Re: [APML] Best way to get prints/processing

[Greg Hartke <ghartke@clark.net>]

On Thu, 6 Jan 2000, Mark Park wrote:

(snip)

> 5) I could use slides, this would mean taking a risk that the slides would 
> not be mounted correctly (ie processor cuts images in half). I would still 
> have the problem of getting prints and getting a digital image for 
> processing on the PC.

(snip)

Mark,

     Personally, I tend to prefer slides. Processing the film is pretty
straightforward (depending on the film) if you want to do it yourself.
Kodak Elite Chrome 200 (a good astrophotographic slide film) uses E-6
processing which you can do at home. (You just have to pay careful
attention to chemical temperatures but it's really not hard.) Equipment
costs aren't much, either. Now if you want to print 'em, that's a whole
'nother ball game. Even so, if you do decide to put together a basement
darkroom, it would be a lot cheaper than a proper digital scanner for the
job. It does take time to learn how to print color slides (and again you
have to be careful with temperatures) but it's not that hard. Of course,
the scanner with a high quality printer (plus a lot of practice learning
to digitally process the resulting image) is actually the best way to go
but it costs a *lot* to do it properly. Check out, for example, Philip
Perkins' fine web site at <http://www.astrocruise.com> to see what can be
done with intensive digital processing. Remember: He's spent a lot of time
learning the art.

     Anyway, for the nonce I content myself with taking my Elite Chrome
200 film to a local camera shop that does it's own E-6 processing and I
have the film developed but left uncut and unmounted. If I did a lot of
volume, I'd process the slides myself but my throughput just doesn't
warrant the wasted chemicals at this time. Mounting the slides yourself is
really easy. Slide mounts come in 2 types: Those that are sealed with a
hot iron and plastic mounts that snap closed. I've used both, those sealed
with a hot iron are better over the long haul but the plastic varieties
are generally fine, too, and easier to use. They build confidence for the
beginner.

     If you want to print your best slides, you can send them along to
custom operators who do this sort of thing. They *do* exist.

     Good luck.

     Greg Hartke
     Sykesville, MD



--  APML Archives at <http://www.system.missouri.edu/apml/>  ---
                Unsubscribe at <majordomo@seds.org>