When you think of quality photographs, you automatically think of digital SLR cameras. And while their quality is unsurpassed, that doesn't mean they're the right fit for your ID card solution.
Sure, you can use a high-quality digital camera easily found anywhere on the market today. But you'll spend too much time trying to make the picture fit into your ID card design software. Here's why.
The difference is in the technology
ID card cameras use TWAIN technology, which sounds confusing but really isn't. It allows you to take a photo of your subject that's inserted directly into your ID card software program.
Consider if you had a digital SLR camera. How do you get that picture from the camera to the design you set up in your ID card software program?
Well, first, you need to download the photo onto some media that you can then upload it to your computer. Once you've uploaded and saved the photo on your computer, you need to edit it to fit in your ID card design. Then you save it again and finally upload it into your ID card software program and fiddle with it more to make it fit.
Eventually, you have a headshot of your employee for their ID card or badge.
TWAIN drivers connect your ID card camera directly to your software. In fact, you see a live shot of your subject in your software program. And when you take the picture, it's automatically placed in your ID card software program. There is no downloading, editing, and uploading involved.
ID card cameras using TWAIN technology take quite a few steps out of your photographing process. With a TWAIN enabled ID card camera, you point and click and your photo is automatically cropped to fit in your card design software. What could be simpler than that?
High quality photographs
You won't sacrifice quality for the ease of use you get with ID card cameras. You'll still get stunning photos of the highest quality; you just won't need the extra steps to process them into your ID card software program.
Just like with digital SLR cameras, you can choose between a range of qualities. If superior images are important, there are digital ID card cameras that provide it. If superior quality isn't much of a factor, you can choose a web camera that still inserts pictures directly into your ID card software program.
Portability
Will you be traveling between locations to take pictures of new employees for ID cards and badges? If so, a standard webcam won't work. They're stationary, meaning you can't transport them when and where you need to take pictures.
If portability is a consideration, look for an ID card camera that lets you be mobile but still offers TWAIN compatibility. These cameras let you transport your laptop and camera to various locations while still taking advantage of the TWAIN functionality that inserts pictures directly into your software.
Lighting
Another consideration is the lighting available when and where you take pictures. If you have a single location for your employee ID photos, you can usually control the lighting which makes it easier to take quality photographs. But if you're moving from location to location, invest in an ID card camera with a flash.
ID cameras with TWAIN compatibility still come in a compact design and feature both high resolution and a synchronized USB-powered LED flash. This helps you take pictures with standard lighting you control regardless of where and when you're snapping them.
Final thoughts
If you've been using a digital SLR camera and downloading, editing, and exporting pictures, you don't know what you're missing. An ID card camera with TWAIN technology lets you see the picture in your ID card software program. It's a live link from the camera to the software program, so you know exactly what each picture will look like printed out on your ID cards.
And thanks to TWAIN technology, you avoid the lengthy process of getting an edited picture from your camera to your computer. In fact, an ID card camera lets you basically point and click. It's that simple.
Call an ID Expert at Idesco today at 212-889-2530 to discuss the many options you have with TWAIN enabled ID cameras. Regardless of how many ID photo cards you print a year, you can save significant time with an ID card camera. Streamlining operations like employee photo ID processing saves your company money that adds up over the long-run. And anyone can get on board with that.