DIGINEG is a company that allows photographers to preserve valuable images by having them converted to 35 mm motion picture-grade film. Because self-archiving can be risky, artists dedicated to keeping their images for the future may want to consider investing into DIGINEG's services.
Introduction to DIGINEG
DIGINEG offers an alternative to self-archiving or using free websites such as Photoshop.com and Flickr for important professional digital images. Archiving digital photos on a hard drive, flash drive, CDs, or DVDs still carries a number of risks. Hard drives fail and even CDs and DVDs can have some disintegration after years pass. Photoshop.com and Flickr are good options that many photographers may want to consider, but DIGINEG is recommended to those serious about long-term photo preservation because of its unique structure.
How DIGINEG Works
Members submit their digital photos to DIGINEG, who then places them onto a physical image archive using 35 mm film. They do not compress images, which is a problem with archiving digital photos through various online photo sharing websites. The images can be printed at any time. DIGINEG claims many digital photos disintegrate or are lost within 10 years, rendering them both commercially and artistically useless.
| DIGINEG Fees | Rating  |
The costs of DIGINEG services as of 2009 are $1.99 per image. This might be too expensive for members to archive every single image they take, but is cost-effective when it comes to preserving special photos. The cost covers the 35 mm film archiving and also makes thumbnail images available at anytime using the DIGINEG website. The actual negative is placed into a climate-controlled storage vault for 20 years.
| Partnerships | Rating |
DIGINEG has some endorsements through their partnerships with professional photography societies such as Professional Photographers of America (PPA) and Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI.) These organizations offer special discounts and deals as part of their membership package. It may be worth joining one of these groups if you are seriously considering using DIGINEG as a part of meeting your photo preservation objectives.
| Blog and Community | Rating |
DIGINEG also has the advantage of offering some social networking through its blog, which discusses various perspectives of their digital imaging service. Because the blog is fairly new, it is not determined how much interaction actually happens between DIGINEG users. However, it does appear to have great potential for bringing digital photographers together.
Conclusion
DIGINEG has a lot of potential to preserve the most valuable images of all levels of digital photographers using the same film grade popular in the Hollywood motion picture industry. Those serious about wanting to use the website will probably be best served joining PPA or WPPI so they can enjoy discounts on DIGINEG services, as well as the other membership benefits associated with the professional organization. DIGINEG also has a promising setup for a sense of community that may hold advantages all of its own.