Re: [Leica] Re: Anyone want to help me spend some money on a digital darkroom?

[John Collier <jbcollier@shaw.ca>]

You are comparing digital P&S with film SLRs. If they would be happy 
with a $200 digital, then a $100 to $150 film camera should be fine. I 
am often rendered speechless by the number of photos that the great 
unwashed consider keepers. Far more than reason and clear sight should 
lead one to suspect and far more than 4 per roll. Also a simple flat 
bed scanner can have them online in no time and very inexpensively too 
I might add.

John Collier

On Mar 4, 2004, at 6:20 PM, Michael E. Berube wrote:

> On Thu, 4 Mar 2004 12:52:11 -0800 (PST), John Collier quoth unto the 
> boundless Ether...
>> This whole exercise goes a long way to illustrate just how expensive
>> digital is. For the average family that shoots under twenty rolls a
>> year, film makes much more economic sense. I can see how the reduced
>> film and processing costs can save a bundle for pros but the case is
>> less clear for amateurs -- depending on how much they shoot and the
>> type of desired image output.
>
> I respectfully disagree. Digital makes more sense for the infrequent 
> happy snapper as much as the working pro. It only doesn't make sense 
> for the advanced hobbiest who really enjoys his own darkroom work. 
> Here is why it works for happy snappers:
>
> Film option:
> Cost of a Nikon N55 or Canon Rebel K2 ~$300.
> Cost of a roll of 24 exp print film ~$4.99
> D&P for one 24 exp roll at 4X6 ~$10
> Of the 24 exposures printed, the average amateur MAY like 4 prints. 
> MAYBE.
> That's $3.75 per RA4 print. 98% NEVER print larger than 4X6.
>
> Digital option.
> Cost of Nikon Coolpix 2100 or Canon Powershot A60 ~$199
> Cost to print from a Fuji Aladdin kiosk attached to a Frontier 
> directly from the CF Card ~$0.50 per print. (in some places ~$0.29 per 
> print.)
> Burn all the images to "digital negatives" on a CDR ~$6.00
>
> Every print is previewed in camera and again at the kiosk before any 
> money has to be spent on it. Even if the client drops of the card to 
> have it completely printed (1-4X6 each) they should have culled the 
> bad from the good before hand. Add to that the ability to upload the 
> images and share them without printing (if one even has a computer) 
> and not having to worry about Xrays nuking your vacation snaps before 
> you get to see them, you get that much better value.
>
> Cost to benefit for the amateur is in total favour of digital.

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