Easiest/Cheapest way to turn Digitial Camera photos into real film photos ?

[polm]

What is the best way to take my 32MB (Compact Flash) of 640x480 JPEGS into real Photographs ??

 

[Viper GTS]

By definition they can't be real photos, but there are printers that can do borderless photo-size prints with pretty decent quality.

I've heard that photo-printing services produce decent results as well (I think Yahoo has one).

Viper GTS

 

[BCYL]

Easiest way would be to upload your photos to one of the digital photo finishing labs and have them printed like real photos...

Howeverx 640x480 is too small to produce any decent-sized photos... with 4x6 photos you probably need a minimal size of 1280x1024... 640x480 is only good for posting online...

I usually take my photo files to a local digital photo finishing lab using a CF card or a CD to have them printed... Uploading a ton of them just takes too much time... and I print 1600x1200 files into 4x6 photos...

 

[klah]

Originally posted by: polm
What is the best way to take my 32MB (Compact Flash) of 640x480 JPEGS into real Photographs ??

At 640x480 you are not going to be able to print anything larger than a wallet-size photo at decent quality.

Walmart will let you upload your files, and they will print them at the store where you can pick them up. They charge $0.26 for each 4x6in print.

 

[BoberFett]

You should be able to take them to a local photo developer. More and more are starting to print off of either a CD or the camera memory itself.

I didn't do it myself, I gave one of my friends a CD with about 70 pictures and she had them developed for around $15. My camera is only 1280x960, but I was surprised at the quality from a standard sized print. They did look almost like a photo. Not sure what they printed from exactly, but I can tell it wasn't your average Epson home printer.

 

[Viper GTS]

Geez, 640x480?

Guess I didn't see that part...

I hope you're printing these for use as postage stamps.

Viper GTS

 

[RossMAN]

WalmartPhotoCenter.com

 

[WW]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
By definition they can't be real photos, but there are printers that can do borderless photo-size prints with pretty decent quality.

I've heard that photo-printing services produce decent results as well (I think Yahoo has one).

Viper GTS

I don't know about 'they can't be real photos by definition'....the new minilab systems that print digital pictures use a RGB laser system to exposure the photographic paper....which is then 'developed' just like regular film would be in chemicals....they aren't 'printed' like an inkjet or thermal printer. Here's the technical details:

http://bermangraphics.com/press/frontier.htm

and yes 640 x 480 is too small for 4 by 6 prints. You could upsize them, but they look 'blocky'. If that is all your camera can do, then it's time to upgrade. I also know several people with new 3 and 4 megapixel cameras that take pictures at the lowest resolution 'to fit more on the memory card'. Big mistake, take all pictures at the highest possible resolution, and best jpg setting...you never know when you'll take a picture you want to print at a large size, or need to crop a lot to make the perfect picture. Buy a larger memory card.

type your zip code here to find some place with the fuji system:

http://www.fujifilm.com/JSP/fuji/epartners/MapFindPage.jsp?photo=true

a lot of walgreen's, walmarts, and sams clubs have them....I think most wolf/ritz camera stores do, but they are more expensive

 

[abaez]

I just take mine down to the local sams on a cdr and tell them how many copies of each file I want. Granted the sams club pics are good but not the best.
The best pics I've seen are from shutterfly but they're damn expensive.

 

[LordSnailz]

good post - had basically the same question. thanks guys!