# CPS Changes



## Jim O (Sep 10, 2013)

I received the following via email just now:



> Thank you for your continued Canon Professional Services membership, Canon loyalty and for trusting Canon products for use in your business.
> 
> The staff of CPS strives to provide imaging professionals like you with comprehensive service and support benefits. And we are always looking for opportunities to make the CPS program even better. After careful study and consideration, and with your valuable feedback, we are planning to roll out a number of enhancements and updates to the CPS program. The purpose of this email is to give you a summary of these enhancements and updates, which we anticipate will be effective for all members in two phases: the 4th quarter of 2013 and early 2014 with the introduction of a new CPS Cinema level. Details will be available on the CPS website as these enhancements and updates become available.
> 
> ...


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## YuengLinger (Sep 10, 2013)

Me too. As a Gold member, I am very unhappy about the repair discount dropping from 30% to 20%.

I like my 60D as a backup camera and as something easy to shoot video with or hand to a second shooter, so I'm sorry to hear that it and its successors (which for now, I guess, means the 70D), have been dropped down in Canon's caste system. I thought with the 70D getting MFA, the product line was coming UP in status.


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## Jim O (Sep 10, 2013)

YuengLinger said:


> Me too. As a Gold member, I am very unhappy about the repair discount dropping from 30% to 20%.
> 
> I like my 60D as a backup camera and as something easy to shoot video with or hand to a second shooter, so I'm sorry to hear that it and its successors (which for now, I guess, means the 70D), have been dropped down in Canon's caste system. I thought with the 70D getting MFA, the product line was coming UP in status.



The 60D is still eligible for the benefits. You just won't get the 2 points toward the membership.

I think I'll use the increased "CMS" benefit to greater value than the 10% difference in discount. For me it's easy. I can just bring two to three at a time to Newport News which isn't far and to which I travel a couple of times a month. While they advertise a three day turnaround, I usually have my stuff back in three days total (two for the cleaning and one for the transit back).


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Sep 10, 2013)

I'll pass on the 70D and wait for the next pro level camera with dual pixels. I qualify for platinum, but don't use CPS enough to justify it. I've only had one repair over the last 3 or 4 years.


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## Jim O (Sep 10, 2013)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I'll pass on the 70D and wait for the next pro level camera with dual pixels. I qualify for platinum, but don't use CPS enough to justify it. I've only had one repair over the last 3 or 4 years.



Canon has made clear they're not looking at 60D and its successors as "pro level" bodies.

I've had one recent repair that paid for Gold level for the year. The new "CMS" benefit is much more interesting to me and, again for me, far outweighs the cut in the repair benefit. It now is 10/year, up from two, and includes camera bodies.


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## Drizzt321 (Sep 10, 2013)

It is disappointing that the repair discount is being lowered...but hopefully repairs are very rare. It's also a bummer the equipment evaluation is being reduced to 1 week. That's kinda lame 

And I guess with the 7D kinda being the successor to the 50D line and 6D coming in, the xxD line has moved to the step above the Rebel which may make sense to exclude those. However, it's really crappy for current owners who already have it setup in CPS and may need those couple of points to qualify for Gold and/or Silver.

I do like the increase in number of free cleanings and the fact we don't need to keep track of the paper coupons any more. 

And while the Hollywood office is great and all...it's still only during the daytime/business hours which doesn't help most of us hobbyists who have a day job. For working photographers it's likely easier to get to, so that's not so bad for them.


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## gferdinandsen (Sep 11, 2013)

Drizzt321 said:


> And while the Hollywood office is great and all...it's still only during the daytime/business hours which doesn't help most of us hobbyists who have a day job. For working photographers it's likely easier to get to, so that's not so bad for them.



Don't CPS member have to be professional full-time image makers? CPS is not aimed at the amateur/hobbyiest, so it does not matter that it's during business hours.


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## Drizzt321 (Sep 11, 2013)

gferdinandsen said:


> Drizzt321 said:
> 
> 
> > And while the Hollywood office is great and all...it's still only during the daytime/business hours which doesn't help most of us hobbyists who have a day job. For working photographers it's likely easier to get to, so that's not so bad for them.
> ...



Actually no. Anyone with enough points (e.g. qualifying equipment) can join CPS. True, the Platinum level isn't really aimed at someone like me, but the Gold feels like it kinda is. Either as a serious hobbyist, or if I'm doing some photography as a part-time side business.

That said, I'm not angry or frustrated at the business hours, just it'd be nice if they were open to 6-6:30pm so I could run up there after work and drop off something to be cleaned and pick it up the next day or two without worrying about shipping. On the whole, not a big deal. UPS is really cheap for next-day because the Irvine center is nearby.


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## gferdinandsen (Sep 11, 2013)

Drizzt321 said:


> gferdinandsen said:
> 
> 
> > Drizzt321 said:
> ...



I was under the impression that you needed to be a full-time photographer

http://www.cps.usa.canon.com/about_cps/about.shtml
Canon Professional Services (CPS) provides exceptional benefits for individual full-time imaging professionals.


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## mackguyver (Sep 11, 2013)

Per the CPS Terms & Conditions (http://www.cps.act.cusa.canon.com/sys/attachments/terms_conditions_revised_2012.pdf):
"Applicant must be a full-time self-employed individual or an employee of a professional imaging business who plays a direct role in the creation of moving or still images."


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## Drizzt321 (Sep 11, 2013)

mackguyver said:


> Per the CPS Terms & Conditions (http://www.cps.act.cusa.canon.com/sys/attachments/terms_conditions_revised_2012.pdf):
> "Applicant must be a full-time self-employed individual or an employee of a professional imaging business who plays a direct role in the creation of moving or still images."



So I call myself a self-employed photographer and create still images. Oh yea, and I don't currently get paid for my work because I'm "an artist". I don't think they care all that much, as long as I don't obviously abuse any bit of the program.


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## unfocused (Sep 11, 2013)

Drizzt321 said:


> mackguyver said:
> 
> 
> > Per the CPS Terms & Conditions (http://www.cps.act.cusa.canon.com/sys/attachments/terms_conditions_revised_2012.pdf):
> ...



It's sort of like Student-Teacher versions of software, only even less stringent. The rules are fairly loose and they don't really make any effort to verify, as long as you've sunk most of your life savings into Canon equipment and pay the money, they trust you. 

It's an additional revenue stream for Canon USA and I suspect that being a bit lax on the employment qualifications helps generate revenues that keep the service affordable for full time all-your-income-from-photography pros. 

I wonder if shortening the time frame for loaners will have any impact on the refurbished store. Something tells me that is one source of the supply of refurbs.


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## neuroanatomist (Sep 11, 2013)

Drizzt321 said:


> mackguyver said:
> 
> 
> > Per the CPS Terms & Conditions (http://www.cps.act.cusa.canon.com/sys/attachments/terms_conditions_revised_2012.pdf):
> ...



Yeah, that would work. I can also rationalize that I am an employee of a professional imaging business for which I create still images (never mind that I'm using Zeiss cameras to do that!). 

But mostly it's that I haven't needed it. I can clean my own sensor (and Canon just saved me the trouble with a free clean when I took it in for the lubrication recall). OTOH, taking it in made me realize that it's pretty easy for me to do that a few times per year (I'm in NJ for business pretty often, and the Jamesburg service center is just a 20 minute drive from where I often need to be). The real advantage for me would be if I need a repair, and they just cut that incentive by 33%.


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## expatinasia (Sep 12, 2013)

gferdinandsen said:


> Don't CPS member have to be professional full-time image makers? CPS is not aimed at the amateur/hobbyiest, so it does not matter that it's during business hours.



In some countries the answer to that question is *yes*. In many parts of Asia to be a CPS member you need to be able to prove you are a professional photographer.

CPS in the US is very, very different.


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## awinphoto (Sep 12, 2013)

expatinasia said:


> gferdinandsen said:
> 
> 
> > Don't CPS member have to be professional full-time image makers? CPS is not aimed at the amateur/hobbyiest, so it does not matter that it's during business hours.
> ...



You have to be a full time professional, at least on paper


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## Krob78 (Sep 12, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> Drizzt321 said:
> 
> 
> > mackguyver said:
> ...





> The real advantage for me would be if I need a repair, and they just cut that incentive by 33%.


++1 about that! 
Guess I better get my repairs in before 4th quarter gets here!


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## curtisnull (Sep 12, 2013)

I remember back in the old days of NPS (when I was shooting Nikon) you had to be recommended for membership by a current NPS member and send copies of business license or pay stubs and samples of your work that had been published.


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## timmy_650 (Sep 12, 2013)

I just upgrade to gold today. I want to try a full frame body and it was the cheapest way. I could rent it for a day for about $100 locally or get free stuff. I shoot a t2i and not even close to a professional and had no trouble being a silver and gold member. My job is construction, the only picture that are used at work are taking with a cell phone.


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## Jim O (Sep 12, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> The real advantage for me would be if I need a repair, and they just cut that incentive by 33%.



Not entirely. Return shipping is free for CPS Gold members and that is at 100%. On my last invoice it was $23 if I recall correctly. On a low cost repair that may be a substantial percentage of the benefit. 

Consider a $250 repair today. The discount is $75. Add the $23 for shipping and your discount is $98.

Now consider how much the same repair would be worth after 10/1. The discount is reduced to $50 plus the $23 for shipping. The net benefit reduction is 25/98 or 25.5%. That's a low number but not that far off from my recent repair of a dropped lens in which the elements were undamaged.

On a $1000 repair the percentage value of shipping is much lower, but the repair discount alone, without shipping, is still twice the annual membership.

A $350-400 repair plus free return shipping (which will be higher next year than this since FedEx goes up every year) will make it a wash, and then you get the cleanings for free.

There is still _some_ value in the loaner service, even at one week, and also in the semi-guaranteed turnaround time on repairs.

For $100 it's repair insurance for me. Same thing for many others and I suspect Canon looked at the numbers and saw that their costs were very high. They made the bar to breaking even for a CPS member higher, but only by a few dollars. To insure a collection the size of yours against repairs, it's _really_ cheap insurance, even with the reduced benefit.

Insurance rates are always rising. There are two ways it's done. Raise the premium or reduce the benefit. A perfect example of the latter is what US property insurers did after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The changed the deductible methodology. Instead of being a fixed amount as it is for fire or other wind peril, "named storms" now have a deductible that is a steep percentage of the value of the property. I don't recall for sure, but I'm fairly certain they did not reduce premiums correspondingly.

UPS raised their their insurance charges this year, as did FedEx. Again, if I recall correctly, last year UPS got $0.80/$100 declared value. This year I believe it's $0.85/$100. 

Canon has been offering a 30% discount at a fixed price and without regard to the value of the collection for awhile now, even as their costs (labor, healthcare, shipping,etc.) have risen. They had a choice to "raise the premium" or to "reduce the benefit". They chose the latter.


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## awinphoto (Sep 12, 2013)

I will say, as a working professional, I find CPS to be invaluable and saw it as a form of recognition many years ago when I was accepted in CPS and frankly to see so many people who are not professionals taking advantage of CPS and knowingly lie to Canon is very disheartening. Kinda like when amateurs undercut professional photographers and lower the standard of photography across the industry. I will concede that Canon has allowed this to get out of control by not having tighter restrictions and they need to fix it. But knowing that a good part of those people who are bringing upon us these restrictions are those who are taking advantage of the program is disturbing....


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## neuroanatomist (Sep 12, 2013)

awinphoto said:


> I will say, as a working professional, I find CPS to be invaluable and saw it as a form of recognition many years ago when I was accepted in CPS and frankly to see so many people who are not professionals taking advantage of CPS and knowingly lie to Canon is very disheartening. Kinda like when amateurs undercut professional photographers and lower the standard of photography across the industry. I will concede that Canon has allowed this to get out of control by not having tighter restrictions and they need to fix it. But knowing that a good part of those people who are bringing upon us these restrictions are those who are taking advantage of the program is disturbing....



Joining Nikon Professional Services requires sponsorship by a current NPS member (similar to most scientific societies, although they usually require sponsorship by two active members except for student memberships).


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## awinphoto (Sep 12, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> awinphoto said:
> 
> 
> > I will say, as a working professional, I find CPS to be invaluable and saw it as a form of recognition many years ago when I was accepted in CPS and frankly to see so many people who are not professionals taking advantage of CPS and knowingly lie to Canon is very disheartening. Kinda like when amateurs undercut professional photographers and lower the standard of photography across the industry. I will concede that Canon has allowed this to get out of control by not having tighter restrictions and they need to fix it. But knowing that a good part of those people who are bringing upon us these restrictions are those who are taking advantage of the program is disturbing....
> ...



Yeah... it WOULD be nice to see canon adopt a similar strategy or at least require proof of business or publication or something... but oh well...


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## neuroanatomist (Sep 12, 2013)

awinphoto said:


> Yeah... it WOULD be nice to see canon adopt a similar strategy or at least require proof of business or publication or something... but oh well...



There's another side the the argument... NPS is free, whereas CPS is only free at the Silver level (which seems to offer only 'pro standard' repair turnaround, whatever that means...it's not the 3-day you get with Gold). 

The membership fees for the higher levels mean that Canon has a financial incentive to expand the membership base, of course, but it might also mean that some of the program benefits are offset by the fees paid by all those non-pro members. It appears that NPS offers only priotity speed for repairs, and loaners while an item is being repaired - no repair discount, no evaluation loan program. Would you trade those last two benefits for a truly 'pro only' CPS?


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## awinphoto (Sep 12, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> awinphoto said:
> 
> 
> > Yeah... it WOULD be nice to see canon adopt a similar strategy or at least require proof of business or publication or something... but oh well...
> ...



That's an interesting POV... between the two extremes, I wouldn't mind a nice cozy middle... I wouldn't mind IF perhaps they had maybe did away with their tier system and had a black and white, pro or not pro, but make the cost of entry to be, lets say $300-400 but retain benefits, or maybe utilize the yearly fee as a rebate system towards repairs or equipment or the like... Maybe 100-200 credit per year that can be used towards rentals/evaluations, repairs, refurbished, etc or can roll over or something like that... I dont know... something where it's more of a membership/investment rather than something that is easily abused...


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## Efka76 (Sep 12, 2013)

It is very funny to read that professionals complain that amateurs are using CPS  I will provide you with few my comments:

1) You need to buy eligible equipment in order to qualify for specific CPS status. For Canon its is absolutely not important who buys such expensive equipment - amateur or professional. 
2) Gold and Platinum memberships give some advantages, however, you have to pay for such membership.
3) Only professional photographers are accredited to Olympic games, championships and are actually using CPS services such as camera or lenses loans.
4) I would suggest to "professionals" to less complain and put more efforts in their job in order to separate themselves from amateurs. If you are really good photographer you will have better fees than amateurs. However, if your works are similar to amateur work then photography is definitely not for you ))


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## Jim O (Sep 12, 2013)

Efka76 said:


> I would suggest to "professionals" to less complain and put more efforts in their job in order to separate themselves from amateurs. If you are really good photographer you will have better fees than amateurs. However, if your works are similar to amateur work then photography is definitely not for you ))



If you have fees and make sales you are, by definition, a professional.


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## awinphoto (Sep 12, 2013)

Efka76 said:


> It is very funny to read that professionals complain that amateurs are using CPS  I will provide you with few my comments:
> 
> 1) You need to buy eligible equipment in order to qualify for specific CPS status. For Canon its is absolutely not important who buys such expensive equipment - amateur or professional.
> 2) Gold and Platinum memberships give some advantages, however, you have to pay for such membership.
> ...



It's funny... reading your comments shows how little you know about the industry and more importantly, the market. There has been research in the shutter magazine that the costs of weddings have gone up over the last few decades, but the alarming stat is fewer and fewer weddings are done by professional photographers. The market, as a whole, has been inundated by amateurs and frankly, the skill level and ease of use of cameras really has gone down over the last decade that there are more photographers than ever. Yes, there is a clear separation by pros and not pro's but that isn't the issue. The issue is indifference and complacency. More and more people get low end photography as they dont see a value in it like in decades past. People are just as happy going to lifetouch or JC Pennys or the picture people and save money. You dont know how many people get a sticker shock when they see my prices, but my prices are designed to earn me a wage, pay for my equipment, training, retirement, etc. History has shown that the low cost photography cannot sustain itself, ask Sears Portrait studio and walmart portrait studio how they are doing? FYI they have all been shut down. 

What it boils down to is more people expect cheap photography, and can care less if a picture was properly exposed, or lit, or even composed. I even had someone ask my why my pictures are composed (on the rule of 3rds) rather than smack in the middle of the frame. People are indifferent and that is what is suffocating the industry. A decade ago, the skill level required to be in the industry was higher. People had to assist people for years or go to school to learn exposure, darkroom, technique, etc. They learned the craft up until they can go out on their own and compete toe to toe with their masters, but it isn't the way it is anymore... Now you have the instant gratification with digital and the skill level isn't where it should be for a professional industry.


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## awinphoto (Sep 12, 2013)

And to take it one step further... 20 years ago, people knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, if you wanted good photos, you HAD to go to a pro photographer... There was a clear difference between the consumer 35mm camera and a pro medium format or large format camera... It wasn't close... Yeah they could take the 35mm rolls of film to a 1 hour photo lab and get 4x6's but, that's where the amatuer/pro comparison ended right there... yeah they could ask the 1 hr photo lab to print an 8x10 every so often but that was the limits of 35mm. Now, frankly the difference between what an iphone can do and the 5d3 can do, in a consumers mind, is shrinking day by day. Consumers typically dont care about noise. They dont care about composition, etc... It's good enough. They dont HAVE to go to a pro to get decent photos that can be blown up to 30x40, they can go to suzie down the street with a rebel digital camera or uncle bob with a 1dx. Yes, there is a clear difference between pro's and unlce bobs with minimal training, but the problem is indifference. To a person who doesn't care, the skill level is negligible... price is king. 20 years ago people may not have liked the fact that they had to go to a pro, but it was what it was... and people paid the price, even if they had to save up for it... It made the photos have value and people would hold on to those pictures for decades as it was of value to them. Now, it's a dime-a-dozen... end of rant


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## neuroanatomist (Sep 12, 2013)

awinphoto said:


> They learned the craft up until they can go out on their own and compete toe to toe with their masters, but it isn't the way it is anymore... Now you have the instant gratification with digital and the skill level isn't where it should be for a professional industry.



Photography as an art form exists, and will likely remain. Granted, it's not necessarily a way to make a living, any more than being a fine art painter (the increase in value after the artist dies doesn't help put food on the table). 

But it's certainly true that event photography appears to be on the way out. That's happened to many 'professional industries' over the years, as technology advances. 

You're a photographer with a business to run. If you're like many small business owners, you use QuickBooks or similar software, rather than paying an accountant; you do much of your banking electronically (e.g., instant check deposits from an iPhone). In your personal life, you may use a self checkout line at the grocery or hardware store. When was the last time you dialed '0' for operator assistance in looking up a phone number? Those are all examples of easy, convenient technology being placed in the hands of the consumer, and have a side effect of obviating part of the labor force. 

Now, 'Uncle Bob' with a Rebel can churn out 'decent' images suitable for enlargement. But in most cases, no one even wants them enlarged. They want them on Facebook, and they want them uploaded immediately. They're not going to be viewed as a print hung on a wall, or even on a large, color-calibrated monitor...they're going to be viewed on a smartphone.


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## mackguyver (Sep 12, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> awinphoto said:
> 
> 
> > They learned the craft up until they can go out on their own and compete toe to toe with their masters, but it isn't the way it is anymore... Now you have the instant gratification with digital and the skill level isn't where it should be for a professional industry.
> ...


Good observations and examples, Neuro. The same thing applies in IT - I was a freelance web designer until the offshore people starting building entire websites for $50 instead of the $4,000 I was charging. You always have the keep ahead of the curve. Speaking of which, if you're shooting any products designed in CAD/CAM, the bell is tolling for thee: http://petapixel.com/2012/08/24/ikea-slowly-shedding-photography-in-favor-of-computer-renders/

Which photographers are next? Proably all but the kind that require assistants, studios, or very expensive (e.g. super telephoto lenses, pro bodies) equipment.

Best bet is to be a fine art photographer. As Neuro says, that will always be around. Take a look at the most expensive photographs - none of them are to my taste or special if you ask me. Personally, I would have deleted the most expensive photo if I had taken it - clearly I'm not an artist - but look at the prices!!!
http://gizmodo.com/the-10-most-expensive-photographs-in-the-world-866891077


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## neuroanatomist (Sep 12, 2013)

mackguyver said:


> Good observations and examples, Neuro. The same thing applies in IT - I was a freelance web designer until the offshore people starting building entire websites for $50 instead of the $4,000 I was charging. You always have the keep ahead of the curve. Speaking of which, if you're shooting any products designed in CAD/CAM, the bell is tolling for thee: http://petapixel.com/2012/08/24/ikea-slowly-shedding-photography-in-favor-of-computer-renders/



From the linked article:







_ Of the two images above, one of them is a computer render and one of them is an actual photograph. Can you tell which is which? If you can’t, why should IKEA?_

Actually I could tell. It's kind of like the 'spot the 5 things wrong with this image' puzzles. In this case, most of the goofs are about light and shadow (both strength and direction) - you know, those things that make a photograph, well...a photograph. Some reflection issues, too.

But having said that, if I just ran across the CG image in the catalog, none of those errors are things that I'd be likely to notice in passing.


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## mackguyver (Sep 12, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> But having said that, if I just ran across the CG image in the catalog, none of those errors are things that I'd be likely to notice in passing.


That's with a complex scene, too, and you're right most people wouldn't pay too much attention. With simple stuff, say a new lens, cell phone, etc., the entire product is designed in a CAD system and I've seen numerous "product shots" that are pure CGI, but look like they were shot in a studio. I seriously doubt Sony, Apple, or the like will ever pay for another "basic" product shot on a simple background. If you photograph antiques or art for Sotheby's or something, you're probably okay, though!


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## awinphoto (Sep 12, 2013)

All good points neuro and mackguyver... Things are constantly changing and evolving. Professional photographers are evolving into visual journalists with video and photography, just selling photography services is almost not good enough in this market unless you are that .5 percentile photographer who has the reputation to get away with it. I saw lots of photographers disappear in the beginning of the digital era because they failed to adapt, and now it's doing the same. Unfortunately, we as photographers have really done this to ourselves and allowed it to happen. Lots of Photographers over the last several years claimed "i wont lose business to a shoot and burn amateur" and then the next month they are looking for a job somewhere else. Plus, what amateurs dont understand is for every bride that hires a photographer for a song and a dance, that affects not only the brides expectations and thoughts on photography, but the bridesmaids, her other friends, family, etc... As that spreads, it means less people would be willing to pay professional prices and then less work for everyone, OR, photographers have to lower their prices, work more, just to get the same income. The same thing is happening here on CPS... the more people joining, less gear for canon to distribute (for free) and so they cut back everyones access. 

Those digtal renderings are very cool... thankfully not many companies have the budget and expertise to pull stuff like this off.


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## awinphoto (Sep 12, 2013)

mackguyver said:


> neuroanatomist said:
> 
> 
> > But having said that, if I just ran across the CG image in the catalog, none of those errors are things that I'd be likely to notice in passing.
> ...



http://9to5mac.com/2013/05/08/apples-product-photographer-interviewed/

Peter Belanger would not be too happy about that =)


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## mackguyver (Sep 12, 2013)

awinphoto said:


> http://9to5mac.com/2013/05/08/apples-product-photographer-interviewed/
> 
> Peter Belanger would not be too happy about that =)


I knew someone would bring that up! I think he may be the last of that breed, though, now that NVidia's Mental Ray technology and others are out there. These Mercedes ads look pretty good to me, especially the 3rd one:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/mercedes-benz.html
tech behind it:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/nvidia-mental-ray.html


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## Krob78 (Sep 27, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> awinphoto said:
> 
> 
> > They learned the craft up until they can go out on their own and compete toe to toe with their masters, but it isn't the way it is anymore... Now you have the instant gratification with digital and the skill level isn't where it should be for a professional industry.
> ...





> But in most cases, no one even wants them enlarged. They want them on Facebook, and they want them uploaded immediately. They're not going to be viewed as a print hung on a wall, or even on a large, color-calibrated monitor...they're going to be viewed on a smartphone.


Indeed, my last event from last year was a large Christmas event for a huge Florida Corporation. I delivered the images in digital form, High Res as requested and before I got back to my office, they had called to complain that the images wouldn't load on FB and they were having difficulty mailing the 500 plus images to other employees, etc...

I told them that they were formatted at the best resolution for the printing and they said that they didn't care about printing, they just wanted to get them on the web! I obliged of course with smaller lower res image files but was kind of surprised. 

Part of the event was about 75-80 kids that had their photos taken with Santa (or a close double). I assumed they were having 8x10's or 5x7's printed of the kids and were giving them to the parents as part of the event package. They said they didn't need to print any out, they were just going to email the parents the kid/santa photos!


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## mackguyver (Sep 27, 2013)

Krob78 said:


> I delivered the images in digital form, High Res as requested and before I got back to my office, they had called to complain that the images wouldn't load on FB and they were having difficulty mailing the 500 plus images to other employees, etc...


LOL, that's classic! I always throw a folder of 800x1200 or smaller sRGB photos in a "Web" folder on anything I deliver to my clients for that very reason. I have an action in Photoshop that I use with the Image Processor tool to resize, convert to sRGB, and sharpen for web use that I run to do this.


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## Krob78 (Sep 27, 2013)

Krob78 said:


> neuroanatomist said:
> 
> 
> > Drizzt321 said:
> ...





> The real advantage for me would be if I need a repair, and they just cut that incentive by 33%.


++1 about that! 
Guess I better get my repairs in before 4th quarter gets here![/quote]
I did get my 100-400mm in for repair before the 4th quarter began and I'm glad! $535 repair, AF system wacked, IS system totally shot and had to be replaced completely! 

I'm a Gold member and didn't realize I got the 30% discount on parts as well as the repair service, so I was very happy that my $535 repair was only $372 including the overnight shipping back to me! They had it on Monday, late afternoon, I had it back on Friday by 10am!! Very pleased! 

Oh, on a side note, I had to change my MFA settings for the lens back to zero after getting the lens back! I guess they must have re-calibrated it too along with the cleaning and etc... Again, quite pleased... 8)


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## Krob78 (Sep 27, 2013)

mackguyver said:


> Krob78 said:
> 
> 
> > I delivered the images in digital form, High Res as requested and before I got back to my office, they had called to complain that the images wouldn't load on FB and they were having difficulty mailing the 500 plus images to other employees, etc...
> ...


Yes, I do something similar for all my individual and family clients as well as commercial clients when requested. The problem was, when I interviewed them before accepting the assignment, they specifically stated that they only wanted images for print, not web! 

Somewhere along the way, they changed their minds (possibly not liking my print prices on the website) and just wanted the smaller sRGB images! They had an option in my agreement to order and print from my site or get them printed themselves... Happily, they still paid the originally agreed amount as they felt it was an inconvenience to me... 

I was obviously fine with that as they promptly booked this year's affair after they saw last years images, with a modest COL increase of course!


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## mackguyver (Sep 27, 2013)

A client changing their mind - never! That's a funny story, and I had a client who wanted big images, but then used them at a 1" x 1.5" size. Then they came back and wanted 40"x60" prints about 6 months later. They paid well each time, though , just like your experience. I thought it was funny that you couldn't even get back to the office before they called.


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## Krob78 (Sep 27, 2013)

mackguyver said:


> A client changing their mind - never! That's a funny story, and I had a client who wanted big images, but then used them at a 1" x 1.5" size. Then they came back and wanted 40"x60" prints about 6 months later. They paid well each time, though , just like your experience. I thought it was funny that you couldn't even get back to the office before they called.


Yes, that's the part that had me in stitches too! I wasn't gone from their office over 5 minutes when the call came in from them, with their facebook difficulties! I could just picture them, all gathered around one desk, looking at the images and trying to load them on FB! I did get a giggle out of it myself!


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## fxk (Oct 1, 2013)

mackguyver said:


> Per the CPS Terms & Conditions (http://www.cps.act.cusa.canon.com/sys/attachments/terms_conditions_revised_2012.pdf):
> "Applicant must be a full-time self-employed individual or an employee of a professional imaging business who plays a direct role in the creation of moving or still images."



Anyone can call themselves a pro - there isn't a test or license.
Full-time self-employed individual would rule out anyone with a real "day job" i.e., 40 hrs, 5/week. 
Self employed also infers one is paying the bills through their art - art as a small business.
IRS says one must show profit 3 out of the last 5 tax years.

So an amateur is "cheating" CPS - or is Canon "screwing" the rest of us amateur, part-timers, artists, teachers, and whoever else with their ridiculous service charges. 

On points, I more than qualify. I'd love to have my equipment cleaned and calibrated occasionally - but one body is the cost of a Gold membership.

Sheesh...


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## mackguyver (Oct 1, 2013)

fxk said:


> Anyone can call themselves a pro - there isn't a test or license.


Yep, they don't audit or anything, I was just quoting the official line 



fxk said:


> One body is the cost of a Gold membership.


I don't understand what you mean - it's $100/year for Gold.


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