IS A PRINT IN THE HAND WORTH A CHEAPER TWO IN THE BUSH?
Here’s a recent surprise, there is once again a Polaroid instant film camera on the market. We have them in stock and I was wondering to what audience do these devices appeal?
Well it is very easy to use, light weight, fun and produces 10 2×3 instant images per film pack. So with digital cameras in just about every household why do we need instant photos? Good question. Needless to say, getting that photo immediately in your hand as in “now” does beat just looking at the image on the back of a camera or screen on your phone. And I suppose if you were on a trip you could leave a copy of the image with someone you were visiting with; or just for the fun of it- pointing, shooting and handing out the prints as we did on a dinner cruise one evening. It is entertainment- like card tricks, magic stunts, playing the ukulele and handing out instant photos- all part of the reason you are in demand at parties. That’s not such a bad reason for having the camera with you, although the cost of those instant images adds up. At about 90 cents there is a cost for the fun convenience and novelty of this “print-in-your-hand”camera. However, for the person who has everything, they need this camera.
That led me to the next thought sequence which is looking at the ways you can make photographs. You can print at home on an HP, Canon or Epson printer. You can go to your local photo lab or CVS, Walgreen or Walmart. You can order online, or you can just “share” the image electronically with friends and family and let them print it since they want it so badly-( I see grandparents here).
Since Arista Camera is similar to Ritz and other camera stores we have an in store lab and believe that our prints are faster, way better and cheaper. Plus you get extras like free CD or second set of prints. In addition at Arista Camera & Imaging we personally view, edit and correct all images to enhance their visual appeal. The online solutions are many such as Shutterfly, Kodak Gallery, etc. The quality is generally good and the pricing is excellent. Online is generally cheaper than in store labs. For instance at www.aristacamera.com online prints are always volume discounted where in the store there is a pricing scale depending on number of prints. The online orders are processed in the store so the quality is the same- online since you do the work, the cropping and ordering, you get a better price.
This gets us back to Polaroid. In all the above, although you see the image immediately, you can’t’ get a hard copy for a few hours or days (online). The only rival to getting prints when you want them is printing at home. A few years ago this was a major business model; however, as you will soon see the cost of the printer, paper, inks and your time, do not make this the mass market winner it started out to be. If a 4×6 on average costs 20 cents in a camera store lab and even less -10 cents online, you can’t justify the print at home option where the cost of media and inks brings your 4×6 to 50 cents plus your time.
The NY Times wrote in their technology review of this process: “ …after the initial investment, you are going to pay at least 28 cents if you believe the manufacturer, but in reality it will be closer to 50 cents if you trust the testing of product reviewers at Consumer Reports”. More information is found at www.articlesbase.com/print/1550195. Here are some highlights from the article by John Dow:
• “The time it takes to print each photo is brutal. 30 prints could take over an hour”
• “Printing photos at home with your inkjet printer can get expensive…you will pay up to 5 times the cost of getting them at some retail photo lab.”
• “..It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to see that you can save about $1 per print if you wait for a few hours to get your print.”
Well, there you have it. Can’t wait for those prints, do it at home or invest in a new Polaroid and have it anytime and anywhere you want it. And with Polaroid, those who need to keep that personal image under wraps, won’t have to worry since there is no digital file to get out on the internet. Wow, just like the good old days.
