MicrostockGroup

oops forgot to mention earlier re istock, that they kept the max size of subs on photos.com that was brought in with StockXpert. But at the time JIunlimited slipped under the radar (I wasnt 100% sure at the time and couldnt be bothered fighting anymore) and allowed "file sizes up to 75mb" for the subs price.

StockXpert & istock deal was your images go on both (& customers can pay at JI for full access to both libraries).  Now IS cut this to $0.25 so istock pay $0.25 for any image up to 75mb

and it is same $0.25 for vectors, wheras FT offers around $1

The Istock subscription model doesn't compare to the others in the industry at all, since it has size-dependent pricing - and that is the main reason (my guess) why it hasn't reached any significant volume and never will... The only thing subscription buyers really want is huge discounts, and that's what they get at Shutter, Dreamstime, StockXpert, Fotolia...

My numbers are VERY different:
RPD 87c at IS and 63c at FT (40% dlds are subs)
19-24c at IS are XS images, sold at US$0.95-1.20 each - not comparable at all with subs.

I agree with you on DT only, because subs have increased there - 70% of downloads this month - but even there RPD is 70c.

Yes, you're right, I am emerald level and hadn't thought about that when I posted.  Obviously for the people that haven't had a chance to double prices their RPD won't be as high.

The problem I see is this.... yeah we can yank all our ports off of FT....
but where's the gaurantee that all our pix will be pulled off of all the so-called 'partners/affilates' of FT?  A partial list of their outfits was posted yesterday on another thread... agencies with names sounding like the 2nd graders at Johnny JoeJoe elementary school made 'em up.... again, why are we all in this handbasket and where are we going..??

Exlcusive.... It's still a maybe/if  IMO.  Problem is in my case, I pull in as much from SS due to pure volume as I do on IS...  not to mention, many of the pix I have on the micros,  I sell free lance at obscene prices.  Does that conflict with 'exclusive' agreements?
   I'm shooting a free lance job for a regional magazine right now (for publication in an early 2010 issue).  Those pix are also already being prepped for upload to IS, SS, BigStock & DT.   A one day free lance shoot earns me 4 digits from the mag's publisher (current standard rate in my area).... exclusive with IS,  how long will it take to make that?  I'm pretty sure that as an exclusive I am not able to sell my own pix... does anyone know if that is factual??  I'd like to know.
    I tell all my local photog friends to get out there and sell themselves. And some have. The work is there, you just have to go out and grab at it. Of course it helps to be based inbetween NYC and Philly, but, the work is there.

And by the way, I DO NOT consider myself a world-class photog, Im just a regular guy with over 40 years exp with SLR's. Please dont take this as bragging or tooting my horn. Im not like that. Everyday I am blown away by work soooooooo much better than mine on the micros.
   I only started selling a little over 4 years ago.  Once you get your foot in the door, it starts to snowball. I reccomend it to everyone.

Heck, pick up any magazine and see the photo credits,  Getty, Alamy, Jupiter and on and on.    It's much nicer and much more profitable and rewarding to see YOUR NAME or YOUR company's name alongside the pic and even better to see your name in the info column as a contributing photographer.  Not to mention the digits on the check you take to the bank.

Get out there and start knocking on some doors, what's to lose? You'll find you may be making a 'few' bucks more than microstock pays. =tom

p.s.  I'd be happy to give tips on how I did it if any want to PM me. It might work for you and it's not rocket science.