Create your own 35mm
slides with desktop color film recorders
If you create and deliver 35mm slide presentations, you may be able to
save time and money with a desktop color film recorder. These high-tech
tools allow you to produce your own slides instead of sending them out to a
service bureau. Film recorders can also do double duty to create film
negatives from digital photos. But be sure to do the math first. A desktop
color film recorder can only save you money if you make enough slides to
cover its cost. BUT...at an average commercial cost of $5 per slide, we're
only talking a couple rolls a month to justify the system within a two year
period! Today, film recorders are inexpensive!
But the justification for your own slide printer is not only economics.
When your unit is on your own desk, you make more slides because they are so
inexpensive. For instance, when presenting a five item bullet chart, you use
five slides to keep the audience interested in keep them from reading ahead
of your speaking. And talk about convenience! Make slides when you need to,
as many as you need to!
Most presenters who use 35mm slides create their visuals in presentation
software then send their electronic files to a service bureau to be
processed into slides. This is an economical solution if you deliver only a
few slide presentations a year. But if you deliver a lot of 35mm slide
presentations, a desktop color film recorder can save you hundreds of
dollars a year in processing costs and allow you to create slides at a
moment's notice. A film recorder - also known as a slide maker - takes
digital information from your presentation software program and records or
prints it onto 35mm film. That film is then processed, cut and mounted onto
slide holders.
Here's how it works: When you select the print-to-slide command in your
software, digital information from your computer travels over a cable to a
cathode ray tube (CRT) located inside the film recorder. The data is imaged
in the phosphors of the CRT and a camera back attached to the other end of
the film recorder takes a picture of it through the color filters, recording
it on film. You can send the film out to be processed as you would with any
other slide film, or process it in-house with another machine that also cuts
the film, places it onto mounts and they come out as finished slides. The
benefit of using a desktop color film recorder is that you don't have to pay
a service bureau to record your slides onto film, nor do you have to wait
several days to get them back. With the right technology, you can do it all
yourself.
3 Types of Color Film Recorders
Color film recorders fall into three categories: desktop, professional and
commercial. Image resolution separates the different categories. Resolution
is usually referred to as 2k, 4k, 8k and so on. This represents the number
of lines the film recorder is able to resolve (for example, 2k equals 2,000
lines). These numbers are not precisely accurate (a 2k film recorder
actually images 2,048 x 1,366 pixels, for example), but they provide a
useful reference.
Desktop film recorders
Desktop film recorders typically produce resolutions of up to 4k per image.
Although this is half the resolution of most professional or commercial film
recorders, it's sufficient to create powerful 35mm presentation visuals.
Although desktop color film recorders are primarily used to create 35mm
presentation slides, more presenters are using them to create 35mm negatives
of digital photos, which are then used to create paper prints. The demand
for this application is increasing as digital photography and photo
retouching applications become more prevalent in the marketplace, but most
people doing the kind of work want features found in professional color film
recorders as opposed to low-end desktop units.
Professional and commercial film recorders
Professional or commercial film recorders can produce images with
resolutions of 8k, 16k or more. These recorders also offer multiple camera
backs in 4x5, 120/220 and 8x10 formats and have other features, such as
faster slide-processing speed, whereas desktop film recorders typically
offer only one configuration. High-end recorders also offer better color
rendition and more film output options. Of course, they also cost more.
High resolution is essential for creating poster-size prints from
negatives and for producing true-to-life 35mm slides. Graphic artists,
advertising agencies, photographers and corporate clients require the higher
quality these film recorders produce and will pay service bureaus or
professional photo labs a premium to get it. High-end recorders are also
used for large-volume 35mm slide processing. Many service bureaus and photo
labs operate such color film recorders 24 hours a day.
What to consider before you buy
If you're convinced that a desktop color film recorder makes sense for your
business, here's what to consider before you buy:
Resolution: The standard resolution for desktop color film
recorders is 4k, which is also the standard resolution professional service
bureaus use to produce 35mm slides created from presentation software
programs such as PowerPoint, Freelance Graphics or Astound. Some desktop
color film recorders offer variable resolution, which means you can match
the native resolution of each image up to 4,096 x 2,732 pixels. This is
preferred because it saves time when imaging bitmap or photographic images.
Optics: The optics consist of the type of camera lens, the type
of filters and the size and characteristics of the cathode ray tube (CRT)
within the color film recorder. Some manufacturers customize their optics,
having the lens within the camera designed specifically to work with the
optics of the desktop color film recorder as opposed to using off-the-shelf
camera lenses. Custom red, green and blue filters also are available in some
models.
CRT Size: CRT size is a significant feature. The larger the CRT,
the better, because image sharpness and purity result from larger,
high-resolution CRT's. CRT's in desktop color film recorders vary from 2 to
7 inches.
Geometry: Automatic digital correction of geometry and linearity
are functions of the electronic circuitry available in some color film
recorder models to maintain straight lines, perfect circles and square
corners in your presentation graphics.
Color Depth: The number of bits used to process the image data
determines color depth. A minimum of 33 bits of color precision allows
reproduction of 24-bit color images with accurate colors and smoothly ramped
backgrounds. This is necessary to eliminate contours and banding.
Software compatibility
Color film recorder manufacturers provide software drivers that support your
computer's operating system. Look for drivers that support Windows 95 and NT
as well as Macintosh OS 8. PostScript imaging should also be an option, as
many company logos are in PostScript format and may be included as part of
your slide presentation template. As you update your computer operating
system in the future, you will need to upgrade your drivers, so choose a
manufacturer committed to supporting the industry standards. A simple SCSI
or parallel port connection should be standard, with no need for additional
hardware to connect the color film recorder to your computer.
Cost
It is important to consider all your 35mm slide costs when determining
whether a desktop film recorder will save you money. (See the below
worksheet). Don't forget to include the overnight and rush charges that
quickly add up for those last-minute presentations. The amount of slides you
create in a year may easily justify the purchase of a desktop color film
recorder, without even factoring the added convenience and flexibility of
creating slides in-house.
Drivers
The software drivers for the color film recorder should be simple and easy
to install. They should include look-up tables for a variety of film types
to accommodate your film needs. Custom film tables are required for accurate
color, contributing to the quality of the film output. Some color film
recorders also provide translated messages through their LCD communication
panels, a convenience for those for whom English is a secondary language.
Speed
Most presentations consist of several slides, so the ability to batch images
and print unattended is an important feature. This allows you to load a film
roll (12,24 or 36 exposures) and set up to image several slides at once,
freeing your time while the images are recorded.
Service
As with any product, service is crucial. Some models feature flash memory or
flash firmware that allow for remote software upgrades. Toll-free technical
support and extended service contracts should be standard offerings from the
manufacturer you choose.
