Is Digital Photography Expensive?
Cost is a huge consideration in this hobby/profession. Digital photography is just
like driving—a Mercedes CL500 does exactly what a new Hyundai does. Both travel
at highway speeds, have heat and air conditioning, and include seat belts. However,
one costs $80,000 U.S.—the other can be had for around $8,000 U.S.
Digital photography is very much the same. You can buy a two-megapixel camera
on eBay for under $100, a closeout Epson printer for $150, and glossy photo paper
at the local warehouse club for $25. Or, you can go the high-ticket route by spend-
ing $3,000 on a Canon, $1,800 on a wide-format HP printer, and buy only the finest
Galerie paper from Ilford (approximately $5 per print). Which raises the question....Is Traditional Photography Really Less Expensive?
Film technology, which has been perfected over the past 100 years, is being overrun
by a technology that has only been around for 5 years. Usually a new technology
overtakes a more traditional technology for one of two reasons: cost or convenience.
Digital is not necessarily less expensive, but is more convenient.
Traditional photography is in many ways less expensive than digital photography.
Suppose you are about to take your first photography class and you need all the
equipment. You have nothing required for the class, and you need to spend as little
as possible. Table 1.1 illustrates how much this equipment would cost.Table 1.1 Entry Costs for Digital Versus Film Photography
Ty pe of Camera
Photography (35mm) Film Developing Prints Total
Film (Developed Used Pentax 10 rolls Developing Photo paper, $
& printed by K1000 with used color film chemicals ($10),100 sheets 8× 10
yourself) zoom lens ($150) from drug used enlarger ($40), and
store ($20) kit trays chemicals
($100–$110) ($20–$60)
Film (Store- Used Pentax 10 rolls 10 rolls Prints included $
developed with used zoom color film developed and in developing
& printed) lens ($100) from drug- printed at the ($0)
store ($20) drugstore ($50)
Digital (Print eBay 2-megapixel 128MB CF Used computer Printer ($100) $
yourself) camera ($100) or SD card and new and 100 sheets
($30) and flash media of photo paper
batteries adapter ($25) and ink
($12–$42) ($500) ($50–$175)CHAPTER 1 QUICKSTART TO DIGITAL: PIX TO PRINT IN SECONDS 7