DIGITAL IMAGE ---- On the march

By Bill Reid (Area 20)

However WE may feel about the use of computers and digital cameras etc, in the production of pictures, WE can`t afford to ignore them. There are still many photographers fighting against the new technology, but as I have said previously, while digital will eventually take over from film, it is still very expensive for the average person to get into and to keep the same high quality as silver film.

Its not just a matter of buying a digital camera ... you require a high quality (expensive) computer before you even start, and digital cameras, scanners, papers etc all add to the high cost of setting up. Therefore present photographers, who already have the basic equipment only require a computer and a scanner to get going. In this way WE shouldn`t feel threatened by computerization, but use it to advantage, not only to save our present prints and slides, for posterity, but use the computer to increase the use and methods of manipulating a photograph to gain new and wonderful images from them.

Even if you only used the computer and software to clean up and improve very old family photographs, it is well worth it. If only printing onto standard printer paper you can get very good quality prints and only use higher quality `dedicated` papers for the prints you wish to keep. Likewise if a print should get damaged or start to fade, it is only a matter of printing off another copy to have the print in full quality again. No doubt, one day, when most people have computers, we shall be exchanging photographs down the internet to family and friends, all over the world.

With OUR many years of print and slide collecting you can see that instead of the computer being a threat it can add years of interesting work in both preserving and manipulating your images. By saving an A/V onto CD discs a software programme will allow others to view your presentations on their monitor screens. Both in high quality pictures and CD quality sound.

A NEW DIGITAL MAGAZINE

On the B&W front Mono Magazine, from Roger Maile, would appear to be the last group to get into the digital image! They already produce an excellent high quality printed magazine proving that B&W film and printing is still a great favourite with photographers. Roger and his team deserve every recommendation for the fine work they put into this production.

However there was no-one more surprised than myself when along with the latest Mono Magazine, was enclosed, an equally high quality colour magazine, completely dedicated to the Digital Image.

The first issue of (Bi-monthly) "Digital Photo Art" is a real winner. Not only for the standard of quality but in that its articles cover every aspect of digital imaging in a manner that everyone will understand. You will be amazed at the quality of the prints and the intriguing montages, all produced in the computer, but with most of the original prints taken on camera. If you need any proof how and where `digital` is leading to then this magazine proves it in leaps and bounds.

The articles are dedicated to introducing you to all the equipment available and how to go about producing your work. Each piece of equipment is well described and you will learn how to build up a work station for your own needs and the `tutorial` articles will give you many ideas, hints and tips of the things you can do. You will learn about Hard Drives, Scanners, Digital cameras, Printers and the types of papers that will give the best quality, and prices.

I was interested learning that you can now get a film scanner which will take various sizes of slides and negatives, rather than the basic 35mm ones that have been available till now. So there is no need for even your medium format film to gather dust.

Likewise if you don`t want to buy both a print and a slide scanner, newer flat bed scanners include a special `hood` that allows you to scan transparencies as well. It would be interesting seeing how these compare to the results from a slide scanner.

For those wishing to get onto the World Wide Web, there is even an article dedicated to the ins & outs of getting started, giving useful hints and tips that will ease your way into getting wired up.

As I write this I have just got myself a brand new PC. As most of you know, I have been using an Atari ST, which has given great service and brought the CRCN into the 20th century. However seeing the massive improvements that Roy Salmons has been able to produce in his local newsletters, plus the complications I meet whenever exchanging data with other PC users, I thought it was time to move up to a PC.

My main interest was in being able to get into scanning my prints and slides into the computer and also be able to print out in full colour on as high a quality printer as I could afford.

For CRC use I thought it would be expensive having to buy new Word Processing (WP), Desktop Publishing (DTP) and Art programmes, but the new computer came with high quality WP & Art Programme plus a Photo Editor. I came across an excellent `fully working` DTP programme on a Computer Cover Disc, so have all the programmes required to continue with the newsletter work. However the new PC means a considerable increase in the speed these programmes run, compared to the Atari and they have much more powerful text and graphic facilities which the Atari can`t match.

The PC`s high specifications brings me right up to date with computer technology (Well, for six weeks, at least!) but I hope you will notice the difference in the presentation of the CRCN, as I get to know what the new programmes will produce.

For the technically minded, the PC has the latest Intell II AGP processor, 64MB SDRAM, 8.4GB Ultra DMA Hard Drive, 17" SVGA, Digital Monitor, 8MB 740 Super Fast Accelerator, Creative Labs DVD II CD-ROM, AWE4 Super Card, 500w speakers for 3-D sound and a fast 56K6 int Modem, with Voicemail & Fax software. It also came with Windows 98 and is also Year 2000 compatible.

For the less technically minded DVD (Digital Video Disc) is the latest drives which allow you to view full length films from the new DVD discs while still being used as a normal computer CD-Rom Drive.

As I also plan to get onto the Internet the new Digital Photo Art Magazine has come at a good time to learn more about that side of computing. The WEB opens up world-wide publicity for the Club and Kevin Craske has already given us a mention in his web sight and told me that we have already gained one new member from it. So a hearty welcome to Mr. Yuanwen Liu of Indianapolis, Indiana.

However just to assure you that my camera is still getting used, I have been on a few day outings over the last couple of weeks putting it to good use. I have recently bought a fresh 30m roll of the Club`s film and will be using a Chrome-Six Kit to process my next lot of slides. I have no intention of giving up on film. However I hope to take advantage of my new computer and not only be able to save many of my best slides and prints to digital, but improve the National Newsletter. Which is timely for a reminder for more copy. It is nice having the new technology but without hearing from you it not only makes my work on completing the newsletters more difficult, it also means the new technology can`t be used to its full advantage. So please try and send something before long.

The price of Digital Photo Art is £3.50. However if you take out a subscription you will get the next seven issues at £20, which my `digital` calculator tells me is equal to just £2.85 per issue, which is an excellent buy for such a high quality and informative presentation.

The aims of the magazine is not only to inform but allow you to enter your own digitised images for publication or enter into competitions.

If you are interested write or phone Digital Photo Art, Courtney House, 62. Jarvis Road, South Croydon, CR2 6HU. or fax to 0181-681-0662. Telephone 0181-686-3283 or e-mail: Roger@cremono.demon.co.uk (Don`t forget to mention the C.R.C.).