Steve wrote:
I just read that a half decent 39megapixel back for a 5x4 is about $US
40,000.

So I need some guidance please. . . . . .

Okay, so maybe considering who buys these might make a bit more sense.
Outside of Charles Cramer, who is selling fine art photography, the
average digital medium format back buyer is shooting commercially. A
high volume production studio, as in food or product photography, could
probably justify the cost of that back just on the volume of images; not
because it saves them money (maybe), but it will save them time.

Larger camera stores and studios that do rental to professionals are
also getting these backs. They are charging around $600 a day, including
one camera body and one lens; the photographer would be supplying the
laptop or memory storage. Given a busy enough area (metropolis), the
rental house could probably make back their investment in the first
year, if not much sooner. The typical body and lens, with a film back,
might have rented for under $100 a day. This particular business model
has been done in the motion imaging world; a good example was when the
Aaton Minima came out and a few bought the camera then helped offset the
cost by renting it out.

Then there are a few photographers buying these directly. To justify the
cost, they see what they have been paying for high end scanning. The
high end scanning was billed out to the clients, but rarely at much of
any mark-up. Replacing the scanning with the digital back means the
photographer can charge the client for the back usage, and collect the
money directly (rather than charging the client, then paying the lab for
scanning). So the justification is that the digital back would create an
extra income stream. Unfortunately, this has not working out to as much
as the rental model of business for some, so it might take 18 to 36
months to make this profitable. With the longer time period quite
likely, many photographers taking this path has chosen a lease plan for
the digital backs. The advantage of the lease plan is also in tax
deductions for operating expenses, and that some lease arrangements
allow an upgrade path when new technology arrives.

So how could an amateur or part-time photographer justify getting one of
these? The only way I could see that working is that the photographer
would need to turn the purchase (or lease) into a business activity.
Similar to the movie gear concept, the easiest method would be providing
the back to others for rental.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
A G Studio
http://www.allgstudio.com