Can't let go of your film camera? Not wanting to bother with the technical aspects of using a digital camera? The good news is that you can continue taking film photos and enjoy many of the benefits of digital photography.

What I'm about to describe in this article is a compromise—it is possible to avoid a digital camera, but you do have to become familiar with the rest of the technology related to processing and managing digital images.

Benefits

Digital photography offers the most benefits when the entire process is digital, starting with the camera. However, many benefits can be realized by digitizing photos taken with film cameras. Here is a summary of benefits gained and lost when starting with film, compared to a completely digital process:

Benefits Gained Benefits Lost

Print photos at home on various medium

Share photos on the web

Upload photos to service provider to have them printed on various items

Electronically store and organize photos

Correct flaws and manipulate images using digital photo editing software, such as Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0

Instant review of photo on camera

Highest image quality retained, as taken by the camera

Fast availability of photos by downloading directly into computer

Cost savings of not having to develop undesirable shots

Scanning at Home

Converting film photos to digital images requires scanning. For best results, the film is scanned directly into the computer using high quality scanners designed for this purpose. Quality film scanners are generally not found in homes due to their relatively high cost. Many inexpensive scanners offer film attachments, but these produce mediocre results.

The most practical option at home is to scan the pictures. This produces good results for most non-professionals. Scanning at home is acceptable occasionally, but frequent use introduces the following problems:

  • Cost of photo printing just to scan in photos
  • Scanning large quantities of film or photos is time consuming
  • Managing large quantities of media for scanning can be cumbersome

Developing Services

As I mentioned above, converting film to digital images requires scanning. The question is who is doing the scanning and with what kind of equipment. This is where online photo developing services come in.

The process is similar to having your film developed, except you receive digital images in place of the prints.

  1. You mail film to the developing service.
  2. Film is developed.
  3. Film is converted into digital images by high-quality scanners.
  4. The digital images are placed into your online photo album so you may access them.
  5. You may order a CD containing high resolution images of your photos.
  6. You log in to the service, view your album, and order a variety of items customized with the photos you select, including prints.

The following online photo developing companies offer film processing by mail: Kodak EasyShare Gallery, PhotoWorks.com, and Snapfish. Visit each web site for details on how and where to send your film. Each company either offers to send you a supply of shipping envelopes or allows you to print a shipping label directly from the web site.

What do you gain by using an online developing service instead of doing it yourself?

  • No need to buy a scanner
  • No time spent on scanning and related tasks
  • Quickest path from film to digital (unless you develop the film yourself)

If you are comfortable with your film camera, ease into the digital photo world by straddling the fence and taking advantage of the benefits offered by both—film and digital.