Film for Polaroid cameras has become a thing of the past, and the San Quentin visiting room is now using digital cameras and color photo printers.
The digital age has delivered crisper images and larger photos. “It takes a little longer,” says visiting room Officer P. McNabb, “but is worth the wait.”
The Men’s Advisory Counsel worked with the San Quentin administration to bring about the new system.
All three visiting room areas are equipped with their own cameras and printers. The digital cameras arrived in the visiting room in November. Other than a change in cameras, everything else remains the same; photo ducats are still purchased through the prison canteen for the same price.
McNabb explained that two pictures are taken and then the cameraman offers a choice of which one to print. The camera is brought over to the small color printer at intervals, and in approximately 20 minutes the photos are delivered. McNabb also said that since the arrival of the new camera the number of photos being printed has doubled in the North Block visiting room.
Condemned Row Visiting Officer M. Bock says that taking photos for the condemned has greatly improved. Aiming the digital camera through the access port of the visiting enclosures is very easy with the camera’s large viewing screen.
Photos have the option of being printed with the date on them. Future developments being worked on are finding a way to allow visitors to pay for the photos and, when requested, the placement of the digital photos on the internet. Visiting Room Lt. K. Evans said that most other prisons in CDCR have yet to change over to the digital format and continue to use Polaroid film. So far, everyone interviewed about the new system gave high praise for the quality of the photographs.