This is a very interesting thread - and very relevant to myself. I am currently in a bit of a quandry wondering what direction to take. I was HANGING out for the D-ist to arrive here in Oz, but then couldn't bring myself to part the the $3k to buy one. I was wanting to hang onto my $$ to go towards a new studio set up.
Now, I am at a crossroads again - I have a HUGE project about to commence - a 12 month calendar for SIDS Australia, that will go national in 2005 and be available at the likes of K-Mart, Target, all newsagents and Angerson Robertson Bookworld. It will be in conjunction with their Red Nose Day Promotions. Anyways, I can see the obvious benefit in me being able to shoot digital in this instance, so that really goes without saying. My query is though, to you wedding and portrait photographers. I am still shooting exclusively film, and scanning and converting my files digitally with Photoshop. I actually like this method as it effectively means that I have a 2-in-1 backup ie the digital files PLUS film. It is however, very time consuming, and I am really trying to come up with sure fire way of doing things, if I do "take the plunge" to the D-ist. My main stumbling block is the fact that I am in the country and country people tend to like things "on paper". Most turn their nose up in disgust at the idea of photographs being on a cd-rom. (OTOH, all of my Brisbane clients are pretty much requesting JUST to have everything on CD!) Only approx. 70% of the population even have computers, with waaaaaaay less having internet or email capabilities. Currently, I sell my portrait/wedding packages on a "per roll" basis, with all proofs being "usable" 5x7s that the client gets to keep. I have a personal aversion to daylight robbery, and find that this way gives my clients the best value for their money. So how do you guys who are shooting digital go about it? I mean, alot of my clients won't be able to access my web galleries or even have their proofs emailed to them. Many of them live way out of town and would probably be extremely intimidated if a cd arrived in the mail. The cost of having digital files printed in QLD still exceeds even 5x7 inch film proofs... Also, my nearest photolab is 3 hours away and currently I send EVERYTHING away, which to a very impatient woman, is an absolute nightmare. Digital, in this instance, would be absolute bliss. Ok, so sorry, as you who remember me will know, I tend to "think out loud" and often digress, but I am sure that most of you will get the gist of what I am asking here. All thoughts and suggestions most appreciated! tan.x. ----- Original Message ----- From: "graywolf" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2003 11:55 PM Subject: Re: An observation re Pentax for sale > While most of the news photogs have gone that way. And most of the high-end big > city commercial photogs (though I don't think those guys are using 6mp DSLR's). > I doubt that most of the commercial photogs in smaller towns, nor very many > portrait photographers have gone fully digital as yet. Even though there are > real economic advantages for a pro to do so. I have to admit however that I have > not done a survey on this. > > I would bet however that most of the used medium format you are seeing on the > market is not being dumped by pros but by amateurs like us here on the list who > can not afford to keep both systems. > > -- > > William Robb wrote: > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Lasse Karlsson" > > Subject: An observation re Pentax for sale > > > > > > > >>I noticed an unusually high number of Pentax 67 and 645 items for sale on > > > > a Swedish second hand online store yesterday. > > > >>Is this a sign of the times? > >>And in that case, what does the sign tell us? > > > > > > It means that the pro boys are figuring out that 6mp digital cameras are > > equal to the task that they have been using medium format for up to now. > > The signs tell us that the demise of film is probably closer than most of > > the people on this list are comfortable with. > > > > William Robb > > > > > > -- > graywolf > http://graywolfphoto.com > > "You might as well accept people as they are, > you are not going to be able to change them anyway." > >
