Digital BW, The Print

Steve Kale wrote:
> You can't possibly be serious!  A courier can carry a DVD, memory card or
> other storage device.  Camera power is an identical issue for both digital
> and analogue cameras.  Digital storage devices don't necessarily need power
> - some do some don't - your choice.  As for processing on the road, digital
> is way ahead - ask ANY photographer who deals in time sensitive imagery.
> 

Show me a digital storage device that doesn't need some kind of power 
source, either plugin or battery?  If it uses a standard AA or AAA 
battery, those should be easily obtained anywhere, however, how common 
do you think a CX-762 battery is in rural Bolivia?  As for film cameras, 
I do not know of any 4x5 view camera that needs any kind of battery. 
Hand held meter, with a dead battery, there is always Sunny-16!

W

>
>>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.
>>