickable direct shop links. You can find guides and technical background on film scanning in our blog overview.