new developing/scanning service, open-eyes, update #believeinfilm
Update: after importing the first roll of Portra 160 (@100), developed and scanned by open-eyes, Hamburg, I'm a bit underwhelmed. The excellent results, color and quality like not withstanding, here is my problem:
I payed 16€ for developing ad scanning to 6MB scans, in fact that is accurate, file-size is roughly 6MB, TIFF. BUT, the resolution pixelwise is only a meager 2.2 MB, meaning a definitly only lo-rez scan of about 1.818x1.228.
As detailed beforehand, I usually scan to 15MB filesize TIFF which equals about 2852x1893 or a 5 MB image pixelwise; for my scanner (Canon 8600F, Silverfast Ai 6.x) this means about 2.400 dpi, up to its real-life limit of resolution. I could print 300dpi images up to 24cmx15cm. Aperture 3.2 handles these files reasonably well on my system – I hope for some gains in Aperture 3.3, when and if I get to it. But this is a sideline of my problem. To get to my usual filesize I'd properly need to pay double the prize for developing and scanning or 30€. Ouch. This is right above my limit. RPL provides files this size pixelwise, though JPEG, only, they need very little post-processing. This is equally true for open-eyes scanning service, BUT its not cheaper than RPL and – when counting the high rates for delivery AND taxes and tariffs – about same.
I'll test my scanning abilities with this particular batch of rolls and then will compare, time vs. money. I'll have to overcome the lack of dedicated negative-preset in Silverfast AI and wonder if I'll be able to, having read some other peoples problem with this.
Stay tuned, more to come – images and experiences foretold!