Digital BW, The Print

I am a photographer in Perth Western Australia. I  am a medium format 
user using traditional Printing methods in my Portrait studio. Nearly 
everyone in Perth, if they are using digital files, will output to 
Pegasus or Lamda. Practically no-one that I know of actually sells 
portrait work on inkjet to the general public.

Our sessions typically last a half day. The negatives are printed 
onto slides for the client to order from. (slide sessions are a pain)

A typical print order from a client would be 7-10 8x10's and between 
1-4 larger prints ranging from 16x20" to 20x30". The larger ones I 
vacuum glue onto textured acid free rag mattes that I import. The 
texture carries through the resin coated paper.

So my questions are -

Has anyone here made the switch, not for expo stuff, but to sell to 
the general public portrait or wedding?

How do the 8x10's manage reasonable handling without protection. 

Is the process of inkjet printing, scanning etc. very time consuming 
as compared to traditional methods.

Is the only difference between the 7000 & 7500 epson that the 7500 
can use epson pigmented inks.

Ideally I would like to shoot digital, but the medium format digital 
backs for hasselblad are a bit pricey here ($50,000 by the time you 
upgrade the blad) and the next step down is to 35mm maybe a Nikon d1X 
(I think) but I can't see the subjects expression big enough through 
the viewfinder. I need to see exactly what the eyes are doing so that 
I can choose the moment to click. This was a big dissappointment when 
trying 35mm digital for portrait. Subject expression is everything  
in my stuff.

I am really trying to avoid having to scan film (the time factor)

Anyway, anyone who has been through a similar transition, your 
thoughts will be appreciated. 

As a new member, I am not putting much back into this, as I am but a 
babe in the woods in this field, but will do so when I know more.

Yours truly

Garry Sarre

www.sarre.com.au