The speed of news delivery has come a long way since Paul Julius Reuter used a fleet of 45 racing pigeons back in 1851 to deliver news and stock prices between Brussels and Aachen in Germany.
Nowhere is speed more important than in the world of news and sports pictures. Since the days of racing pigeons, the types of information, as well as the volume and speed of delivery, have changed dramatically, but the advent of digital photography has had possibly one of the greatest impacts on the news industry internationally.
Kevin Coombs, Editor of News Pictures Production at Reuters, was interviewed by Canon with a view to establishing what sort of impact digital photography has had on the company`s operations.
Reuters transmits between 700 and 1 000 pictures a day to clients worldwide, although this figure is just a tiny fraction of the actual number of pictures taken per day by its complement of staff photographers that all use Canon digital cameras. Reuters uses Canon exclusively and the Canon EOS 1D is the standard issue although some photographers use the EOS D60 and EOS 1DS.
"We use Canon exclusively for a number of reasons as it is important for us to be able to rely on our equipment as we live on images, which makes the camera the foundation of our business," says Coombs. "The EOS1D gives us reliable performance, outstanding shutter speed and the biggest range of AF lenses you can get and add to this the partnership that we have with Canon, which allows us to make the most of our equipment."
By 1998 Reuters went 100% digital, which proved to be a quantum leap for the business as it involved a whole new news delivery mechanism for pictures. Reuters photographers, principally those covering major sporting events started using a wireless LAN (local area network) system, allowing for pictures to reach the publication`s news desk within minutes of being taken. "It is now impossible to conceive of going back to film," commented Coombs.
Practically speaking, it was a major feat, as it meant getting literally hundreds of photographers to change working practices and it took a whole year to complete. Key news events such as the World Cup in France drove and justified the process and the volume and quality of images from the World Cup were amazing.
Going digital had an impact on the business in that higher annual capital expenditure on equipment was offset by the cost savings on running costs, that is to say no film, chemicals, darkrooms, etc. "In the end, it pretty much evened out and Reuters is now able to boast state of the art equipment and a faster picture turnaround," says Coombs. Reuters` photographers have embraced digital photography from the outset as it has had a positive impact on how they are able to do their jobs.
Not only has Reuters enjoyed the benefits of digital photography with its own staff photographers, but the news agency has received photographs from amateur photographers who carry smaller consumer cameras and capture images of major events as they happen. Ordinary people are better placed to get good news pictures than ever before, and with digital quality continuing to improve, along with usability and performance rising at the same rate, it`s an exciting time to be taking pictures of the new, whoever you are.
"So much so, that I personally carry a Canon Powershot G3 with me all the time, just in case!" concluded Coombs.
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