Digital pictures from film question

[Orcrone]

I'd love to have a digital camera. However, I'm not ready to purchase one yet. So I'll use my film camera instead. Several questions.

Has anyone ever had digital images made by the film processor and how has it worked?
Do you generally get a photo CD, or just have them place the digital photos online?
Do you have to do it at time of developing, or can you have selective pictures processed later?
Thanks,
Marc

[seapointer]

Before I bought my digital camera, I would usually order a CD along with my prints. This allows you to edit and crop the same as you would with a digital image. CVS usually does this for a $1.99 if you order it along with your prints.

[dakrewser]

While my DW generally uses only digital cameras these days, she's still in the process of digitizing the many. many years of film she has accumulated. For most of it she uses a negative scanner. That way you only digitize the ones you want plus you can use editing software to 'correct' the images.

-dave

[iluvcruzin]

I have taken my 35mm film in for processing and purchased the images on CD. It's really more of a convienance thing. I found the quality no better than if you sit and scan the pictures yourself individually.

I take both my 35mm & digital with me. I scan my photos and burn my own CD. This way I only have the copies of the ones I want to keep and they are all on one disk.

If time is of importance, then the CD's they provide from photo processing is fairly inexpensive and will give you the results you want.


6 more days until the roadtrip!

[Orcrone]

Duh!!!!

I didn't think of scanning the pictures. I may just go that route also. When my supervisor went on his first cruise this summer (Mariner of the Seas) he had a slide show for us when he returned. So I'll have to put something together also.

BTW, that was some ship. I would prefer going during off-season, when it's not as crowded, but I'd definitely like to try one of the Voyager class ships sometime.

[mhshapiro]

I have found it easier to scan from a good quality print than from negatives.

The larger the print you are scanning from, the better the results.

I also found that it is important to keep the scanner clean. They like to collect dust, so cleaning the scanner window with a soft lint-free cloth or blowing the dust off works well.

If you are taking new pictures on film, definitely have the processor supply copies on a CD for you. It doesn't cost a lot more, and generally the processors use a scanner that is high quality.

[Orcrone]

Thanks for the advice Mark. Hoping to get lots of pics. Maybe I'll put a digital camera on my Christmas wish list. At least I'll have it for my next cruise. My film camera is very good, but it's large. Not something you'd want to drag to a beach.

[Bill S]

My DW still uses a film camera and I use a digi. We have her pictures put on a CD and then select the ones we want to have printed - very convenient. We use Sam's Club for that. I recently purchased a portable CD burner that accepts all digitial camera cards. So I can now burn pictures straight from the digi card onto a CD in just a few minutes, anyhere I want and then select which pictures to have printed or plug the burner into a TV or computer and watch a slide show! The burner also plays DVDs and MP3 CDs. I love high tech! :)

[bepsf]

You can also use an online service like Snapfish or Ofoto.

When you register w/ them, they will send you mailers and labels. You send them the film, they develop and e-mail you a link to your pix - then you simply choose the ones you want to have developed.

You can also download the pix and edit, or send the link via e-mail to friends and family for them to view.

This is how our family sends pix around and it works great!;)

[Orcrone]

My DW still uses a film camera and I use a digi. We have her pictures put on a CD and then select the ones we want to have printed - very convenient. We use Sam's Club for that. I recently purchased a portable CD burner that accepts all digitial camera cards. So I can now burn pictures straight from the digi card onto a CD in just a few minutes, anyhere I want and then select which pictures to have printed or plug the burner into a TV or computer and watch a slide show! The burner also plays DVDs and MP3 CDs. I love high tech! :)Bill S - Just want to clarify. You don't actually have the film developed. You just have them put on a CD, and then develop selected ones? Is that correct? I was under the impression with film that you had to develop them and you could also get a CD as an option. I'm going to be at my local Sam's tomorrow morning. I'll have to check with them.

[Bill S]

Orcrone: now you have me questioning myself!! I may be wrong, but I think you can just have your film pics put on CD at Sam's. So put me down as not only being sure, but think so! OR, a "definite maybe". I need to take some film by there tomorrow and will find out if this can be done. :eek:

[Orcrone]

Orcrone: now you have me questioning myself!! I may be wrong, but I think you can just have your film pics put on CD at Sam's. So put me down as not only being sure, but think so! OR, a "definite maybe". I need to take some film by there tomorrow and will find out if this can be done. :eek:I'll also try to remember to check. I also wonder if they can do that on the ship. Don't know what HAL's photo developing pricing is like, but last year Carnival was surprisingly reasonable.

This thread reminds me, I'd better buy some film at Sam's tomorrow.:D

[obriendan]

If you are interested in making good slide shows with your pictures on a cd rom, I have found an excellent program on the web for this process (digitalphotoslideshow.com, download for trial, $19.95 to own). It is very easy to master and use. I have used this program to make digital slide shows for over 10 trips. You can annotate you each slide easily. I have inserted blank colored pictures between slides to use for titles for each section. Most importantly, you can burn a cd of your slide show that will then work automatically on any other pc.

[obriendan]

An additional important point about this program: The recipient can print pictures directly from the slide show cd rom.

[dakrewser]

I have found it easier to scan from a good quality print than from negatives.

That's true if you try to use a flatbed scanner for the negs, but using a negative scanner (a.k.a. "film scanner", which the film processing labs use) gives the highest quality.

There's a good review of the Nikon LS-2000 (the one DW uses) here (http://www.marginalsoftware.com/LS2000Notes/LS2000Notes.htm).

-dave

[dakrewser]

Bill S - Just want to clarify. You don't actually have the film developed. You just have them put on a CD, and then develop selected ones? Is that correct? I was under the impression with film that you had to develop them and you could also get a CD as an option. I'm going to be at my local Sam's tomorrow morning. I'll have to check with them.

He does have the film "developed" (that's the process which turns film into negatives), but may not have any prints made....

:) -dave

[Orcrone]

Thanks Dave and Obriendan,

Some very good suggestions. I'll just have the photos developed with a CD and then try the software for making a slide show.

BTW, there was an Olympic decathlete several Olympics back named Dan O'Brien.

[obriendan]

Orcrone

No relation. I only wish that at some point in my life I had 10% of his physical skills!

[Orcrone]

Orcrone

No relation. I only wish that at some point in my life I had 10% of his physical skills!Hey, there's no pictures on this board if you don't want. Should have had fun with it!!!;)

[superstein61]

Be sure to check out this software - Microsoft Plus Photo Story.

For less than $20, its one of the better products Bill Gates empire makes.

Not only do you create a digital slideshow, but it incorporates movement with the slides to give them life - plus you can add soundtracks. You can generate output that you burn on a CD that will play back on your TV via most DVD Players. Very easy to use and everyone I have given some completed items to loves it

[Bill S]

Orcrone: I went by Sam's today and asked the nice young lady with the white lab coat, if film had to be processed to prints or if the photos could just be processed to CD's? She told me that film could be processed right to CD without need for prints. :) So, I no longer need to pay for prints of the inside of the lens cap!!!! :eek:

[Charlie2na]

Hey ORCRONE...Looking forward to seeing your cruise pics. Noticed your taking the same cruise as us, except we have to wait till Jan 16. Looking forward to your review of the ship and her ports of call... hope this past hurricane season wasn't to hard on HMC and the southern swing. We'll be thinking of you guys.... wishing we were there too ! Take note of the embarkation, disembarkation and the ships schedule as far as being on time....hopefully they've got that figured out

[Orcrone]

Orcrone: I went by Sam's today and asked the nice young lady with the white lab coat, if film had to be processed to prints or if the photos could just be processed to CD's? She told me that film could be processed right to CD without need for prints. :) So, I no longer need to pay for prints of the inside of the lens cap!!!! :eek:Bill, thanks for checking on that. Considering how many prints just sit in a closet somewhere, I'd rather just get digital pics and keep them on the computer. Just print the few that really merit it.

As far as the lens cap goes, that was one thing I bought this weekend. Last I saw mine was in Cozumel last spring. BTW, anyone find a 72 mm lens cap in Cozumel?:D

[Orcrone]

Hey ORCRONE...Looking forward to seeing your cruise pics. Noticed your taking the same cruise as us, except we have to wait till Jan 16. Looking forward to your review of the ship and her ports of call... hope this past hurricane season wasn't to hard on HMC and the southern swing. We'll be thinking of you guys.... wishing we were there too ! Take note of the embarkation, disembarkation and the ships schedule as far as being on time....hopefully they've got that figured outCharlie, I'll let you know all about the trip. I'm driving DW and I crazy, making lists, getting things together, trying on clothes, etc. Hoping for nice weather for sailaway and a smooth trip down the coast.

[Bill S]

Orcrone: I prefer the digi mode as well. Hey, have a great time on the Maasdam!

[Orcrone]

I considered investing in a digital camera, but couldn't justify the cost right now. I also have a Canon EOS Rebel camera with a 28 - 200 mm lens. Love the setup. One lens gives me everything from wide angle to telephoto. I may one day consider getting the Canon EOS digital if I can use my current lens. So I figure getting digital prints on a CD from my current camera is a good stepping stone there.

Also, if I got the digital camera, I'd need to go buy a laptop to store them while cruising.:D

[JohnQ]

I have both film and digital cameras and now have a cd made whenever I take film in for developing and prints. I usually go to Costco or SAMS. You can get the cd made and then go thru it on their machine and edit, crop, enhance your pictures and order prints for $0.19 for 4x6's. This is cheaper than I can print them at home. In addition, digital prints made at home will not last as long as those ordered from commercial developer. The claims of 75-100yr life don't seem to be panning out. This is unfortunate since I am just learning how to make good enlargements!! Even using OEM ink and paper is no guarantee unless you buy their best paper at $.75 or more per sheet. I have printed some 8x10's and have them displayed, so I can see myself about fading.
I have over 800 prints and 400 digital shots from our Alaska trip in Sept.

[happysinglemom]

Actually I used to be a photography buff, but not much time for it any more. I have 3 film cameras ( two are SLR's) and one digital. On my cruise I took the digital and the small "point & shoot" 35mm. I was extremely disappointed in the film pics - I wound up with pics from a bright sunny day, with a brilliant blue sky, that looked completely overcast and gray. I took the negs back and had them reprint them, but the damage was not completely recoverable since it was done in the development process. Digital pics from the same day were absolutely stunning. So, unless you develop your pics yourself, you are at the mercy of the lab. Those things are not completely foolproof, though they lead you to believe that they are. (And I used Kodak developing!!) I now wish I had ONLY brought my digital. :(