There’s an adage that says technology advances more each year than in the previous 10. This is true in virtually every field, including the pest management industry. In addition to new chemistry and methodology, equipment has advanced with leaps and bounds. One of the most useful and versatile new tools to come along is the digital camera.
The uses for digital photography are numerous and include pest identification, inspections, marketing endeavors, record keeping and customer service. Some people might say a standard 35mm camera can do all of that. This may be true, but a digital camera can do it faster, easier, more efficiently and more cost effectively. Digital photography provides plenty of advantages, such as convenience, accuracy, speed, usability, space savings, safety and increased customer cooperation.
CONVENIENCE. The average digital camera today has a standard lens equivalent to a 25 to 120mm zoom lens. Many also have macro abilities, which allow for close-ups. They can take anywhere from 20 to 400 high resolution pictures and store them on a tiny card that’s only slightly larger than a postage stamp. Pictures can be viewed as soon as they’re taken and then may be saved or deleted. This helps in freeing up space to record more. Pictures can be downloaded directly from the camera onto a computer. Then, after formatting the storage card, people can start all over again taking new pictures. Film will no longer be necessary.
Additionally, photos can be altered in any number of ways with the software accompanying the camera or with any of dozens of other available programs. Images can be cropped or sharpened and colors adjusted. Photos can be printed, e-mailed, dropped into a PowerPoint program, a brochure or a sales proposal. Or, they can simply be kept for personal records.
ACCURACY AND SPEED. Simply put, the camera doesn’t lie. Virtually limitless "film" and the money-saving convenience of printing only desirable shots makes it easy and advantageous to take several of the same pest, location or situation. When using standard 35mm film, people don’t know what they’ve got until the film has been developed. By then, it’s too late to do anything if the photos aren’t satisfactory. Also, at an average of 50 cents per print, people are less likely to take several pictures of the same thing to ensure that they get one that’s accurate.
Inspections and record keeping can be long, detailed processes. Using a camera enables PCOs to record what they’ve found and review their photos at their convenience. Depending upon the size of the memory card and the resolution, 1,500 to 2,000 pictures can be taken without ever changing film. It’s all recorded on a single memory card that can be used over and over.
USABILITY/SPACE SAVINGS. Many digital cameras today can take still pictures and record a short verbal message or description to go with each shot. They can record from 30 seconds up to several minutes of video with sound. Digital cameras can be useful in several areas, including pest identification, inspections, marketing endeavors, record keeping and customer service. Since photographers can pick and choose which shots to keep, there will be no more shooting a 36-exposure roll to get six to eight good pictures.
As previously mentioned, there are a variety of recording devices including memory sticks, flash cards and Smart Media. Each is available in various capacities, can hold anywhere from a few dozen to a few thousand pictures and the largest is barely 1¼ by 1¼ by 1/8-inch in size. Pictures may also be transferred to CDs. A standard 700MB CD can hold more than 4,000 standard resolution pictures or nearly 1,000 high resolution ones. People with DVD burners can put more than 20,000 pictures on a single disc.
CUSTOMER COOPERATION. Imagine coming out of a crawl space or attic and being able to show the customer (or potential customer) precisely what was found. Whether it’s pictures of pest activity, damage or conducive conditions, cooperation is much more likely if customers can actually see what’s there.
VERSATILITY. There are so many ways that digital images can be used in pest management companies, including in your marketing, sales and service departments.
Whether in brochures or on Web sites, digital photos are not only an accepted form, but they have rapidly become the preferred form of photo. A digital photo can be resized, cropped, sharpened, lightened or darkened and adjusted in many other ways. They can be emailed to Web masters or to design agencies in seconds. Potential customers can form a positive image of a company before they even make contact.
A picture truly can be worth a thousand words. Being able to include photos in a sales proposal can often make the sale. With a digital camera, a proposal with photos can be ready the same day an inspection was done.
WHAT TO BUY. Now that the usefulness of and justification for a digital camera have been established, what is out there? With dozens of brands, hundreds of models and prices ranging from less than $100 to a few thousand dollars, the decision can be daunting. But by answering three simple questions, the search can be narrowed. Those questions are what, where and how.
What will you use it for? Will you use it just to take pictures of the outside of each customer’s house so your renewal inspector can find it easily each year? Or will you use it for detailed shots of the structure, to zoom in on rooftops and distant objects, record damage and even close-ups of pests? Will you use it to take pictures for use in advertising and sales brochures?
Where will you use it? Will it be dragged through dirty crawl spaces or into hot, dusty attics? Will you hang it around your neck as you clamber up and down ladders? Or will it be kept in a case and only be pointed out the vehicle window?
How will you use it? Will it be the "company camera," to be used by everyone for a variety of purposes or will you be the only one to handle it? Will it find service as a marketing tool, as a sales tool, as a service tool or all of these uses?
Once you’ve decided upon the camera’s primary uses, you can then decide on the model that will best fit your needs. The chart on page 86 lists several features or components that you should consider when selecting a digital camera. A personal rule of thumb is this: GET THE BEST YOU CAN AFFORD. Cameras, like computers, PDAs and most other electronic equipment, can come with lots of "whistles and bells." Simply put, these are extras that may not seem of any use on the surface, but many of them could come in handy. There are five basic features to be considered: resolution, optics, storage media, ergonomics and overall usability. For example, a camera with a great zoom lens, but with low resolution, only allows you to take poor quality pictures of far away objects. By the same token, a camera with a great lens and high resolution that is big and awkward to handle will seldom be used.
Whether you choose Sony, Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Minolta or any of numerous other brands, the time is right to consider a digital camera for your company. Though the models to choose from are many, so are the advantages of digital photography. Happy shooting!
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Digital cameras = safer technicians
Instead of climbing ladders to get a better look during inspections, pest management professionals can use a digital camera with a zoom lens. This allows technicians to safely get close to things they might not otherwise be able to, such as roof edges, upper reaches of warehouses, etc.
Selecting the digital camera that's right for you
Resolution: This is the amount of information in a digitally captured image. It is measured in pixels. These are the individual elements that are like little tiles. They make up a digital image. The more pixels, the higher the picture’s resolution. Higher resolution images produce better picture quality. Do not settle for less than three megapixels.
Optics:
Zoom — A 3x optical zoom lens is equivalent to a 105mm standard lens, while an 8x lens equals a 280mm lens. For distant objects, get at least a 3x lens. Digital zoom uses interpolation to get close-ups. Optical is better than digital.
Macro — Macro focus is the ability of the camera to focus on objects close to the camera. Do you want to take close-up pictures of pests or damage? If so, make sure the camera has macro capability.
Storage Media: Some manufacturers, such as Sony, have their own proprietary storage media. This means that if you buy another digital camera, you must either get another Sony or you must buy a new type of media. Two of the most common storage medias are flash cards and Smart Media. Most cameras besides Sony use one or the other. Flash cards come in sizes as large as 1 gigabyte. A card this size will allow you to take and store over 650 pictures of a resolution high enough to print 20- by 30-inch prints that are indistinguishable from 35mm shots.
Ergonomics: How well the camera fits into your hands is important. A large grip makes it difficult for someone with small hands to comfortably hold the camera. A small camera with lots of buttons and dials may be difficult to use for someone with large hands. Hold it, handle it and try it. Make certain it fits your hands and is easy to use.
Overall Usability: After you’ve decided what you’ll use the camera for, where you’ll use it and how, find one that has all of the components you want at a price you’re willing to pay. Remember, if you give up a needed feature because it cost a few dollars more, you’ll never be totally happy with the camera.
The author is district sales manager of Liphatech’s northeast territory. He can be reached at mlacey@giemedia.com.
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