Can you make slides from digital files?

Elizabeth Schott · 09-30-2002, 11:03 PM

Is it possible to have slides generated from digital files?

I have noticed most places would like you to send them slides of your work. I do not have the luxury of keeping one camera with slide film loaded all the time, so when my work is delivered I usually have not made a slide, but have always made a digital image.

Has anyone noticed that this requirement is starting to change? I know the richness of Ektachrome is hard to beat, but wow, the day I tried to shoot slides I was messing with my filters for light, etc., and it was a major case of "sometimers" disease.

Enzie Shahmiri · 10-22-2002, 11:44 PM

Elizabeth, this response might be coming way too late for you, but I stumbled across this thread while looking for a particualr topic.

Yes, you can make slides from digital images. I found http://www.slides.com located in Wisconsin and ordered through them with great results.

The first slide was priced at $4.00, 2nd at $2.00, 3rd at #1.50, 4th at $1.00 plus US priority mail at $5 to California.

If you know of one better priced by now, please share the address.

Elizabeth Schott · 10-24-2002, 10:17 PM

Enzie, how is the quality of the slides? I was afraid it would be like the inter neg process to get off of print film and would take the quality down a generation.

But I talked with a professional photographer friend of mine (he wasn't sure about the digital) and he said if you do slides correctly, you should bracket each shot 3 to 4 times, so if you want 10 copies whoa, it gets expensive, he suggested just going to a color house with a copy board and they can give you as many slides as you need per subject. I haven't checked into the cost of that yet. Plus, my work seems to leave my studio too quickly.

Thanks for that resource.

Enzie Shahmiri · 10-24-2002, 10:37 PM

I am not familiar with the term "bracket", so I can't respond to your question. I tried to get the sharpest focus I could manage, and loaded jpg images according to the required file size directly though the net. I was very happy with the quality and I will enclose a sample. I had used a medium to create sand and it became quite three-dimensional. If the image loads OK, you should see that clearly as well.

Michael Georges · 10-31-2002, 12:41 PM

I have done slides of my paintings to submit to shows, all from my digital camera.

I take them to a local camera processor who specializes in slides - I bet there is one like it where you live too.

They charge $8.00 for each master slide, and .90 cents for each duplicate made from that master. Thus, the dupes are a generation away from a master, but they are still quite good.

I take my digital shots into Photoshop and place the image in a 4" x 6" format with enough space around the image on all sides for the slide to mount to. You can also do it in a 2 to 3 ratio.

I save them out as TIFF files at 300dpi.

Michael Georges · 10-31-2002, 12:45 PM

Bracketing refers to the adjusting the F-stop setting of each shot up and down so you get a range of shots with your lens aperture at a normal state (as dictated by your light meter), a more open state, and a more closed state. This means that you "bracket" your subject from darker to lighter and then pick the best shot.

Enzie Shahmiri · 10-31-2002, 01:09 PM

Michael, you are a world of information. I have so many different things going on right now, I don

Elizabeth Schott · 11-13-2002, 10:41 AM

Thanks for your input!

I was wondering what is the best quantity of slides to order if you think a piece is good? I figure you need a copy for archiving, portfolio and then to send out for various workshop, groups or shows. Since most are not returned I would hate to pay for the master slide and then not order enough copies.

Does anyone have an idea, based on experience, about what is the best number?

Michael Georges · 11-13-2002, 10:47 AM

Beth:

When I get slides done, I label the master and put it in a separate box. That way, there is no chance of me losing it, and I can make dupes any time I need more. I usually do between 5 and 10 dupes at a time as I don't typically go to that many shows each year.

Michael Georges · 03-18-2003, 12:13 AM

www.slides.com

Great slides, inexpensive and fast.