Hi. > 2. Personally I stopped asking for prints from the negatives almost > immediately after I've learned that I could ask the lab to scan my > negatives. They don't do perfect job, but given time and PhotoShop you > could fix perhaps most of the problems. In Israel at least to scan the > 36 exp. negative film to 3000x2000 24 bit BMP files would cost you > something like $7 (per whole film!). Assuming that the number of > pictures you would actually like from film is no more than half dozen > you can later collect your favorites from several rolls and have them > printed.
I wanted to do this here too and was a bit shocked with the Lab owner's attitude and reply. Firstly he told me that scans from prints are as good as those from negatives (!!). Ofcourse I insisted on the negatives to be scanned. Then I asked him how much he would charge me if I wanted high res scans on a CD instead of prints (and prints of only those which I like, need hard copy of etc.). He gave a rough quote of more than TWICE that of regular prints, which I cant really digest. He said that it was much cheaper to do the bulk printing job, the paper is cheaper, digital work (any) is costlier, etc. etc. I think he knows he has a monopoly out here in this town, and also, he wishes to continue making his money from prints. I have to look elsewhere (a pain) for this option, which really seems to be a good one otherwise. -Sridhar
