TR Article on Eliminate Trips to Your Film Developer

September 1998 Published by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSŽ

__________________________________________________________________________________

Topic:	Technology
Title:	Eliminate Trips to Your Film Developer
Headline:	Point, Shoot, Digitize
Language:	English
Writer:	Michael Antoniak
Editor:	Christina Hoffmann Spira
Article Page #:	46-50
Copyright:	Copyright Š1998. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSŽ

Techno-File

Eliminate Trips to Your Film Developer

Point, Shoot, Digitize

Some digital cameras provide such detail your ink-jet printer may not be able to keep up.

By Mike Antoniak

The latest generation of digital cameras gives real estate practitioners three reasons to smile: lower prices, higher image quality, and easier-to-use technology.

Plus, they can save you time and money over traditional film photography.

“Success in real estate is all about using your time efficiently,” points out Max Ryujin, principal broker with MKR Lakewood Properties, Ogden, Utah. “A digital camera has saved me as much as one or two hours each day.”

Until he purchased a $600 Sony digital camera last year, that time was lost ferrying film to and from a photo lab, then scanning photos for use in flyers or reports done on computer. “Now I can shoot the pictures of a house, load the disk into my computer, and pull out the pictures I need,” says Ryujin.

Digital camera users quickly discover that efficiency also cuts costs. John Gamble, broker at Coldwell Banker--
Primus Real Estate, Geneva, Ill., believes he made a “good move” when he invested $399 in Hewlett-Packard's PhotoSmart digital camera last year.

“It probably paid for itself in 20 listings with what I saved on film and developing,” Gamble says.

He realized those savings even though a digital camera still costs more than comparable film cameras.

Do You Really Need a Million Pixels?
Megapixel models are the new standard in high-resolution cameras, capable of capturing more than a million pixels of information in each image. Even some of the low-resolution models costing less than $500 can capture more image information than can be reproduced with the best of today’s color ink-jet printers.

Another advance is evident in how today’s digital cameras store images. Users had to physically connect early digital cameras to a PC to view the images or to store image files before taking more pictures. New cameras capture images on removable, reusable floppy disks or memory cards, such as CompactFlash or SmartMedia. You can connect the cameras to a PC or TV for viewing, but it’s more convenient to use disks or cards between the camera and your PC.

All cameras include software to compress images in a standardized file format like JPEG. The higher the image resolution, the fewer images each card can hold.

Be forewarned: Digital cameras ship with a memory card, but the cost of additional cards ($100–$400, though prices are coming down) and the adapters that may be required to read them on your computer can be a significant—but easily overlooked—cost.

Beyond these computer-related concerns, most digital cameras deliver the look and feel of their film rivals. And users enjoy the advantage of previewing photos on a built-in color LCD monitor. Should you decide later that some detail detracts from the house in the picture, erase it with the imaging software included with the camera.

Not Yet Ready for Ansel Adams
If there's a trade-off in the broad selection of digital cameras now available for less than $1,000, it’s in optics. You could spend thousands building a digital camera system with interchangeable lenses comparable to a typical 35mm camera system. But most digital cameras are equipped with a fixed-focus lens and limited zoom capabilities.

That’s still more than adequate for the everyday needs of most practitioners. Sharil Prall, broker-owner of All Real Estate Services, Beatrice, Neb., always had an interest in photography. She invested $399 in an Epson Photo-PC to simplify the process of getting pictures into her computer for use in flyers.

“It’s definitely proved itself a tool of great value and easy to use, whether I'm taking pictures outside or inside homes,” Prall says. “Once I have the images on my computer, I can send them to newspapers on disk for use in my ads or attach them to an E-mail over the Internet.”

Instant Photo Gratification
As use of the Internet grows, so does the appeal of a digital camera as an imaging solution.

An out-of-state buyer decided to buy a home based on 20 images that selling broker Alan Thompson, of Rose and Krueth Realty Corp., Chesapeake, Va., captured with a Kodak digital camera and then sent by E-mail. “The buyer never actually saw the house until two days before the closing,” he says.

Closer to home, the camera helps win listings. “Whenever I have an appointment with a potential seller, my assistant or I first go by the home and capture a picture, then come back and drop it into a template on my computer,” explains Thompson.

“When I show sellers a sample flyer with their home, within hours after they set up the appointment, they usually give me the listing right there,” he says.

It’s that immediacy and efficiency, without a discernible sacrifice in quality, that promise to draw more practitioners to a digital camera.

“There's a real convenience to using a digital camera,” concludes Ryujin. “It can help practitioners look more professional in how quickly and how well they accomplish things.”

Your Guide to Digital cameras

Camera/System/Vendor	Image Capture Resolution (in pixels)	Image Capture Media	Features	Price
Digimax 50 PC compatible Samsung Opto-Electronics 800/762–7746 *www.simplyamazing.com*	768 x 576 640 x 480 320 x 240 (settings for fine, medium, or basic resolution)	CompactFlash memory card	Fixed-focus lens with programmed electronic shutter; built-in flash; optical viewfinder; BUS port connects to PC; videoconferencing mode when connected to a PC; two AA batteries	$299
ePhoto 780 Macintosh and PC compatible 1Agfa 978/658–5600 *www.agfahome.com/ephoto*	1,024 x 768 640 x 480 320 x 240	SmartMedia memory card	PhotoGenie image enhancement technology; fixed focus lens with macro or extreme close-up setting; 1.8 in. LCD monitor; built-in flash; connects with PC or TV for viewing images; four AA batteries	$399
QV-770 Macintosh and PC compatible Casio Computer Co. 973/361–5400 *www.casio.com*	640 x 480; three compression modes	Built-in flash memory	Fixed-focus rotatable lens; auto exposure; 3-mode flash; 1.8-in. LCD monitor and viewfinder; can create 360-degree panoramic image; mini-movie feature for capturing 3.2 seconds of video; four AA batteries	$399
PhotoSmart C20 PC compatible Hewlett-Packard 800/752–0900 *http://photosmart.com*	1,152 x 872	CompactFlash memory card	Megapixel camera for HP's PhotoSmart digital imaging system; auto-focus lens with macro or extreme close-up setting; built-in flash; 1.8-in. LCD monitor; cables for direct connection with TV or PC; four AA batteries	$499
PV-DC 1580 PalmCam Macintosh and PC compatible Panasonic Consumer Electronics Co. 800/211–7262 *www.panasonic.com*	1,024 x 768 512 x 384	CompactFlash memory card	Megapixel camera; fixed-focus lens with macro or extreme close-up setting; 2X zoom; built-in flash; optical viewfinder; 2-in. LCD monitor; docking station for computer connection included; connects with TV for viewing; rechargeable battery	$599
MVC-FD71 Macintosh and PC compatible Sony Electronics 800/222–7669 *www.sony.com*	640 x 480; three compression modes	3.5- in. floppy disk	Fixed-focus lens with 10X zoom; four preprogrammed special effects modes; auto exposure; built-in flash; optical viewfinder; 2.5-in. LCD monitor; rechargeable lithium battery	$599
Photo-PC 700 Macintosh and PC compatible Epson America Inc. 800/463–7766 *www.epson.com*	1,280 x 960 640 x 480	4MB internal memory; CompactFlash memory card	Megapixel digital camera; fixed-focus lens with macro or extreme close-up setting; 2X digital zoom; auto exposure; computer and video output connection ports; supports printing from camera to Epson ink-jet printers; four AA batteries	$699
D-340L Macintosh and PC compatible Olympus America Inc. 800/347–4027 *www.olympus.com/digital*	1,280 x 960 640 x 480	SmartMedia memory card	Megapixel camera; fixed-focus lens with macro or extreme close-up setting; telephoto function; auto exposure; 2-in. LCD monitor; flash; 10-image sequential shooting; panoramic photo capabilities; four AA batteries	$699
PDR-M1 Macintosh and PC compatible Toshiba 800/288–1354 *www.toshiba.com/taisisd*	1,280 x 1,024	SmartMedia memory card	Megapixel camera; 1.8-in. backlit LCD; four-mode flash; 2X digital zoom; video out connects camera to TV to view images or record on VCR; four AA batteries	$699
MX-700 Macintosh and PC compatible Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. Inc. 800/800–3854 *www.fujifilm.com*	1,280 x 1,024 640 x 480	SmartMedia memory card	Megapixel camera; auto-focus lens with macro or extreme close-up setting; auto exposure; digital zoom during playback; built-in flash; 2-in. LCD monitor; direct connection with computer or video monitor; lithium ion rechargeable battery	$799
Q-M100 Macintosh and PC compatible Konica USA Inc. 888/756–6422 *www.konica.com*	1,152 x 872 576 x 436	CompactFlash memory card	Megapixel camera; auto-focus lens with macro; auto exposure; digital 2X zoom; built-in automatic flash; optical viewfinder; 1.8-in. LCD color monitor; ports for direct connection with PC or video monitor; four AA batteries	$799
DC210 Macintosh and PC compatible Eastman Kodak 800/235–6325 *www.kodak.com*	1,152 x 864 640 x 480	Kodak Digital Science picture card	Megapixel camera; fixed-focus lens; 2X zoom; auto exposure; built-in flash; 1.8-in. LCD viewfinder; LCD panel indicators for camera functions, battery level; direct connection with PC or video monitor; IrDA wireless interface for transmitting images to computers; four AA batteries	$899
RDC-4300 Macintosh and PC compatible Ricoh Consumer Products Group 702/352–1600 *www.ricohcpg.com*	1,280 x 960 640 x 480	SmartMedia memory card	Megapixel camera; auto-focus lens with macro or extreme close-up setting; 3X power zoom; lens rotates 180 degrees; optical viewfinder; 2-in. LCD monitor; records up to 8 seconds of audio with each image; direct connection with computer or video monitor; four AA batteries	Less than $1,000

*Because digital camera prices are coming down, vendors declined to give estimated retail price.

This vendor-supplied information has not been verified by NAR and is not a comprehensive list of all suppliers. NAR doesn't evaluate or endorse any vendors or products, and readers should evaluate the products personally before purchasing. Manufacturers may make more than one model.

Presto! Digitize Images Without a Digital Camera

Still committed to photography, but looking for some of the advantages of digital imaging? There are a couple of alternative routes you can take to get your photographs into your computer.

Reconsider scanners, as described in “Scanners Offer Photo Options at Low Price”, Today’s
REALTORŽ, June 1998, page 38. Desktop scanners are comparatively inexpensive and easy to use and can transform the photo of your latest listing into an image file you can work with in any graphics application.

You won't save time for that convenience, though. You'll still have to buy film, drop it off for processing, and make another trip to pick up your prints.

Other solutions for getting your photos into your computer may be available at the local minilab or photo lab where you bring your film. Some offer scanning or PhotoCD transfer services. Either approach converts your photos to image files stored on floppies or special CD-ROMs, which can be used on your computer.

Film giants Kodak and Fuji, as well as a handful of smaller companies, now offer the option of having files of pictures delivered by E-mail or viewed online—for as little as $5 per roll of film—even before you pick up your prints.

Your Work Habits Will Guide You to the Right Digital Camera
How do you know which digital camera is right for you?

Lisa Wood, founder of Picture Works, a developer and supplier of the imaging software that ships with many digital cameras, gets to see and sample just about all the digital cameras coming to market.

There's something for everyone, she says, but you need to keep your imaging needs and work habits in mind when shopping.

“Begin by asking how you like to work,” she suggests. “Are you a person who enjoys learning new technology or someone looking for a camera that’s the easiest to use?”

Wood sees three price levels of digital cameras that should interest most practitioners: less than $400; $400–$650; and from $650 to about $1,000.

“It’s not necessarily a good-better-best selection,” she says. “You have to look around and decide which have the features that are good for you. For instance, before you look at price, see how easily you can get the images out of the camera and into your computer.”

She believes you'll be best served buying a camera with removable storage media. People are comfortable with floppy disks, and there's just as much flexibility with the cards many digital cameras use for image capture, says Wood. If your computer doesn’t have the ports to read the cards, an adapter may be available.

When it comes to image resolution, the benefits of a megapixel camera can be lost if images are to be printed with a standard ink-jet printer. If the primary use is for sharing pictures over the Internet, a less expensive digital camera with lower resolution may be all you need.

When comparing digital cameras, remember how you use a film camera, Wood says. “An LCD monitor is a good feature, but most people like to look through a viewfinder when framing a picture.

“And most of the time you're trying to take tight pictures of a home, so a zoom may be more important than a wide-angle lens,” she continues.

Finding the right model may soon become even easier. Wood reports her company is working on software for a specialized real estate camera from a major vendor. The software will contain scripts that take the user through the process of capturing images for listings, flyers, CMAs, or specific report formats. Watch for word of it later this year.

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