Vintage 35mm digitalized images

[Old school]

Dear Alamy Contributors,

My wife and I are 'old school' photographers with 35,000 or so 35mm color slides using Nikon equipment and lens.  Most are Kodachrome 25 and 64.  We digitalized 1000s with the end result we have images with 150 to 250 megabits...too large to send by email.  Have any other ALAMY CONTRIBUTORS asked about submitting images in such large megabits and if so, what happened?  Also, there is an inherent loss of image fidelity between the original 35mm Kodachrome 25 and the digitalized results.  Any Contributors asked these questions? cheers, Flo and Paul

[M.Chapman]

6 hours ago, Old school said:

Hi Mark, We thank you again.  Our computer is: ENVY; BANG & OLUFSON

Operating system: WINDOWS 10

Yes. The ENVY has the ability to 'read' our dual layer DVDs at it created them.

 

6 hours ago, Old school said:

When we bought the ENVY, we opted for the maximum Terabyte of 3 available at that time.  We gobbled that up in 3-years with images.  We added an additional 4-terabyte with the option of one more addition.

Looks like you're perhaps a bit more computer "savvy" than you like to admit and you also have a computer that can do what you need. What you need now is a Photo editor and a bit of help to get you started. I think Harry's idea of finding a local camera club is a really good idea. Failing that (and if you don't want to spend any money) then you could try downloading the free 30 day trial of Photoshop Elements 2020 from Adobe and having a play with it. I just tried it and it can do the TIFF to JPG conversion you need either on an image by image basis, or automatically (subject to a key constraint below) on a whole folder of images (using the File>Process Multiple Files option).

 

Constraint - When Photoshop Elements converts a batch of image files from TIFF to JPG it preserves the color space of the original file. This will be fine if your TIFF images are already using AdobeRGB or sRGB colour space because Alamy will accept either of these. But if your TIFF images are using a different colour space it may cause problems. Single images can be converted one at a time though as the convert colour profile option is available during editing if needed.

 

PS. Alternatively you could try the Free Adobe Bridge 2020 software which can also do the conversion (subject to the same constraint above). But this software won't let you edit your images if they need cropping, enhancing or dust spotting etc. which I imagine they will. 

 

PPS. I also tried out the free FastStone image program (which Brian mentioned earlier in this thread) which can also do conversion from TIFF to JPG, but it seems to remove the colour profile information during the conversion from TIFF to JPG, so I don't think it's suitable for producing JPGs for Alamy.

 

Mark

[Old school]

25 minutes ago, M.Chapman said:

 

Looks like you're perhaps a bit more computer "savvy" than you like to admit and you also have a computer that can do what you need. What you need now is a Photo editor and a bit of help to get you started. I think Harry's idea of finding a local camera club is a really good idea. Failing that (and if you don't want to spend any money) then you could try downloading the free 30 day trial of Photoshop Elements 2020 from Adobe and having a play with it. I just tried it and it can do the TIFF to JPG conversion you need either on an image by image basis, or automatically (subject to a key constraint below) on a whole folder of images (using the File>Process Multiple Files option).

 

Constraint - When Photoshop Elements converts a batch of image files from TIFF to JPG it preserves the color space of the original file. This will be fine if your TIFF images are already using AdobeRGB or sRGB colour space because Alamy will accept either of these. But if your TIFF images are using a different colour space it may cause problems. Single images can be converted one at a time though as the convert colour profile option is available during editing if needed.

 

PS. Alternatively you could try the Free Adobe Bridge 2020 software which can also do the conversion (subject to the same constraint above). But this software won't let you edit your images if they need cropping, enhancing or dust spotting etc. which I imagine they will. 

 

PPS. I also tried out the free FastStone image program (which Brian mentioned earlier in this thread) which can also do conversion from TIFF to JPG, but it seems to remove the colour profile information during the conversion from TIFF to JPG, so I don't think it's suitable for producing JPGs for Alamy.

 

Mark

Hi Mark,

We have opened and began to get 'acquainted' with PHOTOSHOP.  Your note that  you 'just tried it and it can do the TIFF to JPEG conversion' is great news.  We have to 'work' through things you have already mastered.  I applied for a Phoenix Camera Club and will attend such.  Perhaps someone with infinite skills in this arena will take pity upon this codger and provide some serious 'hand-holding' to get Flo and I to get us up and running.  We still won't know if any of the recommended tools will convert our very large TIFF to JPEG and do so with sufficient quality to get ALAMY to accept.  Again, our thanks.  Cheers Flo and Paul

P.S. Back up plan: Win the big POWERBALL.

[Brian Yarvin]

Good luck with the camera club! 

 

Look at it this way - when you learn all this stuff and find out how easy it really is, you'll look back on this thread and laugh.

[M.Chapman]

17 hours ago, Old school said:

We still won't know if any of the recommended tools will convert our very large TIFF to JPEG and do so with sufficient quality to get ALAMY to accept.

 

Photoshop can convert the TIFF file perfectly (loading a TIFF and storing as a JPG is a straightforward mathematical conversion). But, whether the final JPG will pass *normal Alamy QC will depend on other things:-

 

1) The quality of the image in the original transparency (depends on exposure, lens quality, focus, film stock, photo technique etc.)

2) The quality of the slide preparation (cleaning and mounting) and the scanner quality

3) Any adjustments (edits) you make in Photoshop (to remove dust, improve colour and contrast, crop edges etc.) and whether you decide to downsize the image (you may want to downsize to 3000 x 2000 pixels to maximise chances of passing Alamy QC)

4) The quality level of the JPG you select to store the converted image in. JPGs are a compressed format which discards information, if you select a low quality JPG the image data will be highly compressed which will loose detail and introduce  compression artefacts. For Alamy you should select a JPG Quality level 10 (~90%) or above and use sRGB or Adobe RGB colour space and "Baseline" standard format and ensure the image contains at least 6,000,000 million pixels (for example 3000 x 2000 pixels).

 

*Note that if Alamy deems your images as being suitable for upload via the archive route, they can bypass the normal Alamy QC checks.

 

Good luck.

 

Mark   

Edited November 10, 2019 by M.Chapman

[Betty LaRue]

18 hours ago, Old school said:

Hi Mark,

We have opened and began to get 'acquainted' with PHOTOSHOP.  Your note that  you 'just tried it and it can do the TIFF to JPEG conversion' is great news.  We have to 'work' through things you have already mastered.  I applied for a Phoenix Camera Club and will attend such.  Perhaps someone with infinite skills in this arena will take pity upon this codger and provide some serious 'hand-holding' to get Flo and I to get us up and running.  We still won't know if any of the recommended tools will convert our very large TIFF to JPEG and do so with sufficient quality to get ALAMY to accept.  Again, our thanks.  Cheers Flo and Paul

P.S. Back up plan: Win the big POWERBALL.

If it’s any consolation, I too didn’t understand much of anything when I started. I used a 35mm Canon Sureshot film camera to take family photos, vacation photos and used a few prints for inspiration to paint watercolors.

When I decided to get a Big Girl camera, the terms: fstop, shutterspeed, depth of field and such terms meant nothing to me. Just learning what film to buy was a puzzle.

I did learn it, and went on to a digital camera, and as I said in a precious post, to learn Photoshop.  The biggest problem you face is thinking of all you don’t know. Don’t think of it that way. Instead, pick one of the simple solutions suggested in this thread and focus only on understanding that. Once you do, move on to another thing.

if you are lucky enough to find someone in a camera club to show you the ropes, choose which of you might be the best to do the hands-on while the other looks on. Later, you can help each other.

Then please show them my post suggesting you and this person:

1.  As this person shows you, have a pen and tablet handy to take notes. Notes are invaluable, because sometimes one forgets 50% or more of everything you’ve just tried to learn because your brain gets overstuffed! 😊 All it takes is to forget one step to ruin all the next steps!

2.    Teacher should speak slowly, allowing you to watch while they perform a simple action in Photoshop, Lightroom or whatever program you decide to use. Even if it’s just how to open the program, load your images, and bring one up to inspect and close it. Very important do do each step slowly while you watch. 

 

3.  Once teacher show you the first step, change places to allow you to have hands-on to do that step or steps while they watch. Doing it yourself sticks in the memory better than watching someone else.

 

4.  Ask if this person can pay you several visits. It’s best not to overwhelm someone with too much information too quickly. Let you practice what you’ve learned until you feel confident before moving to learn the next step(s).

 

Once you have been shown, and you have the notes you’ve made, it is very important to immediately practice what you’ve learned. Both of you. Don’t walk away from it for a few days or weeks, because it’ll flummox you all over when you sit at the computer again. Remember muscle memory...that includes using the muscles between your ears!

 

I have a family member who showed me how to do some things. Trouble was, he did these things so much that he was lightning fast. He left me in the dust. His fingers flew across the keys and movements with the mouse. I learned absolutely nothing. I couldn’t seem to get him to slow down because he didn’t know how to slow down. (Or had no patience to slow down)

Betty

[Old school]

8 hours ago, M.Chapman said:

 

Photoshop can convert the TIFF file perfectly (loading a TIFF and storing as a JPG is a straightforward mathematical conversion). But, whether the final JPG will pass *normal Alamy QC will depend on other things:-

 

1) The quality of the image in the original transparency (depends on exposure, lens quality, focus, film stock, photo technique etc.)

2) The quality of the slide preparation (cleaning and mounting) and the scanner quality

3) Any adjustments (edits) you make in Photoshop (to remove dust, improve colour and contrast, crop edges etc.) and whether you decide to downsize the image (you may want to downsize to 3000 x 2000 pixels to maximise chances of passing Alamy QC)

4) The quality level of the JPG you select to store the converted image in. JPGs are a compressed format which discards information, if you select a low quality JPG the image data will be highly compressed which will loose detail and introduce  compression artefacts. For Alamy you should select a JPG Quality level 10 (~90%) or above and use sRGB or Adobe RGB colour space and "Baseline" standard format and ensure the image contains at least 6,000,000 million pixels (for example 3000 x 2000 pixels).

 

*Note that if Alamy deems your images as being suitable for upload via the archive route, they can bypass the normal Alamy QC checks.

 

Good luck.

 

Mark   

Hi Mark, We agree.  Until we have the opportunity to actually 'run' some of our slides using a PHOTOSHOP, we won't know if we have success or not.  We joined a PHOENIX CAMERA CLUB and hope to have a better insight on PHOTOSHOP face to face with other members...next meeting Nov. 16th. Again, our thanks.  We've noted that much info has been passed between other ALAMY CONTRIBUTORS on the topic who have worked PHOTOSHOP.  That is good.  Cheers, Flo and Paul

[Old school]

1 hour ago, Betty LaRue said:

If it’s any consolation, I too didn’t understand much of anything when I started. I used a 35mm Canon Sureshot film camera to take family photos, vacation photos and used a few prints for inspiration to paint watercolors.

When I decided to get a Big Girl camera, the terms: fstop, shutterspeed, depth of field and such terms meant nothing to me. Just learning what film to buy was a puzzle.

I did learn it, and went on to a digital camera, and as I said in a precious post, to learn Photoshop.  The biggest problem you face is thinking of all you don’t know. Don’t think of it that way. Instead, pick one of the simple solutions suggested in this thread and focus only on understanding that. Once you do, move on to another thing.

if you are lucky enough to find someone in a camera club to show you the ropes, choose which of you might be the best to do the hands-on while the other looks on. Later, you can help each other.

Then please show them my post suggesting you and this person:

1.  As this person shows you, have a pen and tablet handy to take notes. Notes are invaluable, because sometimes one forgets 50% or more of everything you’ve just tried to learn because your brain gets overstuffed! 😊 All it takes is to forget one step to ruin all the next steps!

2.    Teacher should speak slowly, allowing you to watch while they perform a simple action in Photoshop, Lightroom or whatever program you decide to use. Even if it’s just how to open the program, load your images, and bring one up to inspect and close it. Very important do do each step slowly while you watch. 

 

3.  Once teacher show you the first step, change places to allow you to have hands-on to do that step or steps while they watch. Doing it yourself sticks in the memory better than watching someone else.

 

4.  Ask if this person can pay you several visits. It’s best not to overwhelm someone with too much information too quickly. Let you practice what you’ve learned until you feel confident before moving to learn the next step(s).

 

Once you have been shown, and you have the notes you’ve made, it is very important to immediately practice what you’ve learned. Both of you. Don’t walk away from it for a few days or weeks, because it’ll flummox you all over when you sit at the computer again. Remember muscle memory...that includes using the muscles between your ears!

 

I have a family member who showed me how to do some things. Trouble was, he did these things so much that he was lightning fast. He left me in the dust. His fingers flew across the keys and movements with the mouse. I learned absolutely nothing. I couldn’t seem to get him to slow down because he didn’t know how to slow down. (Or had no patience to slow down)

Betty

Dear Betty,

Great wisdom learned the 'hard way.'  We thank you.  Cheers, Flo and Paul