What
is Digital Photo Restoration?
Digital Photo Restoration utilizes the latest digital
technology, along with the skill and experience of MMS,
to improve the quality of photographs. Old, faded,
or even damaged photographs can be reproduced with often
amazing improvements to image quality. Restoration
can be as simple as removal of a speck on the face of the
image or making color correction, or may be highly
intensive to the point of reconstructing a torn corner or
removal of multiple creases across the length of a
photograph. Restoration technology can also be used to
change the actual image when, for example, you want a
pimple or other skin blemish removed from the subject's
face! In some instances, entire elements within the
image can be removed, shifted, or new elements inserted.
Depending on the amount of damage, some photos lend
themselves better than others to restoration, but nearly
any photo can be improved. Let MMS's
technology and experience clean up your old photos--you
will be amazed! Click here
to see real before and after photos.
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Why
doesn't MMS
offer photo processing?
MMS
does not offer photo processing of film because it cannot
offer the service to you at a competitive price.
There are no plans to offer this service in the future.
See your Kodak specialist!
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What
can be done to restore old, faded, or damaged
photographs?
As photographs age, deterioration of the images
progresses until, sadly, about all that is left are faded
memories. MMS
can often bring new life to old, faded photos. Your
photos can also be stored permanently on CD or DVD, where
they will not deteriorate further. Click here
for a before and after example.
Damaged
photos can often be digitally restored with little
evidence the damage was ever there. Missing corners,
creases, water spots, embedded lint, specks, scratches,
ink spots, and other physical blemishes on the photograph
surface can often be totally corrected.
How
does the quality of the restored prints I receive from MMS
compare to conventional photographs?
MMS
uses quality papers to provide you with the best prints
possible. The printing process uses 6 colors, rather
than three as with conventional ink jet printers, for
prints that are as sharp and vibrant as the original.
Depending on the quality of the original photograph, you
may find that the quality of prints you receive from MMS
are better
than the originals!
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Why
should I use MMS
Digital Photo Services rather than traditional photo
labs or chain store?
There
are several reasons why you should consider MMS
for your photographic needs:
Cost: Shop
around, get quotes from other shops, then come to MMS.
For as little as $25, you could have your photo restored.
Compare this with the $40 bottom rate of a local photo
lab.
Quality:
The professional digital photo restoration performed by MMS
is far superior to what you are likely to find elsewhere,
according to feedback from MMS
customers who have tried other restoration services.
Chain stores who offer photo processing have also started
offering photo restoration services, but your photos are
often sent out of town and the work is performed by
workers who have been trained on the job with no specific
skills or talent for the art of photo restoration.
Security:
MMS
handles photos that some clients would not feel
comfortable, for a number of reasons, taking to a chain
store. With MMS,
all photo work is done in-house and your photos are never
sent off or shared with third parties for any reason.
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Can't
I repair photos on my home computer?
Yes, and there are several software packages
available that allow anyone to manipulate images with
relative ease. Unfortunately, to get professional
quality images, it takes more than a simple graphics
program and a standard ink jet printer. MMS
has invested thousands of dollars in hardware and software
to be able to bring you the best quality possible--quality
that would not be possible with most home pc's. To
get satisfactory results from any program also takes
knowledge, experience, and skills many people do not
possess. The process of digitally restoring
photographs is highly involved, often time consuming, and
can be endlessly frustrating for novices, even when using
decent software and equipment. Let MMS
do all the work for you, at a price you can feel good
about, and save your time for showing off your new
photographs!
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What
if I don't like the photos I receive from MMS?
Unfortunately,
MMS
cannot offer refunds for enhanced photos because a few
unscrupulous people would simply go elsewhere and get
copies made, then return the the enhanced photos to MMS
to get the benefits of restoration for the cost of copies.
MMS
will work to try and resolve any problems you may have
with a restored image.
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How
much does it cost to have my photos digitally restored?
Restoration
cost begins at $25. Many photos can be restored for
the $25 base fee, while more-extensive damage can take
extra time to repair and will cost more. Don't
assume, however, that just because a photo has a certain
type of damage that it will be expensive to restore.
A large hole may be less costly to repair than speckles,
or restoring color may be cheaper than repairing a
corner--it depends on the individual photo. MMS
will be happy to provide you a free quote--see the Photos
Ordering page to get your free quote.
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What
file size are my photos scanned into?
The
in-house file size used for MMS
Digital Photo Restoration can be up to 25 Megs! MMS
can provide you with prints of your restored photos, or
you can receive them on CD, or both. Each image on
the CD will include two files: one high-resolution file
for printing, and a second smaller file for emailing
friends and family. CD's are provided with restored
images at no additional cost, but you must indicate that
you want your images on CD. I
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How
safe are my photos with MMS?
MMS
Digital Photo Restoration Services are totally safe and do
not harm your photos in any way. Special measures
are taken to protect your photos while in MMS
possession. Read the MMS Legal
Information page for more details.
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What
can you tell me about digital cameras?
Digital cameras represent the future of
photography and the inevitable obsolescence of film for
all but the most stringent photographic applications.
Digital cameras do not use film at all, but, rather, use
modern high-density computer memory microchips to store
the pictures. A special component, called a CCD and
located behind the camera lens, converts the image to an
electronic representation which can then be stored in the
memory. The CCD is the most critical component of
the camera, as it determines the quality of images the
camera is able to capture.
Once
you have taken pictures, how do you get them out of the
camera? That depends on the type of camera.
Digital photography is still an evolving technology and
different manufacturers use different data transfer
systems, though some agree on the same types.
Generally, lower-cost cameras download their pictures
through a detachable cable that plugs into a port on your
computer, or, in some cases, directly to a printer.
Higher quality cameras use removable memory called Picture
Cards, or Smart Media cards, depending on the type of
camera. (Digital video cameras area also available
and some of them use removable memory modules called
Memory Sticks. There are devices that allow you to
plug the detachable memory into your computer or printer.) Some
high-end cameras can transfer photos to your computer
using an infrared device.
The
costs of digital cameras has come down drastically in the
last year, to the point where some are given away as
incentives for signing up with certain on-line services.
However, the quality of images from low-end digital
cameras are generally of low resolution and leave much to
be desired for the diskriminating photographer. Grainy
prints are about the best you can expect from the cheaper
cameras. The higher-quality cameras are just
beginning to rival film cameras in image quality, but
these are in the $1000+ range, whereas cheaper cameras are
available at major retailers and through catalogs for
around $25.
The
main characteristic you should be concerned with when
buying a digital camera is resolution--how many tiny color
dots make up the image. The more "pixels"
the sharper the picture, and the more expensive the
camera. Anything under 800 dpi (dots per inch) will
produce photos of noticeable graininess. The better
units boast 2240x1500 and better (camera resolution has
two numbers--height-wise dpi, and width-wise dpi, to put
it in layman's terms). Camera manufacturers also
specify image resolution of their cameras by the number of
"pixels"--small blocks that make up the image.
A 1 mega pixel camera is fine for taking photos for email
or for the Internet, a 3 mega pixel camera may provide
suitable quality for most home photos, but 5 mega pixels
or better is required to get near-photograph quality
images. Of course, the final image quality will be
only as good as the printer used to produce them.
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Ready
to order? Visit the Digital Photo
Restoration Order Page.
