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

["Don Dory" <dorysrus@mindspring.com>]

Michael,
Some of your costs are somewhat out of line:
Canon Rebel w/28-90 consumer lens is about $219
Minolta Maxxum 3 with consumer 28-90 $179.

Cost of a roll of 35mm film easily available in multipacks at about 4
rolls for $5.99 for 200 ISO (Fuji Superia)

Processing at Costco for a roll is about $4.99 if you wait a day.

Comparing apples to apples, a nice P&S with a 35-115 or so lens runs
about $100.

As for the casual user, the film model is fairly reliable and will
provide decent results.  Acceptable results can be obtained when the
photographer uses massively poor judgement using the flash at 500 yards
at a sports match.  One common failure is when the subject is massively
backlit.  The photographer can obtain decent 8X10's and can crop down to
Jr out in the yard someplace playing with Woof.

Now on the digital front a decent 2MB camera is going for $179 to $200.
Add some rechargeable batteries for another $15, a memory card for
$30-50.

With digital, the severe underexposure syndrome mentioned above results
in no image.  If the camera sits on the shelf for two months the battery
will be dead so no random shots.  Then there is white balance issues
that are almost impossible to fix later.  Without PS skills the 2MP will
top out at 5X7 and forget cropping in on Jr. who is out in the yard.

Remember, we are talking about Mr. and Mrs. Citizen who don't give a
twit about photography.  All they want is an appliance that sits quietly
on the shelf and creates images when called upon: no thought or input on
their part.  Currently, a SUC provides the best value for most people as
you can buy a lens with 27 images for $3.99 and within the limits of the
design creates very nice snaps.

Don
dorysrus@mindspring.com

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us] On Behalf Of Michael E.
Berube
Sent: Thursday, March 04, 2004 8:20 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Anyone want to help me spend some money on a
digital darkroom?

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. 
Carpe Luminem,
Michael Eric Berube
GoodPhotos.com

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