PhotoWorks: A Low End Digital Image Solution For 35mm Users
Charles Moore - 2003.01.27 - Tip Jar
Low End Mac Reader Specials
Memory To Go Special: MacPro 8 Core Memory 4GB kit $154 / 2GB kit $94, New 2008 iMac 2GB $46. MacBook Pro / MacMini / iMac Intel Core2 DUO 2GB $44 / 1GB $23--Free shipping available.
Download Typestyler, still the Ultimate Styling Tool for Internet, Print and Video Graphics. Works great in Classic with a Native OS X Version on the way. Free Tryout: www.typestyler.com
LA Computer Company: Specials on AppleCare, iMac's, Apple Batteries and Apple A/C Adapters. Also Great prices on Used Apple Computers. Call 1-800-941-7654 Click Here.
Other World Computing has the Upgrades, Enhancements, and Accessories for getting the most from your Mac. Quality Products, Competitive Prices, Expert Support Staff - www.macsales.com
Mac users can finally play Party Poker for Mac. Not only that, they can also learn how to play PokerStars for Mac.
Laptop Hardware Provided by TechRestore - Overnight Mac & iPod Repairs.
Compare products like desktop computers, laptops, and LCD TVs side by side! All the information and reviews to make the best purchasing decision for a new cell phone GPS products or MP3 players. The Ciao network makes searching products easy for you.
New iMac 800Mhz Memory 4GB $90, 2GB $45 - Click to Maximize your Macs...
I've used PhotoWorks (formerly Seattle FilmWorks) for most of my photo finishing needs since the early 1980s. In those days, their "house brand" film was Eastman 52xx 35mm movie film repackaged in standard 35mm still camera cassettes, the idea being that you could get prints and slides from the same negative. The movie film thing was partly economics - surplus movie film was cheap.
I was reasonably satisfied with the respooled 35mm movie film stock, but more recently PhotoWorks switched their house brand film to standard C-41 negative film as well (for both prints and slides), and the new PhotoWorks film, which is made by a European supplier, is actually quite good. It is available in ISO 100, 200, 400, and 800 speeds. For all-round general use I like the ISO 200 stuff.
I have a (very) small digital camera now, but for high-quality work I still use my trusty old 1974 Olympus OM-1, for which I have a small but nice collection of lenses.
SFW's service also a means of getting my 35mm shots digitalized conveniently.
When you mail exposed film to PhotoWorks, a few days later they email you a URL at which you can view your developed photos on the Web. The physical prints and/or slides are returned to you by mail. You can also forward this URL to family members and friends so they can enjoy your snapshots.
PhotoWorks will store your photos for free on its server in "Standard Resolution" (768 x 512 pixels) so long as you send them film for processing at least twice a year. Your PhotoWorks photo archive is password-protected, and PhotoWorks claims that they archive more personal images than any other company in the world. They also offer higher-resolution (1500 x 1000 pixel) scans for download on CD-ROM for customers who want to include their photos in online documents, greeting cards, or to print with their computer printer.
At a 1.5 megapixel scanning resolution, SFW's Hi-Res Pictures On Disk are suitable for printing smaller images (up to 5" x 7" should look tack sharp) from your computer. If you order prints and/or slides but do not purchase a Pictures on Disk CD or pay a surcharge for high-resolution, your Website images will be scanned at the lower 768 x 512 resolution. Both versions provide a 24-bit color depth (16,777,215 colors).
Image files downloaded from SFW's PhotoMail are compressed into a single file using the company's proprietary PWP file format. This way, you can download your entire roll at once (although it is also possible to download single images or a selection). Once you download a PWP file, you will need PhotoWorks' free PhotoWorks Desktop software, which can be downloaded from their Website, to decompress it into individual images. No browser plug-ins are required for downloading PhotoMail.
For Macintosh users, PhotoWorks offers two software solutions to help you manage your PhotoWorks files:
PhotoWorks v1.0.1 (a 300k download) opens and converts .PhotoWorks' proprietary pwp and .sfw files.
- Minimum requirements for the Mac version include OS 8.6 or greater, with the Quick Time extension installed, a 150 MHz 604 PowerPC processor or higher, 16 MB of available RAM (64 MB or greater recommended), 100 MB of available hard disk space, and color or grayscale monitor.
An Adobe Photoshop Plug-In (142k download) enables you to open .sfw files in Photoshop
For more information, visit the PhotoWorks website.
Unfortunately, PhotoWorks Desktop - at least the Mac version - is not the most polished or user-intuitive graphics software. It does the job it's intended to do and can export photos in compatible formats so you can work with them in your favorite Mac image editing program.
There is also a third-party PWP Plug-in module from Brian Beardmore for the Macintosh version of GraphicConverter. The plug-in extracts and opens individual pictures from PWP archive files.
The current PWP Plug-in release is version 1.0b2. There is support for both 68K and PPC versions of GraphicConverter.
System Requirements
- Macintosh operating systems version 7.6 through 9.1 supported.
- Both 68K and PPC GraphicConverter versions are supported.
- The plug-ins work with GraphicConverter v4.0.8 and various other older versions.
PWP Plug-in Version 1.0b2 (68K & PPC) is a 196k download, and available from Realistic Software.
PWP Plug-in is freeware, but donations are appreciated.
Brian Beardmore also used to distribute a free beta of an application called SFW Helper, which was a more user-friendly substitute for PhotoWorks' own Mac application. However, Mr. Beardmore posted a notice on his website earlier this month noting:
- "Most all of the software here expires today. It is currently
unknown if I will be publicly re-releasing the software. For those
of you who have supported me, I will try to get a private release
together for you soon.... Unfortunately, giving the software away
for free and asking for donations has not been successful in
covering the rising costs of the expenses (web host, domain name,
software development tool upgrades, new Mac OS upgrades, and new
MacOS hardware). I am open to new ideas of how to cover the
expenses.
"I do understand that some of you users are frustrated that the software is no longer usable. I simply do not have the time to do another release of the software right now... If and when I do have new releases, I will update the web site. If you feel that 'SFW Helper' application keeps you using the services of photowork.com, then email photoworks and let them know you need application like it."
PhotoWorks offers the following services:
- Film Developing - 35mm color print film, preloaded cameras and APS. You can still get prints and slides, or just prints, or just slides from the same film.
- Pictures on CD
- Prints from Digital images on Digital Media Cards or CD-ROM
- Upload photos from you digital camera for storage or printing
- Online Albums
- Traditional Reprints from negatives
- Traditional Enlargements
A nice touch for Canadian customers like me, PhotoWorks provides pricelists and order forms in Canadian dollars and has a Canadian mail drop in Vancouver, B.C., for their Canadian film mailers.
For full details and prices, visit <http://www.photoworks.com/Info/Details.aspx>.
Charles Moore has been a freelance journalist since 1987 and writing for Mac websites since May 1998. His The Road Warrior column is a regular feature on MacOpinion, and he is a news editor and columnist at Applelinks.com.
Recent Miscellaneous Ramblings
- Resurrecting a Dead Pismo, Spotlight Search Tip, and EasyFind a Good File Finder, 08.27. Lots of tips on bringing a comatose Pismo back to life, a Spotlight file name search tip, and EasyFind as an alternative to Spotlight.
- Does Running OS X System Maintenance Routines Really Do Any Good?, 08.26. Mac OS X is designed to run certain maintenance routines daily, weekly, and monthly - but can't if your Mac is off or asleep.
- 8 Free POP3 Email Options, 08.25. In recent years, a lot of free POP3 email providers have started charging or left the field. Here are 8 choices you may want to consider.
- Pismo Won't Start, Spotlight Finds Too Many Files, and Panasonic SuperDrive in Pismo, 08.20. Resetting a dead Pismo, an alternative to Spotlight gives better results, and success with the Panasonic UJ-850 drive in Pismo PowerBooks.
- More in the Miscellaneous Ramblings index.
Links for the Day
- Mac of the Day: PowerBook 170, Oct. 1991 - At 25 MHz, the PB 170 was at the top of the original PowerBook line.
- List of the Day: The iPhone List Low End Mac's forum for discussing and supporting Apple's iPhone.
- August 30 in LEM history: 99: The truth about USB speed - 00: Could Eazel kill the Mac? - Mac OS 8.1 on a IIci and LC III - 01: Beyond MHz and GHz - Getting a handle on email - Thanks for the IBM PC, Dad - Apple's anniversaries - 02: Mac OS X v10.2 - iBook video out - 04: Things that freak out my students - 06: Nvu and SeaMonkey can't replace Home Page - 07: DVD-RAM support
Recent Content on Low End Mac
- Looking for a Content Management System That's as Easy as Mac, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 08.29. Low End Mac needs to move to a content management system, but the few we've tried just don't cut it for people used to the simple elegance of the Mac.
- First 3 Million Mac Quarter, Skinny on Mac mini Pricing, Mac-like gOS, and More, Mac News Review, 08.29. More plan to buy Apple products than ever before, complete reset can fix MobileMac synch problems, Apple boosting computer and smartphone share, and more.
- New 'Books Likely in September, 17" PowerBook Display Fault Site, SSD Security, and More, The 'Book Review, 08.29. Also 6 ways to speed up your MacBook, next generation MacBook Air CPU, MacBook Air Update, LapStrap carrying solution, rise and fall of ultraportables, bargains from $220 to $2,699, and more.
- iPhone 3G Reception 'Completely Normal', AT&T International Data Plans for iPhone, and More, iNews Review, 08.29. Also longer life for iPod earbuds, an alternative to MobileMe, new cases and apps for iPhone, AppStoreGems website launched, and more.
- Best Power Mac G4 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 08.29. Used 450 MHz AGP, $75; 500, $99; 800 QS, $199; 1.25 GHz MDD, $375; 450 MHz dual, $179; 867 dual, $300; 1 GHz dual, $395; 1.42 dual, $575.
- Best iBook G3 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 08.29. Used 300 MHz clamshell, $150; 500 CD, $150; 800, $200; 600 CD-RW, $240; 900 Combo, $300; 14" 600, $360; 900, $400.
- Best iPod nano Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 08.29. Used 2 GB iPod nano, $89; refurb 3G 4 GB, $99; new, $140; refurb 8 GB, $149; new, $179.
- 10 Mac Browsers Compared, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 08.28. A look at Internet Explorer, Radon, Opera, Safari, Shiira, iCab, Firefox, Netscape Navigator, Flock, and Camino running in Leopard.
- Clone and Boot: Another Advantage of the Mac OS, Kev Kitchens, Kitchens Sync, 08.28. Unlike Windows, Apple makes it possible to clone a bootable drive (Classic Mac OS or OS X) and use it with another supported Mac.
- Best MacBook Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 08.28. Used 1.83 GHz, $799; 2.0 black, $875; refurb 2.1 GHz, $899; 2.4, $1,099; black, $1,299; new 2.1, $1,019 after rebate; 22, $1,094; 2.4, $1,219 a/r; black, $1,394 a/r.
- Best iMac G5 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 08.28. Used 17" 1.6 GHz Combo, $499; 1.8 SuperDrive, $530; 2.0, $600; 1.9 iSight, $625; 20" 1.8 GHz, $580; 2.0, $650; 2.1 iSight, $700.
- Best classic Mac OS Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 08.28. System 6, $10; 7.1, $12; 7.5.1, $4; Mac OS 7.6, $13; 8.0, $13; 8.1, $48; 8.5, $25; 8.6, $20; 9.0, $20; 9.2.2, $20; more.
- CrossOver Strikes Out, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 08.27. Running Windows apps on a Mac without paying for Windows is great in theory, but actually getting Windows software working is another story.
- MacDrought: 4 Months with No New Macs, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 08.27. The most recent Mac update was over four months ago, and the Mac mini has been unchanged for over a year.
- Best Intel iMac Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 08.27. Used 17" 1.83 GHz, $625; 20", $599; 2.16, $749; 24", $950; refurb 20" 2.4, $999; 2.66, $1,299; 24" 2.4, $1,299; 2.8, $1,549; new 3.06, $2,094 after rebate; more.
- Best 15" PowerBook G4 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 08.27. Used 1.25 GHz Combo, $600; SuperDrive, $650; 1.33 Combo, $640; 1.5, $680; SD, $725; 1.67, $730; hi-res, $800.
- Best Time Capsule and AirPort Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 08.27. 500 GB Time Capsule, $294; 1 TB, $468; AirPort Extreme Card, $39; 802.11n Base Station, $166; 802.11g AirPort Express, $60; 802.11n, $98.
- More links in our archive.
