Hi Bill, this is rather long - get yourself a stiff drink before you read....
I discombobulated >> Sure, the price point will be important, but to business buyers, >> price is less of an issue. >> Bill replied >I keep hearing this, but my experience in the world of professional >photography is that it is wrong. >There are some pro boys out there who don't need to justify equipment cost, >but they are pretty rare. >Most pros have a harder time justifying equipment purchases than amateurs. Well, I wonder if I am considering the right terminology here. Dictionary.com describes 'justify' as: 1. to show (an act, claim, statement, etc.) to be just or right: 'The end does not always justify the means.' 2. to defend or uphold as warranted or well-grounded: 'Don't try to justify his rudeness.' (amongst others) I'm trying honestly not to be patronising here - in fact I'm sort of doing a bit of soul-searching in my own justifications and processes over the past few months, a but of therapy for myself, so stay with me.... My point is that it's not just about equipment cost - it's about several other things. For example, if you are making a living at something [like photography], then you have choices to make with regard to your equipment outlay based on (in no particular order) cost, reliability, previous experience, recommendation, personal research, access to repair/ servicing, availability, result quality, and I dare say some others that I can't think of at eight-thirty am on a day off work. So as I perceive it, cost is only a small part of the whole justification thing. Necessarily, I can speak from experience here. As I have been putting together my own broadcast TV gear in the setting up of my freelance business, I have had to make many decisions on equipment outlay using the above criteria. I'm not exactly flush with money - there is a balance to make between having enough to live on personally, and having the right tools for the job. However, one or two cases, cost was not considered. This was mainly (but not wholly) because there were no alternatives. Viz: I had to buy a camera. The format I need to use (as defined in a contract I was successful in acquiring) is DVCam which is made by Sony. So I had to buy a Sony camera - and I reasoned that it had to be new instead of used because I needed the support in case it went wrong. Hence where to buy became the most important factor right away. I chose a dealer (broadcast TV dealer for all makes, not just Sony) based on the high recommendation of a couple of well-respected freelancers in the game for a long time. Also because I knew the bloke running the company from years ago, and their reputation is good, with in-house technical repair facilities where appropriate. Once that decision was made, it was a case of one-stop-shop. I researched everything I could and made my equipment choices based on my own experience, and by handling where possible. The camera was pre- determined, but the lens? The practical choice was Canon or Fujinon. I had mixed recommendations, so relied on my own experience with Canon in the past, which was very good. Also, they had a lens in the range I wanted (6mm to 78mm with 2X extender) at a price which was in budget (£4800). I visited a colleague to handle the earlier incarnation of this lens (6.5mm-78mm) and it seemed okay, but it was well-used. Luckily my lens was in better shape new :-) The fact that two other colleagues have since purchased the same lens as an upgrade to their collection made me feel better. Costing therefore was a secondary consideration, as the nearest Fuji example was cheaper by several hundred quid. Other examples: Audio kit: I've always used Sennheiser in the past through gear allocated to me by my previous employer, and it was bulletproof. The obvious choice for my camera would have been Sony, but I stayed with Sennheiser, which was more expensive by about 10%, and more difficult to set up - needed a visit to technos to match frequencies of two existing transmitters I have. Cost here was secondary. Lighting: many makes on the market. I went with Arri and spent £750 on three redheads and stands (2X800w and a 650w fresnel lamp, all tungsten as is standard for a small TV kit). Plenty of competition here, many much cheaper. Arri has a good reputation. Cost, what cost? Ancillaries/others: Tripod was a Sachtler carbon-fibre sticks and 7- stage fluid head. Identical to what I used on staff. This I purchased used (eBay!) at less than half price (£1275) because my budget demanded it. I would much rather go with experience here, and although I might have been able to buy a new Vinten model at only 20% more, now cost was much more of an issue. Here I go with reputation and my own experience, but cost took precedence - so I go used, and will update to new when I can afford it a couple of years down the line. Setting up on-board editing: now we're getting stingy. I'm feeling the pinch. Cost is a major issue, and here's what I need: top of the line laptop, associated control surface/audio mixer, DVCam VTR deck, video and audio monitors, power inverter to run it in the truck, associated bits and bobs. My own personal feeling is that I go Mac, because I know Macs, and if it falls over out on location, I can probably bring it back up without reading a manual, as I would with a PC. However, the TV station uses Avid Newscutter (editing software) on PC, and also some portable PC setups. So journalists who are trained in it could use my setup, making it more saleable. However, I could run Avid DV on Mac (which is very similar) or indeed Newscutter on a Mac booted into Windows (uncharted territory). However, I want to offer my skills as an editor (potentially more money) rather than provide a workstation for hacks, and I use Final Cut Pro which is Mac only. I'll go with the Mac option, as I'm happier with it. So, experience here, cost last. New Mac portable with max RAM and a couple of external hard drives, and a full copy of FCP, so looking at the best part of £4000 or so. I can skimp back on the other things. The mixer is either Mackie or Yamaha, and I chose Yamaha because an audio engineer for a touring band told me Mackie was rubbish (!), but new it's the best part of £1000. So used from an eBayer, half price. Got it, it's great and works well, built like a tank. Pleased. DVCam VTR, choice of three Sony at £1500, £2500, and nearly £4000. The spec I would like is mid to high range, but have to settle for low for now, and again, used from a eBayer for £580. So cost was crucial here, but I did not drop down in quality. I still acquired the reputed best in the field. Okay, enough personal example. I'll be pushing the 10k email limit! How would this translate through to a stills person embarking on setting up a digital stills studio? What justifications do you think that person would use in kit choice? Chances are they already work in such environments, and so will go with similar criteria in personal experience and recommendation. They will make final choices, but I submit to you sir, that cost - where considered - will only be a small part of the justification. I rest my arse, er case. -- Cheers, Cotty ___/\__ || (O) | People, Places, Pastiche ||=====| http://www.cottysnaps.com _____________________________ -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
