[rlander]

I do not own a digital camera but am thinking about it. The biggest reason I have not bought one is because of the inability to print 4x6 hard copies at a reaonable price. I have seen the printers, but they seem expensive and take expensive ink.

Last year, I bought my wife a SLR film camera. I am not real happy with it.

I have seen several people on here use Shutterfly and other providers. Here are my questions:

1) Is there a charge for uploading your pix and viewing them online?
2) Can you order hard copies?
3) If so, How long does it take to get them?
4) What is the quality of the hard copies?
5) What is cost per picture (hardcopy)?
6) If you compare buying film and getting it developed, is it cheaper to use a digital camera then using Shutterfly for developing hard copies?

To me, the best part about digital and using Shutterfly is you only develope the pictures you really want. With film you have to pay for bad pictures.

Please help!!! Thanks!!!

[goofygal1975]

1) Is there a charge for uploading your pix and viewing them online?

No, there is no charge for uploading them and storing them in an album for viewing online.

2) Can you order hard copies? If so, How long does it take to get them?

Yes, I order hard copies of my prints right now, because my printer is not a very good printer. It usually only takes about 3-5 days. Normally just 3 days to get them.

4) What is the quality of the hard copies?

In my opinion, they are the same quality as when i pick them up in the store. Perfect quality. (I use shutterfly.com)

5) What is cost per picture (hardcopy)?

This is where it can get expensive. It's about $0.49 a pictures. But at Shutterfly, they offer a prepaid plan, where you could get them for only $0.29 a picture. That is what I do, since i know i will be taking and buying lots of pictures.

6) If you compare buying film and getting it developed, is it cheaper to use a digital camera then using Shutterfly for developing hard copies? To me, the best part about digital and using Shutterfly is you only develope the pictures you really want. With film you have to pay for bad pictures.

You just answered your own question! ;) I feel that using a digital camera is worth it, you save on film, once you have the equipment that you need, you spend no more money on the camera. Just for developing. I love a lot of the pictures i take, but I don't have to buy them. I use them as screen savers and such, and just order the ones i *really* want! Of course, I do take a lot of bad pictures too, and I don't have to order them or even download them to the site! One of these days I will invest in a better printer, so I wont' have to order them, I"ll be able to print them myself. I will still use a program like shutterfly to share my pictures with family and friends. I like using it to share w/others, because if they want a print, they can order it and pay for it...LOL:whistle: I do this all the time for the baseball coaches and parents! They love it!

Hope this helps!

[mattomouseman]

There are a number of services out there on the WWW that offer what Shutterfly offers. Sony has a site (I-Station), Gateway has a sight (Photo Zone but I think it's for Gateway users) and a few more. You can order all kinds of hard copies from 4X6 through small poster sized photos (Great for practicel jokes he he he he)

Digital cameras are actually great. You can take pictures and save them on a disk (I burn them onto a CD) and then pick just the ones you want and print them and put them in an album. I still prefer the good old 35MM SLR cameras but I also use my digital. I recently bought a HP 7550 photosmart printer which has a slot for 4X6 paper and then it of course prints more popular sizes up to 8X10. The fact that you can print 4X6 greatly improves the cost factor. You can get good Kodak photo paper in 4X6 size at stores like Costco. The ink issue is and can be a problem. But in MHO the fact that you can pick and choose the prints you want to make makes it worth it!

The only thing you have to keep in mind when ordering prints on line is the size of the print. If you take a photo at a low resolution and then order a large print (Larger then say 5X7) the quality may not be as good. :)

[rlander]

Thanks for the info goofygal1975 and mattomouseman,

During this trip we developed about 200 pictures at the cost of $65. Plus we spent $30 for film. That's a total of $95. That equals 47 cents total per print. We would have only developed 125 to 150 of the 200 becuase some were poor quality. If we would have went digital and used a www developer, we would have only spent $74 (.49 per print).

I am going to talk to my wife about getting a digital camera. The only thing is, I bought the SLR for my wife a year ago. This was on her wish list for several years. I don't want to hurt her feelings by telling her that there are better options out there.

Thanks again!!!

[mattomouseman]

Just curious. What type of SLR is it and what is that you don't like about it?

[mickaholic4077]

I get my photos developed at Wal-Mart. Any time that I have not liked a picture,I have never had to pay for it. Do you guys go to some place that won't do that?

[MickeyMac]

1) Is there a charge for uploading your pix and viewing them online?

For some services there is. Walmart charges you to keep them online, Shutterfly does not. I dont' think Snapfish does, either. I've had thousands of pics at Shutterfly for years.

2) Can you order hard copies?

Yes, in addition to what others have said, Shutterfly uses high quality Fuji papers for developing. I've found them to be fairly age resistant, too, compared to some others.

3) If so, How long does it take to get them?

For me, about a week. About the same time for me to drop off my film, remember that I've dropped them off, and get back over to pick them up. :D :D

4) What is the quality of the hard copies?

Depends on the resolution I shoot at. If I shoot at a low resolution, mine will be grainy, like using 400 speed film out in the bright sunshine. If I print high resolution files, they come out fabulous.

5) What is cost per picture (hardcopy)?

Again, I do what Goofygal does and order prepaid.

However, I'm trying out Walmart's service this week for 100 shots at 26 cents each, having them delivered to the store, they use Fuji as well, so I'm going to compare.

6) If you compare buying film and getting it developed, is it cheaper to use a digital camera then using Shutterfly for developing hard copies?

I use both film and digital. Character shots, closeups, shots I know I want to keep for eternity, I shoot in film. It is more expensive for me since I like to use a local photography shop.

However, 95% of my pictures are taken with my digital. I've got the Canon Elph (Ixus) 330, so it fits in my pocket so well it's there almost all the time (unless I'm pocketless, then it tucks into my pocketbook) I think whatever camera you will USE is the better option to have. If you've got a camera that you never use, due to cost, convenience, lack of experience with it, whatever, then it's a bad camera. Does that make sense? I know I didn't really answer your question.

As for your wife's feelings about you buying a digital after you'd all ready bought her a 35mm, why not look at it this way: You enjoy her photos so much that you want to monkey around with one yourself, and you want to try something different in using digital.

[goofygal1975]

Originally posted by MickeyMac
1) Is there a charge for uploading your pix and viewing them online?

For some services there is. Walmart charges you to keep them online, Shutterfly does not. I dont' think Snapfish does, either. I've had thousands of pics at Shutterfly for years.

MickeyMac, I've always wondered this, and I was getting ready to email Shutterfly. How long does your photo albums stay on Shutterfly? Does it matter how many albums you put on there? I know I need to start saving my pictures to cd's, but I just haven't figured that out yet! Thanks!

[rlander]

Originally posted by mattomouseman
Just curious. What type of SLR is it and what is that you don't like about it?

We have a Minolta.

Things I like:
-Easy to take pictures. Like a point and shoot.
-Easy to load film.

Things I don't like:
-Too big to carry on vacation.
-Takes the same quality pictures as our old Canon point and shoot. It only cost $75. The SLR cost $300.:devil
-The flash pops up. During our trip I was wearing a hat. The flash would pop up part way and not flash because it hit the bill of my hat. I know, it's my fault but it is hard to remember to pull my hat off every time I snap a picture.
-It takes a few seconds to focus. Usually by the time I focus the action is gone.
-It is expensice to upgrade to a higher magnification. I have seen some digitals that have better zoom than our SLR.

As you can see, the dislikes outway the likes. It's time to move up to a digital.

[jmouse]

Target and Walmart offer prints from digital media at 29 cents each. I burn my digital prints to a CD and they can make the prints from that.

[DisneyAnne]

I have used (and continue to use) several different online companies. Shutterfly, Ofoto and Club Photo - which I think is Wal-Mart. I haven't been disappointed with any of them and never charged to maintain the pictures on their site. Some of them have been there for over 2 years and are still there.

I will never give up my slr though... Depending on the occasion, I use one or the other or both. There is just something about the slr photos that I sometimes can't get on my digital.

[MickeyMac]

Goofygal - I've got 25 albums, each album has between 300 and 1,000 shots in them, most are 1024x768, but have just started shooting at 1600x1200. The earliest shots I put up there were in December 1999, they are still there. I'm sure if there's a file size limitation, I might be close to it. I've never found anything on their site advertising the limits. That may change, and it's been a long time since I checked.

I think Shutterfly also will send you a CD with your images on them - it's been a while since I looked into it.

[goofygal1975]

Originally posted by MickeyMac
Goofygal - I've got 25 albums, each album has between 300 and 1,000 shots in them, most are 1024x768, but have just started shooting at 1600x1200. The earliest shots I put up there were in December 1999, they are still there. I'm sure if there's a file size limitation, I might be close to it. I've never found anything on their site advertising the limits. That may change, and it's been a long time since I checked.

I think Shutterfly also will send you a CD with your images on them - it's been a while since I looked into it.

Thanks!! I'll have to look into the CD thing! All my photos are also stored on my computer, through my Kodak program, but I heard it was a good idea to save them to a CD! I was hoping to do this on my own, w/out paying to have it done...but you never know;depending on how frustrating it could be for me to do, it may be worth it to pay to have it done! Thanks! I know I have tons of albums on there already. Divided up for each day or occasion the pictures were taken!

[MickeyMac]

I remember it being very inexpensive, when you consider how many files went on it and how long the memories lasted.

Just went to the site and copied these prices:

Archive CD pricing
Pictures Price
1-50 $9.99
51-200 $19.99
201-1000 $39.99
Each additional 1,000 pictures, now only $14.99.
Shipping & handling not included

It's located in the "Create Cards and More" section. I remember them being on sale when I took a look.

[goofygal1975]

Thanks MickeyMac!! I'll have to go to the site when i get home, and get started on it!! I've just sent myself a reminder email at home to do this!;)