On 11 Nov 2003, at 17:41, jonathan keenan wrote:
How much pro stuff is shot on MF/5x4 digital backs simply to convince the client it's worth all that money and to polish the photographers ego?
(Present company excepted.)
Jonathan
If I may wade in with my personal view ( so the list mom can't tell me off), being a 10D and Sinar 54 owner. I think you will find its more about control than speed. A shot on a 10D will not look like a shot on a hi end camera - in most cases. The hi end superior quality means I can make it look like any film stock I like, I can even make it look like its been shot on a 10D. In most cases I can't make a file from a 10D look like the ultimate quality file from a hi end system. Don't get me wrong I like the 10D, I find the quality of the pictures very much like film. But these days if client mentions the 'F' word to me I usually reply how quaint (sorry to all those people still scanning). Haven't shot film on a job for about three years. I digress a little.
As to convincing the client its worth the extra money. I'd have to say yes. Its not about ego, its about quality control and a fair price for a fair job. To a lot of clients digital means cheap, no film cost and quick. Costs go down, we all make less money, our craft is cheapened even more. And I'm sure most right thinking people who subscribe to this list would consider this a bad thing. The free market economy is ok but we all want to make a decent living. And lets face the fact that the costs of prosumer cameras have come down considerably in the last few years - more pixels for your pennies.
You used the term ego, I'd like to use the term craft. Craft because I believe what we do as professional photographers should be viewed as a craft not art. Art is about one offs as far as I'm concerned. Imagine art is a good dinner party cook, craft is about being a great chef. A great chef usually starts with good ingredients. The difference say between motorway cafe and Michelin star. You can pay motorway prices (not always cheap) and get motorway food.(note; for all those prodiggers around the world - motorway food is NOT a subject for further discussion on this list...But for all you out there who really must know, you don't drive down a motorway here looking for that exquisite little hostelry for that first meal break of the day:-)
One other point I have noticed, as well, there seems to be lots of prosumer cameras out there using sharpening in the blue channel. In photoshop this can be used to your advantage, I feel a number of camera makers already use it to their own advantage. A bit like those film scanners that have sharpening hidden in the software (sorry again to all you scanner people out there).
I feel your mail will spark some lively debate, I await expectedly to hear from all those other people on the list who will take time out from buffing up their egos and put finger to keypad :-)
kindest
Christopher Gonta [EMAIL PROTECTED]
PS. to all those people with scanners, please don't hunt me down like the worthless dog that I am:-)
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