Question about old color photos, please

[Laura PourMeADrink]

Is there a superior way to get a simple old color photo like 4x6..digitized and enlarged to 5x7. Other than going to Walgreens or somewhere like that? Have an old pic I want to enlarge and frame for my brother for his birthday. Thanks in advance.

[dewsgirl]

1. I'll kick for you, I'm sure someone will come along.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

2. You rock DG

[mopinko]

3. is there a high end photo retailer in your area?

there arent that many places that do that kind of stuff now that diy is so available, but here in chi there are a couple of old school camera stores that still do that kind of processing.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

11. I know of one. I'll call them tomorrow - thanks M

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. I think your best bet is to take it into a photography store.

Call them first and check to see if they have the facilities to do this.

I wouldn't take it to Costco or some other large retail store where they develop photos.

Good luck! It sounds like a lovely gift.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

12. thanks CP

[brush]

5. Get it scanned at at least 300dpi, put it on a thumbdrive and take it to FedEX/Kinkos to print...

it, unless you have a good home color printer that will take photo paper. If you have the scanner and printer you can do it all youself.

[csziggy]

10. 300 dpi is the ideal size for most printing BUT to enlarge a picture, you'd want more pixals

A 5x7 at 300 dpi is 1500x2100 pixels so you'd want to get your 4x6 scanned at least 400 dpi. Of course the proportional sizes are different so you'd have to crop it a little to make it fit since 4x6 at 400 dpi would be 1600x2400 pixels.

My lowest scanning dpi is 600 dpi and I prefer to scan 3x5 or 4x6 photos at 1200 dpi. But I am scanning historic period family photos for archival purposes.

Kinkos/FedEx can scan a photo for you. My husband used to work at one and they could scan at fairly high resolution and print to whatever size you need. My advice to the OP would be to go there and take their advice on the scanning so they could get a good quality print at the size wanted.

Warning, though - at the time my husband left they were downgrading the services offered locally. I am not absolutely certain they can still do this at all locations. Call first. I have all the scanning and printing power I need so have not been back much since he retired.

[brush]

18. One can go higher than 300dpi but that will scale up to 5"x7" easily.

For larger sizes of course you increase the dpi.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

13. Thanks Brush for info on the 300dpi. I have a scanner at home - I know, should at least give that

a shot. Didn't realize that this would be a giant deal. We literally have hundreds of old photos. They just
sit in a chest. Figured everyone would.

[Beartracks]

6. Do you have a way to scan the photo?

If so, and if you don't mind, you could scan (at 300 dpi or greater) and email it to me, and I could enlarge with Photoshop and email it back. I don't think the file size should be too large for either of our email clients. You would have to print the 5x7 on your end, of course.

I'm not a pro, but I am a perfectionist, and that has served me well on a number of photo projects.

Or, come to think of it... if you do have access to a scanner, it may be able to resize the image before saving -- in which case you head straight to the printer and skip the middleman (me).

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[Laura PourMeADrink]

14. Thanks ! Will scan tomorrow and see what happens ! What a great thing - for you to offer to help

like that ! Thanks Beartracks.

[Beartracks]

17. Ok!

PM me and let me know if you've got it scanned and I'll send you my email address.

Oh - and please scan as TIF or JPG.

Glad to help if I can!



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[sinkingfeeling]

7. If your phone has a good camera, take a picture of the photo and

then take it to a DIY kiosk and enlarge it yourself.

[druidity33]

8. this is the best cheapest option. nt.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

15. will try that tomorrow. thanks SF

[ManiacJoe]

9. It really comes down to

- what equipment you have access to
- how much personal effort you want to put into it
- how much money you want to spend

Easy and cheep: Take a photo of it with your cell phone, do some post processing, have it printed.
Better quality, more personal effort: scan the photo instead of using your cell phone.

You could farm out the whole process to some place like:
ScanCafe.com
DigMyPics.com

[Laura PourMeADrink]

16. THANKS. May just send out.