I priced out my digital camera the other day. Here's how I came up.
For the year 2000: 3000 pictures taken
with Digital Camera$600 Digital Camera
$250 CD-Burner
$300 Memory cards
$40 Recharable Batteries
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$1190 Total
with Traditiona Camera$100 Camera
$80 Film (40rolls x 120) ($2 per roll?)
$240 Developing ($6 per roll?)
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$420 Total
It looks like the the traditional camera wins, but, one thing not taken into account is copies. In 2000, I went to the Grand Canyon with 3 friends. I took 175 pictures and made 3 copies of them for my 3 friends. I went to Hawaii with a friend, sister and Grandma. I took 375 pictures and made 3 copies of each. I went to Disneyland with my roommate and her friend. I took 91 pictures and made 2 copies each. 3 friends visited from Japan, I took them around Venice Beach, 59 pictures x 3 copies. I went to Japan for 3 weeks, took 411 pictures, made 4 copies each. That comes out to
525 Grand Canyon 175 x 3
1125 Hawaii 375 x 3
182 Disneyland 91 x 2
177 Venice 59 x 3
1644 Japan 411 x 4
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3653 Total copies
So, here's the new totals
with Digital Camera$600 Digital Camera
$250 CD-Burner
$300 Memory cards
$40 Recharable Batteries
$15 2009 Copies (15 blank CDs)
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$1205 Total
with Traditiona Camera
$100 Camera
$80 Film (40rolls x 120) ($2 per roll?)
$240 Developing ($6 per roll?)
$1095 3653 Copies (30 cents each)
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$1515 Total
Your results may vary. Alot of it depends on the price it costs for copies. That I took 3000 pictures is probably not normal but I'd argue that because it's a digital camera and once it's been purchased it's basically free to use, you are encouraged to use it more which is why I bought the camera in the first place. No more wondering if I should waste film on a certain picture. Just take it and don't worry since the more I take the cheaper it gets.
It also assumes your friends and family are wired (ie, have a computer to view the pictures with) Mine are. 😉
In the year 2001 I haven't made quite as many copies but I also wouldn't have to figure in any costs. The costs this second year is $0 for about 2500 pictures.