why are digitals so expensive?

[coues7]

I often wonder why everyone out here in AZ thinks digitals are so expensive....yes the initial cost is high but in the long run they pay themselves off in no time. Everytime you put out a 35mm you have to put new batteries in and a new roll of film...then you have to go and get it developed. Now what is the the total on that? Around $10-14 right. You do that about 30 times which can be done in no time and you bought it. Run 3 or 4 and in a few months you could have bought a digital.

 

You go to put a digital out and you put in 2 rechargeable AA's and your done. The control board runs off of 1 9V battery that will last 6 months. Now all you have invested is your time and well about $0.25 worth of energy to recharge your batteries.

 

You can take literally thousands...yes thousands of pictures on one set of batteries and not have to develope a single pic. 4 mega pixel high quality pictures. So what if a few are blank at least your not paying $5.00 to develope a blank picture.

 

Just a thought I put a little input in for those of you that think digitals are a waste. Yes $400 is a lot to hang on a tree but if you hike and place them strategically you won't loose them.

 

This will probably open a whole can of worms but let it come.

[BASS]

Maybe I'm just ignorant, but I have a hard time leaving a $400 piece of equipment anywhere. Yes I have a thick bike lock that I use to secure my camera to trees, but if I loose $100, I would still be mad, but not as much as if it was quadruple that. I can see your point, about saving money in the long run. (short depending how much you use your camera) I'm thinking about buying a digital Stealth Cam in the near future. I like the idea of going back to camp to see my pictures, and not having to run back into town. But I have been way out in the middle of nowhere about to set up my camera, and look over to see a group of people glassing. I just don't trust the "weekend warriors" out there. I would like to think that other hunters would leave it alone, but I'm not sure about the other people out there. I had my camera set-up on an abondoned/closed road, and when I went to pick it up, there were tire treads everywhere. It would be too easy to put a .22 into a camera afte being caught doing something illigal.

 

That's just my $.02

[russd]

definately need to be careful in leaving cams out in the sticks. i have found plenty that were not locked up. in fact none were til i told the owner it'd be wiser to lock up the cam than take a chance. just found another this weekend not locked up. i only leave mine out for a week then move them or bring them in. i guess in the price issue i would say it depends on how often you use your cams. if only for hunting season then film type are ok. but i use mine year round and find the digital the way to go. switch out batteries and a memory card and its ready to go again.

[BASS]

Nic pic russd! What unit is that? I guess I'm not really taking a chance with mine. I set min up on Sunday afternoon 99% of the time, and pick it up Saturday morning. Not too many people out there during the week.

[DesertBull]

Myself, I am not really concerned about the quality of the picture. I just want to see the animal. I have some digitals, but they only cost $125, not $400.

[russd]

same unit i talked to you about.

[muleybull]

I got done talking to the folks at Muley Crazy and they recommended the 35mm, less expense if stolen and you can take it in and have it put on a cd and look at before paying for all pictures. saves alot instead of complete developing. We will see though I guess.

[BASS]

You can also have just the negitives developed, then go home and write down which ones you want. Then take them back to have just those developed. But what coues7 is trying to say is that you pay $5-8 for the film, then pay another $3-8 for the pictures to get developed, just to find out you have 24 pictures of birds. So then the whole proccess starts again with new film.

[Becker]

I prefer digital as well. I have both but I always get dissappointed with the film. Thinking I might have that monster only to find out a rabbit jumped around for about an hour. I think my digital has already payed for itself in about 3 months. Check out building your own at hagshouse.com. With the good instructions you can make an awesome camera for around $300.

[az4life]

coues7,

I don't want to infringe on your business, but Wally world has one now for 98 bucks. It is digital with expandable memory up to 256mb. variable on pic quality and video capable. No camo but hey some tape can fix that up! I did note the battery life was something like 2 weeks on a 6v battery so that is not all that hot!

 

Sure I am comparing a hummer to a yugo, but if you are on a tight budget, only 2 -3 rolls of film from a 35mm and you'd have this one paid for.

 

FYI

[BASS]

shoot, I paid over $120 for my camera alone!

[KGAINES]

Went and picked up my camera this weekend, first time I ever used one, 35mm, I got some pictures of cows and nothing else that I can see, a lot of pictures of nothing. I think I am going to cover the outer edges of the sensor to allow whatever it is to tripping it to be in the center of the picture, I didn't see anything that may have caused it to trip, and the tree was pretty big. I think a digital is going to be my next buy, for all the reasons stated here.

On a side note my brother did shoot a coyote on our way in, and we seen a mountain lion cross the road on our way back home, he crossed a paved road right in front of us, there were houses around so it was safe, at least from us.

[az4life]

Yippee... One less yote out there to menace other game. What unit?

[KGAINES]

Unit 17, it was a small female.