Enlarging an old photo

[Hershey]

I was told that K-Mart had a machine were you could bring an old picture and it would not only copy it but blow it up without loss of clarity because the computer would digitally add in the extra pixels. But they don't have it anymore.

 

 

 

Does anyone know what that machine is called and where I can find one. I have an old black and white family picture that I want to copy and enlarge.

 

 

 

Thanks

[ggrussell]

Yes, ,It's a Kodak kiosk. Walmart, Walgreens and other retailers have one. Most of these places WILL NOT copy a portrait done in a studio unless it's really old. But you can get just as good a result doing it yourself if you have a scanner. Scan the image at 300dpi and then take that file to Walmart on a memory chip or CD. They can print it out.

[vid2man97]

Any scanner will blow up a picture by artificially adding in pixels. It will look acceptable (depends on your definition of "loss of clarity") to a degree unless you want to blow it up to unreasonable proportions. Some scanners are better at this than others. And it depends mostly on what you're scanning. Scan fuzz and no scanner or program will change it magically to crystal.

 

Well that said, I don't know what Kmart uses (used), but it was likely a Kodak professional scanner with ICE technology. I'm in Canada, and that's the machine I see in virtually all stores here that offer scanning and printing services, and I can't see it being different anywhere else. Find any major store that offers scan and print services and you'll likely be ok.

 

just for fun, if you're curious as to ICE technology, have a look. it's pretty slick stuff

 

http://www.asf.com/products/ice/FilmICEOverview.shtml

 

Obviously you can buy scanners for use at home ( I use the epson 4990pro and v700) but the unless you need them for business purposes, it's hard to justify the cost.

 

There are many everyday scanners that cost very little that will do a decent job for you in this situation.

 

P.S. I see Gary finished typing before me here and that it is a Kodak...

[Hershey]

I just called Kodak and they said their picture maker that you find in the stores will not do what I described.

 

Is anyone out there familiar with a store that has a machine to do this.

[Guest ml]

I just called Kodak and they said their picture maker that you find in the stores will not do what I described.

Is anyone out there familiar with a store that has a machine to do this.

 

I'd start by calling a company that does professional printing.... like a Kinkos or a local photo store that develops film themselves.

 

Kinkos uses a Sony PictureStation, but they don't give much information about what that machine does on the website.

[ggrussell]

...if you're curious as to ICE technology, have a look. it's pretty slick stuff

I haven't been impressed with ICE. I've had two scanners with it and just keep it turned off. Too many times it removes stuff it thinks is a scratch or lint, etc., and it isn't. I'm just not into tinker everytime I have to use it to get it to work. I've gotten pretty good at using a clone tool and just fix those old photos manually.

 

Hersey - if you can't find a computer place, try a photo studio. May cost more, but would be better quality, too.

[vid2man97]

I haven't been impressed with ICE. I've had two scanners with it and just keep it turned off. Too many times it removes stuff it thinks is a scratch or lint, etc., and it isn't. I'm just not into tinker everytime I have to use it to get it to work. I've gotten pretty good at using a clone tool and just fix those old photos manually.

 

I have to agree that it isn't a cure all like the website seems to imply. Personally I like it and find it works well when used sparingly but for some reason it doesn't work as well on photos as on film. Luckily for me I mostly work from film. It's helpful when I need to scan a bunch of old scratched dirty slides that never ever can seem to be cleaned.

I find that on old photos with scratches, it either won't see it as a scratch, and when you crank it up, it sees (as you say) everything as a scratch and then it's shot.

 

here's a link to an old polaroid tool to supposedly get rid of dust and scratches. helpful but again, you have to play around with it. I find it's idiosyncratic to use, but some find it helpful.

 

http://www.polaroid.com/service/software/p...sr/poladsr.html

 

can't beat that clone tool though..