posted
We have a HP 3500 Printer and are interested in getting a digital camera. We have been looking at the Minolta Dimage 7. Anyone have any advice on any other cameras?
-------------------- Kim Thompson Sign Works Custom Concepts 941 E. Selah Rd. Yakima, Wa. 98901 Posts: 3 | From: Yakima, Wa. | Registered: Jan 2002
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I asked this question of professional photographer last month. His reply was that 5+ megapixels would be needed for printing of poster size prints (17" x 22"). I'm not going to pretend that, I know enough about digital camera in the resolution and price range. So I'm going to stick with my 35mm for large format work.
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Thank you for your reply. Do you scan your negatives? Or do you scan your pictures? We have scanned pictures before and are looking to get a clearer print. I think we are going to try the digital camera thing after some more research.
-------------------- Kim Thompson Sign Works Custom Concepts 941 E. Selah Rd. Yakima, Wa. 98901 Posts: 3 | From: Yakima, Wa. | Registered: Jan 2002
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It depends on the size of the print you need and the detail you need at a given distance... and of course, your budget.
For posters, you need crisp detail at a close distance which means you might want a negative scanner for that kind of work.
Large format prints for vehicles are a different story though, you can cut down the print resolution to achieve a physically larger print and the loss in tight detail doesnt matter because those prints are for viewing at a greater distance.
I have a Canon Powershot G2, 4 megapixel, and I love it to no end. It's just the neatest camera I tried out before I decided to buy, the buttons are laid out great, it's easy to use, and it has some nice weight to it which is great cause I cant stand cameras that feel like those cheap disposable kind. When I bought it they were all priced at $899.
Now if you are more into the Pro camera market, Canon has a 6 megapixel camera that runs about $3,000 just for the camera body, then lenses are extra but you can pick what's best for you.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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I've never had luck scanning negatives or slides. Years back I tried with a special HP adapter for slides without luck. One of the tricks I picked up at a color management seminar for my printer was to scan a transparency. Most of the larger work that was show was printed on transparent high quality material and then rescanned for elargement. This was all professionally done and looked great. Now I just scan photo's at higher dpi for enlargement. I don't try to market the large format much as I should at this time.
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The guy who does my digital printing prefers to scan a 35mm slide or larger transparency. They come out very clear. I did a trailer with 6'x8' images scanned from 35mm slides and they looked awsome 10ft away. The larger the slide, the better the image.
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Santo, ever use a real film/negative scanner instead of an adapter for a desktop scanner? I guarantee you will get better results but film scanners arent cheap although they arent that bad in comparison to the price of a large format printer.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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Well, I've been dying for the Nikon 990, but after taking a shot or 2 with Superfrog's CD Mavica, I'm thinking about it. I want to check the specs on it. I think it costs about $1,600., US.
-------------------- Felix Marcano PuertoRicoSigns.Com Luquillo, PR
Work hard, party like a tourist! Posts: 2274 | From: Luquillo, Puerto Rico, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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Santo is dead on the money concerning print size limitation for a 5mp camera.
To do anything larger, you are going to have to use a regular camera. A transparency scanned with a scanner designed specifically for tranparencies is give you the best color data needed for a good quality large format print. A slide is second best, and a photo would be third.
To repeat a couple cliches .....
Garbage in, garbage out. Always buy the right tool for the job.
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I had a lady who wanted me to drum scan Polaroids... Thank God, they don't wrap well and I didn't have to explain that old "Garbage in, garbage out" addage to her... The larger the print, the higher the resolution. For prints that are 24x36 we are at a minimum of 58Megs for an RGB file. Stick with a 35mm or larger and a dedicated transparency scanner! (Not one of those flatbed film adapters)
-------------------- Eric Patzer A.S.A.P. Design Lafayette, CO epatzer@earthlink.net Posts: 208 | From: Lafayette, CO USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Along with what Eric said, the DPI of printer's printhead will have a lot to do with things.
For example, the Gerber Edge uses a 300 DPI printhead. This means that for a photograph, the maximum DPI resolution that I need is 108 DPI. Any higher resolution is just a waste of effort.
A great website to visit is www.scantips.com . It does a great job explaining things (much better than I ever could).
I'll open myself up to hate mail, but digital cameras are still a toy, IMHO. Great for e-mailing photos, and approaching acceptable for small format printing. Even the best (10 to 20 grand) digital backs for 4 x 5 perspective cameras can't compare to conventional film.
You can bet that nothing that's coming out of printers at tradeshows is anything less than professionally shot, drum-scanned and color-corrected film. To approach the quality of the samples that attracted you to the printer you bought, I'd encourage you to find a good service provider ... and let them know you'll be a long term wholesale client.
I can't say who that'd be in Yakima, but in Seattle, Turk's Head Productions is amazing (http://www.turkshead.com). Yes; it costs (if then client wants quality they should pay). But quality is assured, with no headaches.
Besides, the camera is but one small aspect of taking good pictures. Lighting is the real key, and good lighting costs a ton and takes years to master.
Last plug: need a good sign, find a good sign maker; need a good photo, find a good photographer (that is also skilled in drum scanning and color correcting).
Just my opinion,
Jim
-------------------- Jim Doggett General Manager, USA Yellotools, Ltd www.yellotools.com Posts: 500 | From: Sherman, TX USA | Registered: Mar 2000
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When I bought it they were all priced at $899.
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