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FAQ

  • The 120 Holder lifts from the Advancer when the Duster is used.
    This is a known problem and will be fixed in future revisions. The easiest solution is to put a finger ontop of the back of the holder when advacning. This ensure that the Holder stays in place and resolves issues with framing or focus.
  • The Film Holder lifts out of the Advancer
    This can happen if the film is very stiff, curly or if using the Duster with the 120 Holder. We are aware of these problems and will work towards fixes in future versions. While advancing film, we recommend you put a finger on the back of the holder to keep it from moving.
  • The Holder moves on the table
    Attach the included rubber dome feet Put slight pressure on the film holder when moving film
  • Patches of colour shift or low contrast
    Reflections: Turn off the lights in the room you are scanning and shade your negative from light outside your scanning light source. Uneven light or vignetting around the edge: Diffuse your light further (the VALOI Diffuser could help), or make sure you are using a light source with even lighting.
  • The corners of the image has a weird colour/is brighter
    Lens vignetting: Try stopping the lens down further (bigger F-number), use a correction software such as that built into Lightroom or a plugin like Grain2Pixel, alternatively you have to change your lens for a different one with less vignetting (see the VALOI Gear Guide). Normal lenses (non-Macro) on extension tubes tend to have vignetting.
  • When will the easy35 be available?
    The easy35 batch 1 is now sold out but we are restocking. These will be ready for delivery in September, but we will open a pre-order before that: You can find the buying pages here for more details: https://kamerastore.com/collections/valoi-easy35
  • Blurry results/lower resolution than expected
    1. Shutter vibrations (mirrorless camera): Use electronic shutter (silent shutter) if your camera has it, use electronic front curtain shutter if your camera has it 2. Shutter vibrations (DSLR): Use mirror-lockup if your camera has it 3. Lens: Change the lens for a macro lens if using normal lens + extension tubes 4. Focus: Check focus, use focus peaking and liveview magnification, focus on the largest aperture of the lens and stop down before scanning 5. Wrong aperture: Test the lens at different apertures to see what works best with your lens
  • Do you still have the Adapter 104 in stock?
    We have a few of them sitting around - email us at hello@valoi.co and request one! It is the same price as the current LightAdapter, but might have a few days extra delivery time as we have to dust it off and pack it.
  • Poor colours
    Colour negative conversion: Use an plugin or program to convert negatives (see VALOI Gear Guide). Make sure you follow the instructions of the program/plugin you are using. Look for guides on how to use it. Test a different negative conversion program/plugin (see VALOI Gear Guide). Change your light source if using a cheap LED panel or other unsuitable light source (see VALOI Gear Guide).
  • I'm having problems with my scanning setup, can you help?
    Yes! That's one of the things we love doing, and we have a very high success rate. Please send over sample pictures of your scans (in RAW format) and some pictures of your setup, then describe your problems in as much detail as you can.
  • The film is not flat
    Extremely curly film: Use a professional lab to develop or change your drying practices. Press the film under some books for a few days Ensure that the film is seated properly in the holder. Last resort: Use a smaller (bigger number) aperture to get more depth of field (will lead to image distortion, but the image will be uniformly sharp). Going down to f/11 or f/16 will give you less sharpness but will help you scan a curly piece of film.
  • Is my lens compatible with the easy35?
    You can read more about easy35-compatible lenses here: www.valoi.co/easy35lens
  • The film is not square when scanned (misalignment)
    Your camera and film is not parallel: Align them perfectly by adjusting your copy stand or adjusting the levelling feet on the Film Advancer (use Mirror Trick (see VALOI Technique Guide)).
  • Software failing to stitch images when doing several captures of the same frame
    Too little overlap: Use more overlap in your frame, 1/3 overlap is a good aim. Strong lens vignetting: See further up Camera and film not parallel: See further up on alignment
  • Are you going to make a sprocket/rebate scanning holder?
    We already make one! You can find them here: valoi.kamerastore.com/collections/valoi-360
  • What camera/lens/copystand/light do you recommend?
    We have a whole Gear Guide outlining the equipment we recommend to use with our products. You can find it in the top-right hand menu under 'Guides'.
  • I have curly negatives, will this hold my film flat?"
    Scanning curly negatives is usually a big problem, but our holders have build in S-curved tracks that mechanically flatten the film in addition to precision-made tight tracks that assist in keeping the film flat. We have optimised our holders for flatness and our users have often commented on how flat the film is held, even on old curly negatives.
  • Are you going to make a slide holder?
    Yes - we are working a holder for 35mm slides. However, we are also working on other products at the same time and our development capacity is limited so we do not have an estimated time for the slide holder to be release. We recommend you sign up to our newsletter - you can find a link to it on the bottom of this page.
  • Can I scan smaller formats than 6x9 in the 120 Holder?
    The maximum frame size on the standard Valoi 120 Holder is 6x9, but smaller 120 formats such as 6x6 or 6x4.5 are also fine in it. If you are worried about stray light we have additional masks that slot under the Holder to block that off. Please see our webshop at valoi.kamerastore.com.
  • Will the VALOI 360 system do large format?
    In short - no. This system is made for roll film formats and optimised around that. Incorporating 4x5 into it would be lead to a lot of compromises that we were not willing to make. We could bring out a simple glass-sandwich holders, but our philosophy is to only make products we believe is add something new to the market. However, we do have ideas on how to do that in the future...
  • Do your holders work with strips of film?
    Yes, you can scan as little as three frame stips on the holders. However, it will be slower and the flatness might be worse than if you have a while roll. Particularly the first and last frame of the strip might be worse, but perfectly useable. Therefore, we recommend you ask your lab to give film back to you uncut, then scan it, then cut yourself for storage. Most labs are happy to do this and will at no extra charge. Dedicated strip scanning equipment (that has quite different requirements) is something we would like to release in the future.
  • What are the dimensions of the Advancer?
    Please find the below picture with dimensions. Tallest height: 70mm (+10mm adjustment) Height of base: 30mm (+10mm adjustment) Length: 185mm Width: 125mm
  • What are the dimensions of the Holders?
    Please find a picture attached below: Width: 88mm Length: 145mm
  • Does the VALOI 120 Holder show a border?
    Yes, and no: - Yes: The 120 holder show the whole frame, including a small amount of edge. You can see an example photo here: - No: It does not show the 'rebate' (the area with text and numbers on it). This is because the film holder holds onto this area, required to optimise flatness on such a wide film.
  • Who should I contact to get support for my Valoi products?
    We want to give the best help possible but we are also very busy. Therefore, please read through the FAQ before contacting us directly. The best way to get in touch with us is to email hello@valoi.co - this way you get directly in touch with our co-founder, Arild, who can help you with anything you would need including: - How to use Valoi products - Technical problems or damage - Returns - Shipping queries - Problems with scanning - What products to use in conjunction with Valoi
  • The 35mm Holder wobbles a lot when it sits in the Advancer, or all four rubber-feet don't touch the ground when using it without the Advancer."
    This is a known problem from batch #1 of our 35mm holders. The manufacturer has recognised the problem and we added additional steps to our quality control after shipping the first 250 units. If you have one of these units, please send an email to hello@valoi.co with pictures attached of the holder sitting on a flat surface showing the curve clearly. Please note that we won't replace holders that are only slightly bent, as most holders from this batch has some amount of curve. The ones with minimal curve does not influence the flatness of your film while scanning.
  • The knob on the VALOI Advancer is coming loose after a few rolls of film. What do I do?
    You can add some lock-tite to the screw before you screw it in. If you continue to have issues, please contact hello@valoi.co
  • The 120 Holder lifts from the Advancer when the Duster is used.
    This is a known problem and will be fixed in future revisions. The easiest solution is to put a finger on-top of the back of the holder when advancing. This ensure that the Holder stays in place and resolves issues with framing or focus.
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