No. A copy stand is not strictly necessary for digitizing negatives with a Sony mirrorless camera.

You can photograph negatives using several other setups, such as:

• a light table or other even backlight
• a tablet or phone as a light source
• a slide copier / film duplicator attachment
• a macro lens or suitable adapter setup

A copy stand can work if you pair it with a macro lens and a light box, but it’s mainly intended for copying prints or documents. For film, many people find a slide copier or film duplicator easier and less expensive.

Whichever method you use, the key is to hold the film flat, keep the camera aligned, and use even illumination. Negatives also require post-processing: you’ll need to invert the image, and color negatives usually need the orange mask corrected.