Going digital with high school program

[pooyan]

Hello everyone,

I need some help, hope someone can steer me in the right direction. My wife is a high school photography teacher. The photo program is transitioning from film to digital. She is desperately trying to research how to go about finding the best and most cost efficient ways to get some nikon digital slr cameras in her classroom for the students. She doesnt know the best route to go...... Should she contact nikon directly to see if they offer school program discounts or grants. Or is there a company out there that would give better discounts to buy in bulk?

If there are any teachers out there who have made this same transition and found a way to buy multiple nikon digital slr cameras without breaking the school funding bank..... she could use the helpful advise. If anybody knows of any companies or business' that may help fund photography programs for schools, please let me know.

thanks for all of your help,

Glen/Marie

 

[myarbrough]

Glen, I work for a Technical College and this company gives us some sort of discount (educational/government), you could contact them and see what they could do for your wife's school. It may be worth asking around to companies in your area too. http://www.showcaseinc.com/store/Scripts/default.asp

 

[pooyan]

Glen, I work for a Technical College and this company gives us some sort of discount (educational/government), you could contact them and see what they could do for your wife's school. It may be worth asking around to companies in your area too. http://www.showcaseinc.com/store/Scripts/default.asp

First off, THANKS! I will follow up on this. My wife is interested to know whether the program at your school is both digital and film or if your school is primarily focused on one or the other? Basically, there has been a battle in the department to continue with film and the dark room, which is getting very expensive or to put their money into the more modern technology which is digital and that many feel will give the students an advantage when they enter college..... what are your thoughts on that?

Glen/Marie

 

[myarbrough]

We don't have a photography program...our faculty/staff use the cameras for various things that are related to their job (like when they take students to competitions related to their field of study).
Being a "prosumer" camera person, I do think that there are advantages to each (film/digital). I took photography in high school (in the 90's I might add) and we did black and white film developing. Manually developing film and prints is definitely a valuable lesson. There is nothing like it in the digital world. I do realize that it is getting expensive to do the dark room. BUT (and that is a big but) it is also going to be expensive to go to digital. You not only have the cost of the cameras, but the computers, and the photo editing software. Then you need manitenance contracts for hardware and software upgrades...
All that being said, I do believe that digital is the way to go...I mean really it is the way of the future (at least the one we can see).

 

[pooyan]

Thanks for the response. One of the great things about the high school program my wife is teaching is that she is also the Graphic Design teacher and they already have the new Mac computers as well as the new Adobe software. Basically their investment would be in the cameras......so naturally it seems the way the program should transition. She is just double checking every angle and really valuing the opinions of others on this matter while she searches for the best deal on some cameras.

Thanks again......you have been very helpful!

 

[BourbonCowboy]

Glen,
There are numerous technology grants available for schools. Tell your wife to contact the Federal Programs Coordinator in her school to find out where the money is hidden. It's not a terribly difficult process, and with a well-written grant, the conversion could be free.

 

[Commodorefirst]

Mark at our lab at our school, we settled on Nikon D40 camera, small files, good metering and the ability to have some control over the camera if you go into the menus. We bought 10 for the school.

The price was right too, buy them with the kit lens.

students are also allowed to use their own cameras too.

Other things needed, SD cards, probably about 30 1 gig cards, lots of microfiber cloths, cleaning kits, and CDR and DVDR discs for burning files to.

I also recommend the SD cards that fold over and can be placed into a USB drive with their built in USB port when folded. Very Very handy for a large class.

you will also need a large external HD for backups for the class use too.

Best of luck.

 

[haze2]

My daughter is a senior and she is taking her second year of photography. The first year was all film and traditional darkroom work. This year they started right out teaching photoshop nearly everything is digital. So, if you want the digital experience at her school you have to take photography for two years. Personally, I like that idea.

 

[pooyan]

thank you all very much for your input and suggestions. i will check up on all of your advice

thanks again

Glen/Marie