Lida,
 
Hello and please pardon if this is a duplication.  I sent
this on Friday but it doesn't seem to have made it.
 
I've attached a word document to this email of a TMS screen
shot of what our conservation lab is doing with digital
photography of sherds in our study collection.  I feel, like
you, that having a measurement indicator in the photo is not
the most desirable thing.  But it seems to work well with
certain objects.
 
We have three digital imaging processes here at the Freer
and Sackler:  our photolab, the registrars and
conservation.
 
Our photolab produces images using Leaf Volare digital
cameras.  Those produce a source file (.HDR, mac OS) that
can be anywhere from 60-100MB.  From those they make IBM
formatted .TIF derivatives that are 20-40MB, 300 dpi.  In
pixels they range into the 3000-4000 pxls on the long
dimension.  These photos are our "approved" photography and
are used when digital image files are requested for rights
and reproductions.  Our photolab is also using a variety of
flat bed and transparency scanners to produce images from
existing photography.  Most new photography is digital and
our photolab is on a project to replace all of our "analog"
photography.
 
The registrars office is using a flatbed scanner with
transparency adapter for old photos and document scanning
and we are now on our second digital camera.  Our first was
a Nikon CoolPix 990 and now we're using the CoolPix 5000.
Terrible name, but the pics are fabulous and the Nikon
CoolPix are about the only available at a reasonable price
that have a macro feature for close ups.  The CoolPix 5000
is a 5.0 megapixel camera that takes excellent
high-resolution photos (avg 12.5-15MB .JPG) and is
relatively easy to use.  We're in the process of setting up
digital photography workstations in our dept.  with lights,
copy stand, backdrops, software, etc. for registration "mug
shots" of objects (acquisition considerations or loans) as
soon as they arrive.
 
Our conservation lab is also using Nikon digital cameras to
document objects in our study collection (see attachment)
and also to document the stages of their work on an object
when treatment occurs. Those images are in the 5-7MB range,
.JPGs.
 
David
 
>>> [log in to unmask] 07/19/02 11:05AM >>>
Hi everyone,
 
At first I want to say thanks for all the great ideas and
recommendations I've been receiving. Subscribing to the
list made me
more excited with TMS and grateful, knowing that I'm not
the only one
struggling and having to reinvent the wheel.
 
What I wanted to know is, when loading the media files in
TMS, what
resolution are you using?, what is recommended. Right now
I'm using a
Sony digital camera 4.1 megapixel. The pictures I take the
imagesize is
1600x1200. With te possibilitie of even bigger to 2272x1704
in JPEG.
Then I download them on the Imagedrive in a temporary
folder, where they
get a new filename. What I am doing is give them a filename
same as the
objectnumber with an extension -1, -2, -3.  Right now I'm
thinking about
Dave's experience with this way of filing the images. We
may have to
change it, and use another filesystem [anyone with more
experience on
this matter?] Putting all the images on a CD is an idea to
seriously
consider. Now how high is the resolution you are using?
Another thing we are considering is to put in front of the
object a Coin
or a Measure, to give an idea of the dimensions of the
object, I
personally don't think it looks nice on the picture [any
suggestions?].
Media module. Help with the 'child rendition'. I still
don't get it how
it's done, and how it will be displayed.
 
Regards,
 
Lida Pandt
Collection Manager
National Archeological Anthropological Museum
Of the Netherlands Antilles
De Rouvilleweg 7
5999-4621933 / 4621934
5999-4621936 fax
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