In my book, Apertures currently counts as costing an arm and a leg. It cost me $5/negative frame + $6/CD for the two high-res scans. EIGHT DOLLARS per image. Add on the cost of the film, processing, and initial low res scanning, and the cost per high res image piles up to almost $10. Simply crazy unless I’ve already sold the print.
I’m all about supporting local business, especially art-related business. But at this rate I can’t afford to shoot much film, especially when the revenue-generating dept of my business is currently called “wedding photography”.
short-term plan:
Send a few rolls to Miller’s Imaging in Kansas (one of the largest labs in the world) for processing/scanning. They’re a little bit cheaper and I’m curious to compare the results to Apertures.
medium-term plan:
1: Get a scanner. I’m thinking about the Epson V750. Not a film scanner but in the ballpark. I would not consider this scanner to be good enough for great 35mm scanning, but we’re talking about 6x7 negatives here. Maybe it doesn’t have to be that good.
2: Get black and white processing equipment. This stuff is super cheap right now. I mean almost free-cheap. The cost isn’t really what’s holding me back on this one. It’s more of a time and learning curve thing. I’ve never done any real darkroom work before. It’s a little intimidating. But my wife is going to take a film photography class next semester. She will be able to process my film then (if she enjoys it, that is). Of course this means using the camera for mostly black-and-white photography. I’ve grown more in love with color in the last couple of years but I deep-down never really stopped loving black and white. Maybe the cost savings from black and white processing at home will help subsidize sending color rolls to the lab.
medium-long term plan:
Get a nice inkjet printer and really learn printing and color management. If I ever get to selling enough prints, that is. It would have to be a high enough volume to justify obviously.
long -term plan:
Get a digital back for the RZ67 (and a new computer to handle the giant files that will ensue). Right now these cost as much as a nice car. But in a few years surely not. My hope is that a real, full 6x7 back will come to the market. I realize this is quite possibly a pipe dream. If so I may say goodbye to 6x7 and just start shooting digital 6x6 or 645. Who knows.
