Yes. Copyright ownership is not about owning the original prints (digital or chemical). Copyright ownership is about authorship. Copyright in photographs is owned by the photographer (photograph author), at least initially. The ownership of the copyright in the photographs can only be transferred with a signed written instrument conveying ownership of the copyright. Copyright ownership is not conveyed by selling a computer containing the original prints or even buying the prints.
An Andy Warhol work may be sold to the Museum of Metropolitan Art, but that would not give MoMA the right to make prints of the Andy Warhol work. Andy Worhol (or whomever owns the copyright now) would need to sign over the copyright in the work. Or, when your wedding photographer sells you photos of your wedding, that does not give you the right to make copies of the photos unless they also assign the copyright.
You may be able to sell the original picture files to People or the National Enquirer or whomever without infringing any copyrights, but if you cannot prove you came by the photographs lawfully, you may not want to do that either.
Good Luck,
Todd
Answered on Dec 18th, 2013 at 8:07 AM