Your thoughts, please

[PaulD]

I'm going to have knives #1 thru #3 for a few days, I want to photo and post the pics.


I will be using a 35mm slr for the pics, Would it be better to have the film developed then scan them into my computer (I have a HP 4300C & Corel photo house 5) or have the film put on a CD (Kodak process) and import the pics?

Right now buying anything is out of the question.

I have about 10 MB of space available on my webpage, Could I get 1 or 2 pics on that amount of room?

Thanks for your help

[Jamey Saunders]

I'd have them put the photos on the CD for you. Less chance of not getting a good scan. You can still edit the photos with Corel.

You'll be able to get a lot of pictures into 10 MB. Your pictures (for loading purposes) should be 50kb or less. Let's see them!

[PaulD]

Working on it!

Took some pics Monday, want to attempt some more with better lighting. Tough getting closeups with a 50mm lens and no tripod.

Did a photo upload to my website's geneology page. Scanned in an old B/W photo and it suprised me how well it came out (used the "Quality Photo" setting on the scanner). No doctoring other than croping on the scanner. I will still get the knive pics put on a CD.

[Terrill Hoffman]

Paul, I have always preferred to do my own scanning to CD. Scanners don't have to be expensive to get a good image and you'll put a little more effort into it than a one hour lab will. The 35mm should work great for you. Play a bit and show us how it works out.

[Jamey Saunders]

I suggest you listen to Terrill. The man knows photography. I know some, but not even close to the amount that Terrill has forgotten since New Years Day.

[murrphy]

I'd have to suggest leaving the old 35mm in the gadget bag and opting for a decent digital camera like a Nikon 990, 995 which you might find around either used or in a store or on EBay.

By the time you spend $ on film, processing etc and getting images that may be underexposed or with other problems, you might find a total of less expense and more enjoyment and ability to see the results quickly by making the digital investment.

A couple of items that will make things more enjoyable also will be a tripod for a digital camera. Velbon has one that seems not bad as does Manfrotto. Manfrotto 719B is good and both have ball and socket heads that are a must.

Also get an A/C adapter because you will have the camera on with its viewing screen active for long periods of time and batteries will run down quickly.

The key to good knife photography is the lighting. there are threads in CKD and currently there is a thread regarding lighting in BF>general>gallery>"by boink".

[PaulD]

Murrphy,
Yea, I agree but at this time I can only squeek a few rolls of processing out of my weekly allowance. Saving for a house and attempting to do so after 4 layoffs in 5 years has the Boss hoarding every penny.

I wish I never sold my old 2 1/4 twin lens years ago, I had some great add on lenses for close ups and the quality was there. Oh well.

[murrphy]

biggest problem with twin-lens reflex is parallax. Glad I have sold my Hassy's when I did. Retired now and love to use the digital for knife photos. Have a couple sets of Minolta Maxxums but wonder why.

[PaulD]

I know, that close up lens cost more than the camera, light meter, flashes, tripod and a leather gadget bag added up.

I had the parallax set at 12" by the people I bought it from. With the help of a draftsman friend I photoed a marked 1/2" grid at 2" intervals from 6" to 24". He made a " frame correction" drawing that I reproduced on to a projection slide that I droped over the viewing glass. But I never had a photographer's eye and soon grew tired of just taking high quality, expensive snapshots.

The camera was a Yasheka(sp) D-4, I sold that whole set up and a nice Minolta SLR back in '72. In '80 I got a Pentax K and a cheap tele lens. #### thing never quits but the wife can't seem to use it right so she has a cheap Kodak auto film burner.