Build an instant camera

[hermitjohn]

My 95 year old aunt wanted a pic of me. She has no computer or other electronics that could display a digital image. So I been looking at options.

I am so not impressed with commercial solutions designed more to extract consumer dollars than an easy cheap solution. They also age out quickly with drivers not updated. And their proprietary paper and ink disappears from market, making printer useless. Both intended no doubt to cynically encourage consumers to upgrade to a newer model.

Found this cute alternative using a cheap common thermal paper POS receipt printer. learn.adafruit.com/instant-camera-using-raspberry-pi-and-thermal-printer?view=all

Hey its monochrome and small and not particularly high resolution. But it is about cheapest alternative I have seen. There are some linux CUPS drivers for these POS printers so you really dont need a raspberry pi to print pic with one of these.

My ancient monochrome laser printer has higher resolution, but I know from experience it doesnt do photos very well. Though could be its interpretation of photo. It does highly detailed drawings very well. So perhaps I need to somehow convert photo to the equivalent of a drawing???

[Cabin Fever]

This ain't rocket surgery.

Just upload your digital photo to a local Walmart or Walgreens. Then, have a 6 x 8 photo printed for 26¢ and mail it to her.

[hermitjohn]

So you walk into a Walmart with a thumbdrive containing a digital pic and they will make one hard copy print for 26 cents? No waiting? No minimum order? No extra fees? Just a flat 26 cents? What is it, some sort of vending machine? Even at warm body minimum wage, wouldnt think it would be worth employee's pay to do this.

[hermitjohn]

By way what ever happened to those vending machines where you inserted your quarters , stepped behind the curtain and got a pic. Havent seen those in very long time.

[Cabin Fever]

Dec 30, 2017 18:56:34 GMT hermitjohn said:

So you walk into a Walmart with a thumbdrive containing a digital pic and they will make one hard copy print for 26 cents? No waiting? No minimum order? No extra fees? Just a flat 26 cents? What is it, some sort of vending machine? Even at warm body minimum wage, wouldnt think it would be worth employee's pay to do this.

You could do that, but I am not sure what the price would be.

What I am suggesting is that you upload your photo(s) from your computer to Walmart photo. 

After you upload the photo(s), you can edit them, select the size of print you want, and select which WalMart you want the photos printed at.

Then, after one hour later, go pick up the photos and mail them to granny.

[Cabin Fever]

Dec 30, 2017 18:59:07 GMT hermitjohn said:

By way what ever happened to those vending machines where you inserted your quarters , stepped behind the curtain and got a pic. Havent seen those in very long time.

The last two of those booths that I;ve seen where at wedding receptions. The attendees could use it for free.

[hermitjohn]

Dec 30, 2017 19:38:21 GMT Cabin Fever said:

Dec 30, 2017 18:56:34 GMT hermitjohn said:

So you walk into a Walmart with a thumbdrive containing a digital pic and they will make one hard copy print for 26 cents? No waiting? No minimum order? No extra fees? Just a flat 26 cents? What is it, some sort of vending machine? Even at warm body minimum wage, wouldnt think it would be worth employee's pay to do this.

You could do that, but I am not sure what the price would be.

What I am suggesting is that you upload your photo(s) from your computer to Walmart photo. 

After you upload the photo(s), you can edit them, select the size of print you want, and select which WalMart you want the photos printed at.

Then, after one hour later, go pick up the photos and mail them to granny.

Last remaining auntie actually. My grannies died in the 70s. Though guess her kids had kids so she is somebody's granny. Actually she is probably somebody's great grannie at this point... I didnt really pay attention to my cousins progeny.

Walmart says they ship but dont give a price until you actually jump hoops of uploading pics. Too much hassle, as is special trip to their store unless I need something else there and most months I dont. Amazon is upfront. They say snapshot prints are 9cents and if you arent an Amazon Prime member there is a $4 shipping fee if total photo order is less than $15. If you are Prime member, apparently you can order one 9cent print and they ship it free. There was another place offering up to 1000 prints free per year (so many per month) but you pay shipping of somewhere between $1.99 and $9.99. They dont specify the cut off on shipping so assume one print and you live next door to them, its $1.99 shipping, more than one or farther away, its $9.99.... Always a con involved someplace on bargain deals.

[shin]

Fascinating custom camera there. Reminds me of taking photos with the sun and that blue paper.

Yeah the custom photo places often have really cheap photos during sales, I think they want to get you into the system so you keep coming back and become a regular.

If I recall correctly Paint.Net has a free 'artist' effect that simulates drawing with pencil.

[hermitjohn]

I found three or four free online places that do the photo to drawing thing. I actually liked couple of the effects quite a bit. But when I printed them, actually the best was a regular shot I used one of those places to just convert to black and white. Not sure what it did that the software on my computer didnt, but it printed out pretty clear.

I mostly use my old printer for printing text and forms. But the photos really show that it needs new toner cartridge and maybe new drum. Meaning streaks. Photos arent big deal, so probably wait to replace stuff until it doesnt do text and forms well.

Still fascinating that the POS thermal paper printers can print out photos. I snag one really cheap sometime, might be fun to play with it. There are some set up with bluetooth and rechargable battery and market themselves as portable printer for your smartphone. But they are still just a POS thermal printer intended to print receipts.

Much as I like to tinker, probably just as well to pay Amazon the $4 and not have to deal with stores and such. Its a one time thing, only reason thinking about this is my Aunt doesnt have electronics. Otherwise simple to just email a pic or send it burned to cdr.

[Cabin Fever]

John, there are a couple ways you can have your photo(s) delivered to your aunt.

1. Have Walmart mail the photo directly to your aunt for $1.75 (and for some reason the printing cost when down to 9¢) I tried using 5 photos and the mailing cost stayed the same.

2. Have Walmart print the photos at a store near to where your aunt lives and she or someone else can pick them up for free.

[roadking]

I have done the WalMart thing both via upload and in person (you manually load the thumb drive into the computer and pic the pics you want).

Now, local grocery store has the same setup and same cost, but is only 3.5 miles away, not 20. Price for 4x6 is $0.26