A New Laboratory Film Scanner For The Analog Future

JOBO Brings The Aura 35 to Germany

by Hermann Groeneveld / SilvergrainClassics

 

JOBO has been a household name in analog photography for over 100 years. Anyone who develops film is familiar with the tanks, drums, and processors from Gummersbach: reliable, precise, and with legendary economy in chemical consumption. JOBO stands for consistency in development—from 8 mm film to 8×10″ sheet film.

 

JOBO Goes Digital

However, photographers who work with analog technology today need not only perfectly developed negatives, but also high-quality scans. And this is precisely where a gap has opened up: most of the aging scanning systems used in laboratories have long since exceeded their service life. They are breaking down more and more frequently, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain replacement parts. A high-resolution scan can take 10 to 20 minutes. The costs involved can hardly be plausibly charged to the customer. In such cases, laboratories often have no choice but to take the equipment out of service and discontinue the scanning service.

So it’s the right time to rethink scanning services in light of the rapidly developing market for analog film photography. JOBO has thankfully recognized the signs of the times and jumped on this bandwagon. And it has done so without reinventing the wheel: a tried-and-tested 35mm scanner from Paris, manufactured from proven industrial components, is now also available in German-speaking countries thanks to JOBO’s commitment.

 

Photo: Hermann Groeneveld, Leica M6, Summicron 50 mm, Kodak Portra 160; digitized with Aura 35

 

Proven Technology With a New Face

For amateur photographers, there are perfectly acceptable solutions in the field of desktop scanners. However, anyone who has to process 100 films or more every day in a laboratory needs a workhorse. That’s why Maximilien Steinberg, head of the large French laboratory Nation Photo, took matters into his own hands. With a team of young engineers led by Adrien Veau, he founded Aura Lab. Veau had already been working on the digitization of film material during his studies. Steinberg liked Veau’s idea of designing a completely new lab scanner. He had set out to support the industry with lab scanners.
After five years of development work, the Aura 35 was created. A modern, professional scanner built from industrial components. This device is robust and fast, thus meeting the needs of service companies.
Steinberg unveiled the Aura 35 at the 2024 Salon de la Photo in Paris. The new scanner has already established itself in France. Its performance data is impressive: a complete 36-exposure 35mm film can be scanned at the highest resolution in just one minute, and at low resolution in less than 20 seconds. By way of comparison, 100 films can be digitized with the Aura 35 in two hours – instead of two working days as was previously the case.
The Aura 35 incorporates promising yet proven technology:
  • state-of-the-art LED lighting;
  • a high-quality Apo-Rodagon lens;
  • software that scans the entire film strip and then divides it into 36 individual images, each with 24 MP.

Technically speaking, the Aura 35 is a digital camera that photographs 35mm film strips (cut into individual short strips or in one piece).

The scanner costs EUR 30,000. Alternatively, leasing is available at around EUR 600 per month over five years. For laboratories, this means investment protection and value retention thanks to the high build quality of the hardware, modular software that can be expanded downstream with plug-ins, and absolutely convincing scan results.
 

Photos: Hermann Groeneveld, Leica M6, Summicron 50 mm, Kodak Portra 160; digitized with Aura 35

 

SilvergrainClassics Accompanies The Project

We had the exclusive opportunity to observe the development of the Aura 35 in Paris, to interview Adrien Veau, and provide media coverage of the project. We reported on this in detail in issue 26 of SilvergrainClassics. We were able to see for ourselves the high quality of the scan results in a detailed practical test: Aura Lab had offered us the opportunity to scan some films with the Aura 35 at an early stage of the scanner’s development. We are delighted that the scanner from Aura Lab has impressed experts in the field and that JOBO is supporting its distribution.
 
 

Photos: Hermann Groeneveld, Leica M6, Summicron 50 mm, Kodak Portra 160; digitized with Aura 35

 

The Aura 35 at Imaging World in Nuremberg

The long-established company JOBO is now taking over distribution of the Aura 35 in German-speaking countries. Interested laboratories can test the scanner live in Gummersbach. The official market launch will take place at Imaging World in Nuremberg (October 10–12). An engineer from Aura Lab will also be on site.

In our opinion, the Aura 35 has the potential to revitalize the scanning services offered by laboratories and take the analog scene to a new level in terms of scanning for the service industry. As a reliable player in the analog imaging world, JOBO has a key role to play thanks to its sales experience and high level of awareness.

 

Photo: Hermann Groeneveld, Leica M6, Summicron 50 mm, ADOX CHS 100 II; digitized with Aura 35

Technical Specifications

Resolution
4150 DPI optical,

4000px on the short side,

or 24MP for 24×35.

Can sample from HD capture for lower quality resolutions.
Film Types
35mm film.

Color negative, black and white negative, color positive, black and white positive.

Band scan from 4 views or full band. Unlimited view width (half format, panoramic…).
Imaging Sensor
Quadlinear CMOS sensor of 4096 pixels,
12-bit conversion,
RGB + Infrared without interpolation.
Imaging Optics
Apochromatic industrial optics, optimized for flat field reproduction.
Light Source
Red, Green, Blue and Infrared LED backlighting.

Front lighting for reading tracking codes, twin-checks etc.
Focus
Focus fixed at the factory for better stability, adjustable by the user or a field technician.
Scan Time
Approximately 20 seconds for a full strip of 36 frames at full resolution.
Dynamic Range
3.6 (72dB), 12-bit.
Possibility to capture in HDR depending on the model.
Sustainability
The scanner is designed to be easily repaired and upgraded with industry standard parts.
 

Photo: Hermann Groeneveld, Leica M6, Summicron 50 mm, ADOX CHS 100 II; digitized with Aura 35

More About JOBO And Aura Lab

 

Adrien Veau designed the Aura 35 scanner and is the co-founder of Aura Lab, Paris

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