|
|
Innovations overtaking photographic technology result in better pictures
By Helen Chan
Left above: The new camera and film.
Left below: Three print formats of the new system.
S tarting from April 1996, consum- ers who were always frustrated by the quality of their photographs can try a new photographic system — the so-called Advanced Photo System. With the new system, photos are said to be guaranteed high quality.
Five photo-industry leaders — Kodak, Fujifilm, Nikon, Canon and Minolta — which are called the System Developing Companies, started to develop this Advanced Photo System five years ago. It is based on a new film format and the system combines innovative film, camera and photofinishing technologies, aiming at providing more benefits to customers.
Mr. Douglas Gerber, general manager of consumer imaging of Kodak (Far East) Limited in Hong Kong, said, “ The magic is a new film format which is smaller than and incompatible with the existing 35mm films, and which is contained in a sealed cartridge. Smaller and more portable cameras will be made possible in the future.
“The new film has no protruding film leader and that frees consumers from handling their film.
“Double exposures and loading errors can also be eliminated,” he added.
Mr. Gerber explained that some new cameras will have a new feature called “mid-roll change” — users can remove and reload partially exposed film cassettes. This enables users to move from one film to another and change film speeds to match scene requirements.
Existing films are made of strips of plastic covered by chemicals called silver halides that are suspended in a gelatin. The particles of silver halide are sensitive to light. The process of developing a film is to make those particles exposed to light turn into silver. These create the black and white images on negatives.
Mr. Dennis Sun, managing director of China-Hong Kong Photo Group — the only authorized distributor of Fuji products in Hong Kong, China and Macau — said, “A thin layer of magnetic particles, coated over the full surface of the Advanced Photo System film, helps to record comprehensive shooting information for each shot, such as lighting conditions (aperture, shutter speed and flash), subject distance, date and time of exposure, as well as personal information like notes and titles.
“Through a process called ‘Information Exchange’, this data is automatically read by photofinishing equipment and used for backprinting, optimizing image quality, and assuring consistent reprints,” said Mr. Sun.
According to Mr. Gerber, the date, frame number and film cassette number are automatically recorded on photos for the new technology. This is to allow foolproof identification of cartridges and prints, both by users and photofinishers.
“Processed film from the photofinisher is returned inside the original cartridge, together with prints in various formats selected by the user.
“A photo file index print is included. It displays all photos on the film in a thumbnail-size picture, making it easier to order reprints and organize photos than before,” said Mr. Sun.
Three different print formats — classic, group and panoramic — are available for customers to select different print sizes without changing cameras or film.
Benefits of the new format are said not to be limited to the present features and products.
“The ability to record digital information across each frame of film creates dozens of potential functions for manufacturers, photofinishers and consumers,” Mr. Gerber said.
“Each frame becomes an individual digital record on which any information can be encoded and retrieved,” he added.
Mr. Sun expects that it will lead to the introduction of domestic equipment that allows users to electronically record their reprint orders directly onto the magnetic data track of each film cartridge.
“Photos can then be displayed on television, input into a personal computer, or manipulated at the laboratory for printing in customized formats,” Mr. Sun added.
Mr. Sun believes that the Advanced Photo System will complement the existing photographic system, not replace it.
“The new system will coexist with 35mm film for some time and become the dominant format in the future,” he added.
Nevertheless, consumer photography as it is known today may disappear in a lifetime, according to Mr. Gerber. “The entire concept of enjoyment of consumer photography will be changed,” Mr. Gerber said.
Despite high praise from the manufacturers, the Advanced Photo System is expected to be an expensive system. While the costs of developing the new films are expected to be the same, it costs approximately 30 percent more for users to buy the new films, and users will have to pay at least 20 percent more for reprints.
Miss Chu Kwong-lai, owner of Chu’s Photo Service, said, “So far there is still no one from the film companies who has contacted us about the details of the new films, cameras and photofinishing machines yet.”
Miss Chu indicated she would upgrade her own existing photofinishing equipment or buy a new APS-compatible system, but this all depends on space available for a new machine.
“How consumers respond to a rise in prices for photofinishing and reprints is what I am concerned about,” she said.
As a consumer, Mr. Wong Man-Kit, 35, a photographic amateur, said, “I am afraid that fewer shops are available to develop and reprint the film if I really use a whole new system.”
The five companies’ systems, products and services will all be compatible from the outset.
Said Mr. Gerber: “The five companies have a consensus on how each company can run their own business on the new system. We will continue to do extensive research to modify it in the future.”
In order to capture the majority of the world market, the five companies may have to cut the prices consumers need to pay before the new system can really stimulate consumer demand — as scenario similar to that of microcomputers.
