I use a Power Mac, but similar results are now possible using PC's.
I only shoot negative film these days and have it processed into negatives for direct transfer to CD ROM before the negs are cut up. I usually get a set of prints done as they can be very handy, and all that is necessary for some illustration projects. It is a LOT cheaper to get a whole, uncut roll transferred. Individual slides or negs are several times as expensive to have scanned. Some places will scan a medium quality set of images onto a PC floppy disk as TIFF files (which a Mac can read also, these days), but I require the ultimate archival quality of the CD images. However for online use the CD quality is not required. My local chain drug store, London Drugs, has a contract with a lab in Edmonton.
Images are brought into Photoshop at 768 X 512 pixels @ 72 dpi and cropped to 640 X 480 for possible video use. After adjustments and the addition of any text, I downsample to 320 X 240 for the web , or similar, sharpen just a bit, and almost always adjust the contrast a bit. Frequently there will be a dust spot or other flaw to remove (no lab is perfect!). Photoshop has a convert to Indexed Color Mode, but I much prefer the elegant translation algorithms of a program called Planet Color by Lizard Tech. It converts 24 bit to 8 bit with very little visible difference. And the file size SHRINKS! Its recent release is Power Mac native and also will export the gif format. Otherwise, re-open in Photoshop and save as GIF or EXPORT as interlaced GIF 89a if you have the latest plug-in.
Check the Kodak.com website for the latest Acquire plug-in for Photoshop. Avail. for Mac and PC. This is the best tool for importing images from CD and it allows for a bit of custom sharpening and color balance during the Acquire process.
All my hundreds of photos are available for sale at various prices and resolutions upto 3072 X 2048 at $negociable. Upon receipt of your payment I will post the photo to my website and provide you with its unique URL.
Copyright © 1998 Wayne Holland
email to nospam_hydahlia@shaw.ca just delete the nospam part!