I have some rolls of 35mm film from my Canon SLR that I would like put onto CD. Being a complete dumbass when it comes to photography, what exactly is involved in transferring them from my rolls to a CD??

Are the images scanned direct from negatives or are they developed (whatever that is) and then scanned ??

I've looked on the Labs35 website (http://www.lab35.com/dev_and_scan.html) and they offer different services which I don't fully understand.

Reading the side of my film rolls, the only thing that I can spot is the reference to C-41.

Also, I assume the process is non-destructive. That is, if I get someone to stick them on CD and find a photo I want in very high quality, can this be achieved or do I have to get the quality right from the outset.

Stefan

Stefan - the roll of film from your camera first needs to be processed (its standard C41 so any photo processors can handle it), this will give you a set of negatives and usually a set of prints - its not worth having the film just processed, you might as well have the prints as well.

A growing number of labs including, I believe,Boots, and most specialist labs can then convert the images on your negatives into digital files which they then put on CD.

The negatives are the original film and they aren't damaged, meaning if you needed a specific photo enlarged greatly or scanned to a higher resolution than the standard service (unlikely) then at least you can have that done later.

Pop into your local lab and ask, or have a look at pro labs like COLAB, if there is one near you. I've no idea of the cost, but I'm sure someone will have used a similar service before as more people are having traditional negatives turned into digital files to store on their computer.

Hope that helps

Gareth

PS Just had a look at the Lab35 website - its the Dev and Image CD-C41 Neg service you want, might as well go for the 18MB file size at £16 - just check that that is for the whole film and not per image !!!, although it looks like they only include an index sheet and not a set of prints.

Thanks Gareth.

I noticed they do an archive to CD service and that's costed per image, so I'll check their price is per roll.

Stefan

Most mini-labs now only print from digital images now anyway - ie, even if you take in a C41 film to be processed, the film is chemically developed and then scanned into digital format for printing.....so to dump these digital files to CD is a no-brainer for the mini-labs.

However, as with C41, it is ALWAYS cheaper to get these things done WHEN the film is processed as it requires little user input - if you go in later to get individual negatives scanned, it is much more labour intensive (film has been cut up etc). Compare it to getting a 2nd set of prints when you get the film developed - very cheap, but if you go back another time with the negatives, very exspensive!

For those not familiar with the process, this also means that giving the mini-lab digital images from your digital camera uses EXACTLY the same process as for the C41 printing process....

Also, do ask what the resolution of the images are that you will get. If it is just PhotoCd format, that is not that great.....

Ideally, you want them digitized to about 3000x2000 pixels for good results should you want them printed again (although if you only want 6x4 prints, even 1200x800 would come out out)......pixel sizes above are approx :D

It also depends on what you want to do with your pictures.

If you just want to email them to people/look at them on the PC, a PhotoCD would be fine (should cost a few quid at Jessops or similar). If you THEN want to make a poster print of one, use the original 35mm negative to do it.

Jessops charge £2.99 for a CD of your photos over and above the normal D&P charge ( about £5 for 36 prints).

http://www.jessops.com/info/dp/index.cfm?page=photocd.htm&style=

Thanks for that imlach - not too well up on all the services offered by labs these days :)

So, Jessops are OK for scanning them onto CD??

Basically I have lots of landspace photos from my recent trips to the Scottish mountains. I want to see how they have turned out (compared to a digital camera). If some are good, then I may get them printed. Don't think any of them will be spectacular enough to get blown up and hung on my walls.

Stefan

I wouldn't go near Jessops developing labs with a barge pole. How about lost film and damaged negatives for a start.

If you are ever in Glasgow the Kodak processing centre in South Street, Whiteinch is fantastic. 36 shot, 35 mm film developed, 5 by 7 prints and a photo CD for about £7.99. Takes about 3 days.

There's a place near us which does the prints and CD as a one hour service!

I always get a CD burned when I get film developed. That way I can play about with the images on the pc and print off the ones I want at home.

Also nice to have the CD in case I damage the negs.

Resolution is great - I've got an A1 poster blown up from a scanned negative from the kodak place hanging on the wall and its fine.

D

A1? Bloody hell, what did you print that with? Or did they do it for you? (and if so, how much?)

Geezer

I used a printing company I found on the web

www.printhouse.co.uk/digital

Cost about £50 all in delivered to my door. Took about 48 hours all in, great service.

You just email them the file.

D

Cheers Diablo. Not in Glasgow as much since I'm working in Livi. I know the place in South Street, so I'll ask my Brother to drop them in for me.

Stefan