This trip was preceded by a spending spree on a digital camera, a Canon A70 with a 16MB and 256MB memory cards. Decided not to take my laptop with us to download memory card as I had planned to use the Walmart service.
After the first couple of days the camera was nearly full (175) so headed off to Walmart to download. No problems, took a few minutes to order the CD and select a few prints. The CD and four 4X6 prints came to about $4.50. I didn't delete the card until I had picked up the CD and checked the prints were OK. All fine and dandy.
A couple of days later another download required, this time 215, so needed to be on 2 CD's(they only take 200 prints a CD). Selected a couple of sample prints and ordered an 8X10 of Charlotte with Cinderella, a beautiful photo if I do say so myself. Again, I didn't delete the memory card, just in case. My caution was rewarded upon picking up the prints, they hadn't been printed, there was only 1 CD with half the prints missing and the 8X10 hadn't had the red eye corrected. After repeated attempts to retransfer the card (the Walmart PC was not responding to transfers - a common error apparently) I gave up and requested a refund from customer service, intending to get the 8X10 reprint from Jessops when we got home. Off to Eckerds instead, I waited whilst the prints were transfered and then checked the CD myself to ensure all 215 prints were there. All OK so deleted the memory card and went away happy.
This is where I made my BIG MISTAKE. After getting home I transferred all the CD's to the laptop and started sorting the prints, this is when I discovered that Eckerds had saved my 1.5MB pictures as heavily compressed 256k versions. I have doubts that I will be able to make decent 8X10's from these smaller files.
Further trips to Walmart resulted in the prints being transferred correctly as ordered.
My advice would therefore be
1. Take 2 memory cards of sufficient size to hold enough prints for 2 days out, to allow for delays in transferring
2. ALWAYS check the CD for completeness and format before deleting the memory card
3. If you want specific prints to be of the best quality then use the Kodak print station in Walmart and edit/crop/enchance the print yourself before transferring to be processed. The staff in Walmart are very efficient but not technical enough to solve every problem you may have.
Luckily I didn't lose and prints, which would have been heartbreaking, so no real harm done.
After the first couple of days the camera was nearly full (175) so headed off to Walmart to download. No problems, took a few minutes to order the CD and select a few prints. The CD and four 4X6 prints came to about $4.50. I didn't delete the card until I had picked up the CD and checked the prints were OK. All fine and dandy.
A couple of days later another download required, this time 215, so needed to be on 2 CD's(they only take 200 prints a CD). Selected a couple of sample prints and ordered an 8X10 of Charlotte with Cinderella, a beautiful photo if I do say so myself. Again, I didn't delete the memory card, just in case. My caution was rewarded upon picking up the prints, they hadn't been printed, there was only 1 CD with half the prints missing and the 8X10 hadn't had the red eye corrected. After repeated attempts to retransfer the card (the Walmart PC was not responding to transfers - a common error apparently) I gave up and requested a refund from customer service, intending to get the 8X10 reprint from Jessops when we got home. Off to Eckerds instead, I waited whilst the prints were transfered and then checked the CD myself to ensure all 215 prints were there. All OK so deleted the memory card and went away happy.
This is where I made my BIG MISTAKE. After getting home I transferred all the CD's to the laptop and started sorting the prints, this is when I discovered that Eckerds had saved my 1.5MB pictures as heavily compressed 256k versions. I have doubts that I will be able to make decent 8X10's from these smaller files.
Further trips to Walmart resulted in the prints being transferred correctly as ordered.
My advice would therefore be
1. Take 2 memory cards of sufficient size to hold enough prints for 2 days out, to allow for delays in transferring
2. ALWAYS check the CD for completeness and format before deleting the memory card
3. If you want specific prints to be of the best quality then use the Kodak print station in Walmart and edit/crop/enchance the print yourself before transferring to be processed. The staff in Walmart are very efficient but not technical enough to solve every problem you may have.
Luckily I didn't lose and prints, which would have been heartbreaking, so no real harm done.
