I am for anything that makes the Internet a faster medium. I like the that a single file size is usable for screen or high res output. However, when it comes to software for Flashpix, I only have heard of Live Picture. After seeing this program, I beleive it is more complex than I have time to learn. Is there any shareware that will simply convert images from other output bound formats to Flashpix?

-- Jamie Tucker (jamie@apple.com), May 28, 1998

Answers

The FlashPix format isn't designed perse to make the internet a faster medium. It is to make digital photographs more flexible. The promise is that you can create one "digital original" and use it anywhere without having to change formats. A FlashPix file can be used anywhere because it is "resolution independant". Normally you need two separate versions of a file if you want to put it on the internet and be able to print it out as well. One FlashPix file is all that is needed to be able to post a photo on the internet (where you can zoom and pan rather than just having it be one static resolution) and to be able to print to color printers. A FlashPix file can be used in a variety of image editing applications, presentation applications and more. The FlashPix format has color controls to help make sure you get good color on many different types of printers too. It also lets you embed copyright information, keywords, sounds and other types of data.

Wherever you need to zoom into a photo and use it for different purposes, FlashPix is your format.

Hope that helps,

Martin

-- Martin Rigby (mrigby@iname.com), May 28, 1998.

Oops, I got so wrapped up in explaining what FlashPix is that I forgot to answer your question.

There is a FreeWare Photoshop Plug-in from Live Picture available at their site. Remember that you will need LOTS of RAM for this to work. If you have limited RAM the best way to get FlashPix files is to send your 35mm film to a Kodak Image Magic dealer and ask for a FlashPix CD. Then you don't have to scan or convert. The problem with this is that Kodak limits the resolution of these images to 1024x1536 (base 4). If you are serious about building a FlashPix library you want to get Photo CD scans and then convert them using Photoshop and the FlashPix plug-in or Debabelizer. Both are RAM intensive and not intended for consumers.

I believe Kai's Photo Soap will save FlashPix files, but I've never used it. It's cheap at $49, so maybe that's your choice.

If you need something more robust, Equilibrium Debablizer will do the job, but its definitely not free.

As far as freeware stand-alone conversion programs go, I have never used one but I will keep my eyes peeled.

Remember that not all digital photos are good candidates for conversion. To convert to FlashPix, you will get the most benefit if the original is a fairly high resolution. Photos from web sites need not be converted.

If you want to create FlashPix files from a roll of film you have just shot,

Check out Philip Greenspun's site for more info:

http://photo.net/photo/publishing-flashpix.html

Anyone else who knows please feel free to chime in.

Martin

-- Martin Rigby (mrigby@iname.com), May 29, 1998.

Coreldraw, which is a vector-based drawing program will import and export from and to flashpix. I just exported a file . Have no software to look at it .

-- Allen Scher (allen_scher@msn.com), June 15, 1998.

I indicated before I had converted a picture to Flashpix format from Coreldraw. Opened it with Explorer which called up Livepix . It seems to work fine. Livepix came to me ( think) with new cable/modem version of Netscape. It appears to do several tricks, retouch etc and to print O.K. Allen

-- Allen Scher (allen_scher@msn.com), June 15, 1998.

There is a free batch conversion utility from LivePicture. I just downloaded it yesterday and tested it today - great utility. Now I can convert all my existing JPG photos to FPX. I save them to JPEG for photopoint.com transmission and other web related use. There is also a stand-alone FPX viewer from Pictureworks.

cheers!

-- Rommel Feria (r.p.feria@ieee.org), April 17, 1999.