Noritsu Raw Processor Printer!

[AjantaKVS]

Hello to All,

        Now almost all DSLR's by  major camera manufacturer provide two work flows for the pro photographers, Namely "Jpeg Work flow" and the " RAW Work flow".

  For the photographers who go for Jpeg way ,we as photo finishers providing printing services using Noritsu machines with out much depending on any other  intermediate  processing steps ( using third party SW like PSCS ,etc...).

Now for the other group that is for those pro photographers who go RAW  way, can we expect future  Noritsu printers, or up gradation kits for the present machines  which can accept all sorts of RAW files including DNG and process and print with out depending much on third party SW.( like LR , ACR, C1pro etc.,).

OR, should we tell the RAW shooters, it is your (photographers) responsibility to process the RAW images and submit images only in jpeg format for printing?. IF you think this is the way to go, please ponder a moment on the following points:

   # RAW format is equivalent to "Exposed  unprocessed film roll", This is what we use to accept as input from the traditional film processing work flow. and we as lab people use to control the final quality of the  print (apart from the proper exposure by the photographer) by using our knowledge and experiences in analog and chemical processes.

So by going by the same way or thinking in a logical way we should accept RAW format from the photographers as the input. and we can control the final print quality,Otherwise the final print quality goes in to the hands of the pro photographer ( and also can think of some RAW processing charges as source of revenue).

   # We labs truly used to make some money from processing (developing) the exposed film roll, now that is totally lost and we have to live with dwindling print margins. So think about  additional  RAW processing charges as the replacement of film roll processing.

  # Does the pro photographer is inclined enough to take the burden of RAW processing? even if so does he  has enough time for it?Does he likes to spend more time in front of the monitor than behind the lens?.

  # Does the normal pro photographers know the subject of very confusing, complex and elusive color reproduction and management?

   # Think of RAW processor HW/SW combination is a replacement of your developer machine standing between the customer input and the photo printer.

So what do you think of this? I very much appreciate your comments, thoughts, ideas and future predictions on this, let us share our thinkings.

KVS