Re: Printing Digital Camera pictures

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Terry Fritz" <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>

Hi Paul,

I use an Epson stylus color 900 printer.  It can print like four normal
size pictures on a big sheet of Kodak photo inkjet paper and they are
"really really good".  You will spend real money on ink and fancy paper but
it is probably still cheaper than photo store pictures.  Less when you can
print "perfect" pictures that have been fixed with photo software and the
bad ones removed. ;-))  I have not tried the true photo printers but I hear
they are darn good.  Maybe not "perfect", but close enough.  Of course, no
showing the pictures in the rain :-)) but the pictures will not mess up
with normal handling.  Spend like $200 on the printer and save the rest for
them darn inkjet cartridges ;-))

True film folks will never be satisfied with all this computer stuff but
the digital art is really very advanced and can go toe to toe with the film
camera stuff 95% of the time.  I still think digital pictures are a
"little" more expensive overall, but the "instant and web ready" of digital
whips film out for 95% of the typical uses.  You can also play the darkroom
stuff with only a keyboard and mouse at no added cost :-))

I really do have some very nice 35mm film stuff that has been untouched
since I got the fancy digital camera.  I really can't think of any
situation that I would want to use it instead of the digital...  I have not
heard of too many people who have gone digital and then back to film :-))

My camera can do over 300 1024*640 pictures on the little card thing so
running out of film is simply not an issue.  Full resolution is far better
than anyone really needs unless you are doing billboards.  Printers that
are dedicated to pictures are just about perfect.  You may want to get a
paper cutter from the office store to cut them out if you have a full size
printer.

Tesla coiling stuff is great since the cameras are now far more sensitive
to light then the human eye.  My Sony TRV-36 camcorder can see in very low
light far better than I can.  This is really quite strange when your
playing with it.  Sort of like being a cat.  You can switch it on to night
vision in total darkness and see far better than the cat for even more fun
with the kitty >:-))

Digital is "different" than film, but far better in most situations if you
can spend a little more money...

I have always preferred Epson printers over the HP ones I have had.  Epson
just seemed to be far better IMHO.  I run printers really hard.  I need
fast draft text to full blown picture quality and the Epsons have always
done great.  But when they die, just toss them and get another.  I have
tried to fix them when they wear out and it is a disaster.  Just drive them
till they drop which is about two to three years...  The fancy paper and
the cartridges are the costs and be sure they are easily available like on
Sunday nights...  I use HP bright white paper for everything other than
photos.  It is very important to go with a popular name brand printer to be
sure you can easily get supplies for it and the latest software drivers.

Of course, if your office has web access, you only need a web page rather
than a printer...  Showing your Tesla coil pics on your PC to coworkers is
perfectly acceptable.  These CDroms can store the pics too if you need to
carry them in.

I guess there are also places you can send files to that will print them to
photographs but I have never tried them.  Unless you do very few, I would
think it would be better to spend another $100 on the next printer and do
it all yourself.

Cheers,

	Terry


At 10:53 PM 10/23/2001 -0400, you wrote:
>I've been reading all the posts on the various cameras that are available.
>The problem I see with digital cameras is that if you want something you can
>hold in your hand and pass around to your friends, you have to print it out
>on your printer. I have an HP976 and even with high quality photo paper it
>still "looks" like it came off a printer. (not to mention what happens to
>the ink if it gets wet)
>
>I've seen the post about Shutterfly, but that's not exactly what I'd call
>convenient. If I get some good shots of my coil one evening, I'd kinda like
>to be able to bring some shots in to the office to show off the next day.
>
>If you had loads of money, say $700, to spend on a photo printer....
>
>
>                                           .... what would you buy?
>
>
>Thanks for your thoughts.
>Paul
>