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[OM] Re: Confession time...

Subject: [OM] Re: Confession time...
From: AG Schnozz <agschnozz@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2005 10:49:02 -0700 (PDT)
> Not questioning your facts but I'm curious what the costs
> you're seeing are? I was under the (perhaps incorrect)
> impression that the big cost would be film and processing so
> with that removed I'd expect your costs to drop. But then
> again, that's the marketing message so I
> imagine there's a lot more to the story.

My wedding packages include a proof book. The LOWEST cost per
print I've ever had for quality proofs from film were $0.50
each.  With digital, these costs can be as low as $0.20 if I do
multiples on an 8.5x11 page through my own printer using bulk
ink.  Where I shot 250 for the average wedding with a total
film/processing/proof cost of $1.25 per shot, my digital costs
are now around $0.20 per shot for about 400 shots. Not including
CD-ROM storage.  Rounding up and including a proof book, my hard
costs per wedding are $100 with digital compared to $300 for the
film based wedding.

Now, let's talk other costs.

I'm spending $1500 per year on camera equipment
upgrades/purchases. See how I'm a tightwad?  That won't even buy
a backup 20D with kit lens to a 1Dm2.  A film-based photographer
utilizing high-end medium-format gear would average $500-1000
per year over the life of the equipment--including the
maintenance/repair costs. My average since 1986 as been about
$200 per year.  What about computer upgrades? I'm still using an
ancient Windows 98SE, 550mhz computer.  Most pros are spending
thousands per year on new computers, storage, monitors, printers
and even more storage.  If you divide those costs by the number
of jobs, you get a better picture of what your average cost per
job really is.

A full-time pro is able to amortize his costs over more jobs
which does lower the cost-per down quite a bit. Also, if you can
puchase equipment right after product release and upgrade
immediately to the next new product and sell the "old" camera
the hit isn't overly bad. For instance, a 1DS cost $8000 new and
now with the 1DSM2 on the market for the same price, the used
1DS is selling used for $4500-6000.  If the photographer had the
camera for 18 months and sold it for $5000 his cost for the
camera is $3000 divided by the number of jobs during that
interval. If he did 60 jobs during this time where the
film/processing costs were truely realized (you won't see it on
most portrait sessions where hard costs are almost a wash), his
cost of shooting the 1DS per job is about $50.  That's a
cost-per shutter-click of maybe $0.20. (average of 250 images
per job)

And that's JUST one camera body.  We're not talking lenses,
flash units, backup cameras or the $200 per upgrade to Photoshop
and the new $2000 computer you need to run it on.

The advantages of shooting digital are real, but the cost
savings are just a dream.

AG-cost accounting-Schnozz

p.s. Since I bought the E-1/14-54 I've shot around 4500
money-earning images with it.  $1200 divided by 4500 is $0.27
per image.  Same period of time, I've spent $100 on a flash,
$100 on storage, $100 on software and $500 on darkroom and
printer supplies. That's another $0.18 per image.  So, my
tightwad ways have yielded a $0.45 per image average since
March.  We won't talk about my film based habit where my
equipment costs averaged less than $0.04 per shot.

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