MicrostockGroup

Agency Based Discussion => Dreamstime.com => Topic started by: PenelopeB on April 11, 2007, 10:57

Title: Beware of uploading RAW files
Post by: PenelopeB on April 11, 2007, 10:57
I have contacted support for clarification but...

Over Easter I received an email from DT requesting that I upload my RAW file as an addition format due to a customer request. (I could have said no & will in the future)

I did this thinking that it would be an 8 credit sale. Lo and behold, 5 minutes after it is approved... the RAW file gets grabbed via subscription sale.

Credit to me?  A lousy $0.25 cents.

SUCKS!!!

Never again.
Title: Re: Beware of uploading RAW files
Post by: StockManiac on April 11, 2007, 11:21
 :o    :o    :o

(As you can see I'm speechless)
Title: Re: Beware of uploading RAW files
Post by: red_moon_rise on April 11, 2007, 12:10
Ridiculous. No scruples.  RAW should not be available for 25 lousy cents. It would be so easy to implement 40 Subscription DLs per RAW. I never even considered giving my RAWs to a microstock agency regardless of price.
Title: Re: Beware of uploading RAW files
Post by: madelaide on April 11, 2007, 17:37
Special file types should get a different treatment.  I am an oponent of 25c JPEGs already, what to say about a RAW or a vector file...  Thanks for warning us.

Regards,
Adelaide
Title: Re: Beware of uploading RAW files
Post by: digiology on April 12, 2007, 01:40
I am interested to hear what support says. Please keep us updated and thanks for the heads-up.
Title: Re: Beware of uploading RAW files
Post by: leaf on April 12, 2007, 01:46
I was given a request for a raw files once - but couldn't be bothered to upload it.  I am not sure what the original was downloaded at, but I think it would take at least $10.00 for me to go back and dig up the raw file and spend the time uploading it and then considering a fair price for it.  I don't think that the raw files are SO valuable as many people feel, but i would still need a bit of encouragement to be bothered to upload it.
Title: Re: Beware of uploading RAW files
Post by: CJPhoto on April 12, 2007, 01:51
Special file types should get a different treatment.  I am an oponent of 25c JPEGs already, what to say about a RAW or a vector file...  Thanks for warning us.

Even SS charges more for a tiff and they are only generated from the jpeg.  Raw should be an EL.
Title: Re: Beware of uploading RAW files
Post by: leaf on April 12, 2007, 01:53
well.. sorta off topic but.  Why would shutterstock create a tiff from a jpg then sell it for more??  Doesn't that defeat the purpose - the two files are identical, why would one cost more?
Title: Re: Beware of uploading RAW files
Post by: GeoPappas on April 12, 2007, 05:25
Why would shutterstock create a tiff from a jpg then sell it for more??  Doesn't that defeat the purpose - the two files are identical, why would one cost more?

According to SS (from a thread when this was first implemented), this was a feature that was requested from buyers.

Many buyers purchase an image and then work on it over time.  As they open and close a JPG image, it degrades (because of the re-compression).

To avoid this, the first thing buyers will do when they download an image is convert it to a TIFF, so that opening and closing the image will not degrade it.

So this essentially saves them time from converting the image.  You can think of SS providing buyers a service (converting JPG to TIFF) that they are now charging for.
Title: Re: Beware of uploading RAW files
Post by: CJPhoto on April 12, 2007, 06:11
well.. sorta off topic but.  Why would shutterstock create a tiff from a jpg then sell it for more??  Doesn't that defeat the purpose - the two files are identical, why would one cost more?
Geopappas explained it but lots weren't convinced.  They made SS put a disclaimer that it was geneated from a JPEG as they thought it was misleading.

From a designers perspective, I guess the price is low compared to macro sites and most places pass costs onto clients anyway.
Title: Re: Beware of uploading RAW files
Post by: GeoPappas on April 12, 2007, 06:33
well.. sorta off topic but.  Why would shutterstock create a tiff from a jpg then sell it for more??  Doesn't that defeat the purpose - the two files are identical, why would one cost more?
Geopappas explained it but lots weren't convinced.  They made SS put a disclaimer that it was geneated from a JPEG as they thought it was misleading.

From a designers perspective, I guess the price is low compared to macro sites and most places pass costs onto clients anyway.

CJPhoto:

Thanks for adding that.  I had forgotten about that crucial piece.

Although I love SS, I sometimes wonder why they uprez images 100% and why they create a TIFF from a JPG.  They both seem pretty silly to me.

But if that is what the customer wants, then...
Title: Re: Beware of uploading RAW files
Post by: madelaide on April 12, 2007, 16:45
So this essentially saves them time from converting the image.  You can think of SS providing buyers a service (converting JPG to TIFF) that they are now charging for.
I could open a business to do this, and I'd probbaly charge much cheaper.  :)

Regards,
Adelaide
Title: Re: Beware of uploading RAW files
Post by: leaf on April 12, 2007, 18:01
alamy upsizes their images too (they just have the submitter do it).  I am still in the dark why they would do it.
Title: Re: Beware of uploading RAW files
Post by: fintastique on April 13, 2007, 16:38
I had a request for a simplified version of one of my illustrations at featurepics I made a 12mp version set it $5 (no resizing) uploaded within an hour as they said they wanted it quickly and waited and waited.  :'(

Finally after a week I had the sale and earned me $3.50  ;D
Title: Re: Beware of uploading RAW files
Post by: madelaide on April 13, 2007, 16:49
Fintastique,

I also received an email from FP admin about a buyer wanting a change in colors for one illustration, I did it, also waited for days, then it sold as an EL!  :D

Regards,
Adelaide