Universal Photographic Digital Imaging Guidelines

[gr82bart]

http://www.updig.org/

This site is the consortium of professional and industry organizations (ASMP, CAPIC, SAA, etc...) that have put together a guide around terminology, workflow, delivery, etc... of digital images. Very interesting read.

One excerpt from the work in progress files of the ASMP reads as follows:

Why Does Digital Cost More than Film?

Digital Photography has brought a whole new set of opportunities to the world of publication photography, but it has not come cheap. A digital-savvy film photographer will spend at least $10,000 to convert to digital capture. If you're not already in a digital workflow, count on $20,000. Much of that investment will have fully depreciated and need to be replaced within 18 months.

Additionally, the investment in education and retooling of workflow takes thousands of hours per year. Photographers need to become adept at using new software, implementing color management, and maintaining digital archives, among other disciplines.

Regards, Art.

[boku]

Digital Photography has brought a whole new set of opportunities to the world of publication photography, but it has not come cheap. A digital-savvy film photographer will spend at least $10,000 to convert to digital capture. If you're not already in a digital workflow, count on $20,000. Much of that investment will have fully depreciated and need to be replaced within 18 months.

What - are they trying to get digital converts or turn them away?

These values a rather arbitrary. I'm in WAY DEEP. To my mind these values are excessive unless one is going MF.

[gr82bart]

What - are they trying to get digital converts or turn them away?

I don't think it was intended to do either, just to inform.

These values a rather arbitrary. I'm in WAY DEEP. To my mind these values are excessive unless one is going MF.

So am I. I don't think these number apply to MF. A medium format back alone will set one back $20-45k depending on which one. Since I invested in digital a few years ago, I have spent:

Computer dedicated to photography - $1800
Monitor dedicated to computer dedicated to photography - $1000
Tablet for editing - $500
Photoshop (actually Creative Suite) and 2 upgrades since - $1700
Calibration software and hardware - $1500
Cheap flatbed scanner - $600
Film scanner 35 and 120 film - $1700 <--when I decided the flatbed wasn't good enough
Premium inkjet printer - $600
Paper and lots of ink cartridges - $2500 (at least)
Nikon D2X and several accessories - $5500
17-55mm f2.8 ED-ID AF-S DX lens - $1200
Media cards - $1000
Photoshop courses and books - $1000

It all adds up, when I look back. A little bit here, a little there, oh look at that shiny new toy! Plus I still shoot a lot of film - both 35mm and medium format. It's an expensive hobby.

And I haven't even listed the hours I have spent in PS. Oiy!  

I could have gotten a cheaper computer - $1000, cheaper monitor - $300, no tablet, stolen Photoshop (that is copied it and gotten a key illegally - no one does that right?), a Fuji S3 - $1300, Tamron 17-35 ASPH LD lens - $600, less media cards - $200, etc... but I didn't. It still would have been about $5000 minimum.

Regards, Art.