Things Change...
Written: Oct 06 '01 (Updated Oct 06 '01)
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The Bottom Line
Although I LOVED the original free developing & mailers, setup. The newer setup of, paying $2.95 per roll, for developing + 2stamps (per roll mailed) is still pretty good.
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| Full Review |
Originally written as, "What the Hubby Didn't say..." My opinion on OFoto.com after "The Hubbys," confessions, oh... Um, I mean, His Review, (Just My Un-Professional Opinion, by omakcb) I decided to write my own.
Soon after I posted it, they went & changed things on me... so I added a note to the bottom of my review and called it good.
Since then, I've decided to completely rewrite the review as follows...
Most of the great facts 'n features of the site, such as
The many free copies we’ve received for signing up & referrals & the ability to work with your photos on-line... & other things he obviously thought I’d never read... haven’t changed.
I won’t bore you by going into the same, "everything he’s already covered," routine, (but, if you never read his or my 1st...) Here's a re-cap...
When you start using their site with your photos, you install a program, from them, to you... This program allows you the opportunity to Adjust, Resize, Crop & Fix most, Red-eyes. Plus an Auto Adjuster feature that, for the most part, adjusts them to look nicer, more toned &/or defined looking, (once or twice, I preferred my original over their adjusted look...)
All of their adjusting features can be undone if you don't like the change/s, so as long as you have a decent picture to start with, (if it can't figure out a bad image, like unsteady camera shots... then it can't very well help you to fix 'em either...) you can play away until you get it like you want it, (as long as you haven't already chosen to permanently save it that way already...)
Not only can you work with your images that they've developed, you can also copy your personal photos from your home albums (if you have access to a scanner...) to your hard drive & then to your personal album/s on their site, with great ease & considerable clarity, for on-line saving, sharing, viewing, copies now or later.
So, if you already have images stored, (taking up space,)on your HD (hard drive,) you can move them to the albums on their site for storage & regain some valuable HD space, (& possibly find some new ways to work with your stored photos...)
Now, not everything's free on their site... They are a Business site, not a, "carte blanche," site, & they are looking to make money off you somehow.
So, for the free on-line storage, sharing & image editing/enhancing programs, they do expect a little from you. They make their money as a photo development / copies & reprints, business. This means, they would like you to send them (at least) an occasional roll of film for developing &/or use them for your other photo printing & copy needs.
The Changes...
Sadly things changed... The things they did in the beginning, (free developing with free "postage paid," pre-addressed, film mailers,) are gone. Now you pay the postage for each roll + you also pay the cost for having them developed.
After developing is paid for, they'll develop & download your images to your on-line album where you can invite others to see them, play with them or select specific images for them to make prints of.
You only pay for the actual copies of the prints that you choose to have printed. Giving you total control in the selection process.
If there's only a couple of, "good shots," then you can have just, "The good shots," printed. If there's several un-necessary or garbage/wasted shots, one/s you can't figure out, "Who or Why," they were even shot, or shots, "The hubby takes," with a finger in the way... & you're not wanting to pay for images you won't keep, you won't have to. Just choose the ones you want, how many prints for each selection & what size/s you want them printed in.
They are a little on the slow side...(approximately two weeks.) So, rush jobs might want to be done locally. (Remember, you can always download those later if you choose.)
The negatives are placed into plastic sleeves, with recording areas for writing notes about what the negatives hold for quick future reference and filing, & sent to you after you've paid for the developing.
They are efficient photo developers and printers with reasonable/low cost quality prints.
Locally...
The cost of 35mm developing & initial prints, can cost me anywhere from $6.00-$12.00/roll, (optional uploading or photo disks cost extra.) So far, none offer a delivery service to save me a pickup trip.
All Things Considered... I still recommend their service...
Recommended:
Yes
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About the Author
Location: In a Desert Valley in NE Washington
Reviews written: 47
Trusted by: 15 members
About Me: It doesn't matter, "What," We believe in...
If We do nothing, "With Our Beliefs..."
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