ken_nyus
Member
I'm new to slide film processing, and I have sent two rolls out to Dwayne's to be processed and I also used their $4.95 scan option.
On the web page they say that these are "high" resolution scans, with files of 6.5mb in size.
I didn't expect top quality high res scans, but I did expect better than the corner drugstore.
To me they look the same as drugstore scans, and the files I see on the disk are 1-2 megs in size, not the 6.5meg that they advertise. When I called them to ask about this, they said the files are compressed, and that when you open them with an editor they will be the full 6.5 megs.
This explanation makes no sense at all. They only offer one scanning process, there are no options, so I assume I am getting the same scans as anyone else.
Does anyone get 6.5meg scans from Dwaynes or is this just a misleading statement (or is there something I am missing)?
On the web page they say that these are "high" resolution scans, with files of 6.5mb in size.
I didn't expect top quality high res scans, but I did expect better than the corner drugstore.
To me they look the same as drugstore scans, and the files I see on the disk are 1-2 megs in size, not the 6.5meg that they advertise. When I called them to ask about this, they said the files are compressed, and that when you open them with an editor they will be the full 6.5 megs.
This explanation makes no sense at all. They only offer one scanning process, there are no options, so I assume I am getting the same scans as anyone else.
Does anyone get 6.5meg scans from Dwaynes or is this just a misleading statement (or is there something I am missing)?
squirrel$$$bandit
Veteran
Nah, they're just like supermarket scans. I was disappointed too.
ken_nyus
Member
So the files you get are around 1-2megs in size?
What could they possibly mean by 6.5meg files?
What could they possibly mean by 6.5meg files?
nome_alice
Established
they give you a 1-2meg jpg? save that as a tiff and it will be closer to 6.5meg, but of course you're not gaining anything at all. you can't polish a turd.
ken_nyus
Member
So what are the practical alternatives? I asked at one pro shop, but they want $30 an image, and they give you a 30meg file, so that seems to be the high end.
Is there nothing in the middle?
Seems like the choice is to buy my own Coolscan for around $1500 and put the hours in myself to do the scans. Trying to avoid this and get something decent for selected images.
Is there nothing in the middle?
Seems like the choice is to buy my own Coolscan for around $1500 and put the hours in myself to do the scans. Trying to avoid this and get something decent for selected images.
iamzip
Ambitious, but rubbish
You could get a flatbed scanner cheaper (about $100), and while the quality isn't as good as from a Coolscan I would guess that it would be better than the average drugstore / supermarket scan. You would still have to put the time into it though, and you would have to adjust colors etc.
Tuolumne
Veteran
I long ago stopped using commercial scans from any film processor. They are all junk. I scan with an Epson 4990 flat bed. It works great. You can buy them cheap. Don't believe the derisive remarks that get made against all flat beds from posters here. My 4990 scans of 35 mm slides are better than the ones that I get with a dedicated 35 mm scanner. (Minolta Scan elite 5400). Just remember not to have the slides mounted. Dwaynes only uses card board mounts. The rounded corners remove alot of slide real estate, and the cardboard shreds left on the chrome make it dirtier than a pigs slop.
/T
/T
CorreCaminos
CorreCaminos
Many places will charge around $7 or $9 to do up to 25MB scans on an uncut roll.
I too have been disappointed with Dwayne's scans and plan to have them develop my next roll of Kodachrome and return the roll uncut. Then I can have my local photo store scan them all in with their Noritsu processor for $8.95
I too have been disappointed with Dwayne's scans and plan to have them develop my next roll of Kodachrome and return the roll uncut. Then I can have my local photo store scan them all in with their Noritsu processor for $8.95
squirrel$$$bandit
Veteran
Yep, it was Dwayne's that got me to buy a V500. It has paid for itself...
dmr
Registered Abuser
There's a thread about just this over at the Kodachrome Forum.
http://www.kodachromeproject.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7
Here's a brief quote:
You might express your concern over there, because Dwayne's does participate in that forum.
ferider
Veteran
They are talking about 6.5 MPixels, and reduce it to 2-3 MBytes JPEG, most likely.
Get your own scanner, it's really helpful also in terms of configuration of the scans. The normal flatbad scanner can scan 30 35mm pics in one shot.
Best,
Roland.
Get your own scanner, it's really helpful also in terms of configuration of the scans. The normal flatbad scanner can scan 30 35mm pics in one shot.
Best,
Roland.
ken_nyus
Member
I am going to look into flatbeds.
Dwaynes should change the text on their site if they mean pixels:
"....All exposures on the roll are scanned at high resolution (6.5 MB in size) ..."
MB means megabytes to me and probably the rest of the world.
ferider
Veteran
You are right of course. BTW, I get 6.5 MPixels from our local Longs (C41) for about 2 bucks per roll (when I need to preview quickly).
Roland.
chris00nj
Young Luddite
Their scans are 2.34 MP. Mine are about 2 MB in size. I've been happy with them though. The quality of the scans is MUCH better than the drugstores. Many times with the drug stores, the scans don't exactly look like the prints. (They may be darker or the color is off). Like digital cameras, there is more than just MP
Richie
Member
I too had a similar experience with 2 rolls of K64 scanned by Dwayne's this summer. The scans were simply awful, with a lot of dust and scratches. They are lying when they claim these to be high resolution scans!
retro
Well-known
I'm glad this thread was started. I was about to send them a roll
to scan. Now I won't.
Thanks
to scan. Now I won't.
Thanks