Digital BW, The Print

Tom Baker wrote:
> Using a good view camera is a real joy.  And a 1Ds setup may weigh as much, or more than the light 4x5's.  However, for traveling where you can't easily handle film processing, digital really shines.
>  

However digital has another problem, which can be even greater.  I can 
always take unprocessed, but exposed film, and ship it home.  Couriers 
all over the world can handle this, especially if the box is marked, in 
the official language of the country your shipping from, as exposed 
photographic film, and to not open the film box, except under light free 
conditions.   Declare it using the proper customs forms, and send via 
courier or express mail (with a tracking number).  It's also not hard to 
take a 5x7 colour paper processing tube, and pick up some chemistries, 
load the tube in a changing bag, and process as you go, in country, then 
ship the negatives home.

With digital you need to either have a computer, or one of those 
download-to-CD machines with you, or you need to carry a lot of memory 
cards.  Then you need power, while North Americans enjoy relatively 
clean, trouble free power and Western Europe is just as good.  In many 
other countries, power that varies wildly in quality and quantity, can 
be considered good, because it's better then nothing at all, which is 
what they get most of the time.  Fine for lights, okay for a hair-dryer 
or an electric shaver, but not for a computer or digital camera.

W