There are obvious benefits to incorporating a digital imagingworkflow: no film, no processing expenses, and no worries about thepimply kid at the 24-hour photo lab frying your pictures with toomuch yellow or cyan when the magenta runs low. Say goodbye to blueconcrete and pink skies forever.

Because of stronger balances between price tags andfunctionality, many insurance professionals-claims adjusters, forexample-are making the move to digital. Wouldn't it be nice foryour claims adjuster in the field to be able to shoot, save, andsend? Or better yet, shoot, save, verify, sign, annotate, send tothe carrier, and then print a photo-quality hard copy for theclient at the scene?

All of this is made possible by available digital imagingtechnology. But before you outfit your adjusters with a fleet of$5,000 digital cameras and other gadgets with shocking price tags,there are some caveats.

What a Picture Is Really Worth

A thousand words? Maybe. A thousand bucks? Maybe not. While anysalesman who knows the meaning of commission will try to send youout the door with the newest $5,000 contraption, the truth is highquality can be affordable.

You can buy a 2 megapixel (MP) digital camera for $400 to $600that includes removable storage media and digital zoom functions.But don't be misled. Understand that megapixels represent spatialresolution, meaning the more pixels you have, the clearer the imagewill be at larger sizes. For example, 2 MP can produce clear 8×10pictures; 3 MP can do the same for 11x14s. And digital zoom ishandy, but the more you zoom in, the more you sacrifice inclarity-not the case with optical zoom.

Common sense comes into play. Do you really need to makeposter-sized pictures from the fender bender you just visited? Orwill a crisp, clear 5×7 with good tonal quality do the job? Thedifference could mean thousands of dollars per unit, andpotentially tens to hundreds of thousands across theenterprise.

“Choosing a camera should be application-based,” said JohnKnaur, senior product manager of Olympus's digital products. “Ifall you're going to print are 8x10s, then 2 megapixels is more thanadequate.”

According to Knaur, digital camera technology has moved down toconsumer price points; $600 will buy a camera with featuresapplicable to the insurance industry. The Olympus D-510 Zoom, whichKnaur calls 'very portable and easy to use,' features a 3x zoom,built-in flash, macro technology for up-close shooting, 2 MPresolution, auto connect USB for easy interface with Macs and PCs,and a pocketable size. It sells for about $400.

Perhaps the most useful to insurance folks in the field,according to Knaur, is the Olympus C-211. The camera's features aresimilar to the D-510 Zoom's, but what sets it apart is it's builtin printer. The C-211 (with a street price of about $600) usesPolaroid film in a front-loading printer to output hard copy on thespot. This way the client can have a look at the picture andconfirm its accuracy and authenticity. “An adjuster can take apicture of the damage, print the image, and have it signed by theclient,” he said. “That means the person is saying 'this is my car,this is the actual damage.' In effect, the signed image backs upthe integrity of the digital file should the case go to court.”

Craig McGowan, Eastman Kodak's digital applied imaging productmanager, said the differences between $500 and $10,000 digitalcameras are all technical. “A $500 camera will often have point andshoot technology, a static lens, and an average of 2 megapixels. A$10,000 camera will have interchangeable lenses, 4 to 6 MP, hightech sensors and power sources, TIFF file output, [IBM] Microdrivememory technology, and more.”

For the average user, McGowan suggests the Kodak DX3600, with 2megapixels, fixed lens with digital zoom, audio and video capture,and $399 MSRP. That way, adjusters can make notes about each shot,or have the client give brief testimony about the incident. He alsorecommends Kodak's $599 DC5000. It features a wide-angle lens, 2MP, and “ruggedized” frame designed for rough handling. And there'san optional add-on authentication solution, which uses DigitalSignature Standard (DSS) technology to detect image alterationafter capture. Essentially, the camera e-signs the picture as it istaken.

While some of these cameras make use of security andauthenticity, both Knaur and McGowan agree that even withe-signing, printing, or digital watermarking, no image can be trulysecure-but you can come really, really close.

“I'm not against [watermarking],” said Knaur, “and tamper-proofcan pretty much be done, but some people delight in beating thesystem.”

As McGowan put it, “Camera technology that can detect changesbetween the save point and send, working in conjunction with athird party such as VeriSign, is required to approach truesecurity.”

Printers, Paper, and Pain

If you have a high quality image file and nowhere to go, thereare three mainstream choices available when you're ready to print:inkjet, laser, and dye-sub.

For true photo reproduction, dye sublimation (dye-sub)technology is the standard. The dye-sub printer is unique in that atranslucent ribbon with cyan, magenta, and yellow (CMY) inks in itpasses over special dye-sub paper three times; each pass superheatsthe inks. They become vapors that are pulled into the paper at theend of each pass. Dye-sub printing is a dot-free process. There areno dots per inch (DPI) here.
Ink jets and lasers have their place. But if you're looking forlongevity and integrity, Knaur said to stick to dye-sub. He saidlaser printers are good for word processing output; tonal qualityand detail fall short in photographs. According to McGowan, ink jetprinters can be strong allies, providing they are outfitted withlight-stable inks and photo-quality paper. But even then, Knaurexplained, spray nozzle technology is not ideal for use onlong-term records. He said to expect a few years of printintegrity; only paper treated with micro-fine ceramic surfaces(instead of metallic) will maintain vibrant and accuratecolors.

The P-400 dye-sub printer from Olympus ($999) will run you justunder $2 per 8×10 print, taking into account the cost of ink (a $49ribbon will print about 50 full-sized prints) and paper (about $20for 25 sheets). But the best choice for pros in the field, Knaursaid, is the P-200 dye-sub. It's portable, battery-powered, printsfrom storage cards, and outputs postcard-sized pictures. He saidprints will last 20-30 years if stored in low light.
McGowan said Kodak's Personal Picture Maker 200 thermal printer,$199 MSRP (not a dye-sub) is a strong pick because it uses Kodak'scoated paper with emulsion-like finish. He said to expect at least30 years of longevity from the photo-like prints.

Like any picture, a photo-quality print's lifespan depends onhow you store it. “UV [light] causes inks to oxidize and fade,”said Knaur, “so a high-UV environment will substantially reduceintegrity.”

Place the photo in a client's file, tuck the whole thing away ina cabinet, and forget about it. Don't leave it on a windowsill orthe dashboard of your car, or under fluorescent lighting. Hereendeth another lesson from the “Great Book of Duh.”

Now that your picture is on paper, how can you keep the digitalfile safe in case you need more prints? Computer Output to LaserDisk (COLD) is the best, according to Knaur, but only practical forbig carriers that can afford large media storage. “Using the ISO9660 standard, and assuming the computer and disks are of goodquality, you can expect 100 years of data integrity,” heexplained.

For the smaller carrier, McGowan suggests CD-ROM. “Just makesure you're getting CD-ROM technology that will last,” he said.

Of course, digital imaging doesn't apply solely to cameras andprinters. For example, if you need to map an entire accident orcrime scene, Nikon produces the Automated Investigation MeasuringSystem (AIMS). It was designed to take designated pointcodes-vehicle locations, intersections-and redraw the scene basedon those points. As lines and symbols are drawn, AIMS's defaultlibrary of terms adds descriptions to scene items. And the softwareis customizable.

AIMS PC consists of surveying equipment, electronic datacollection, and mapping applications. AIMS costs between $10,000and $18,000, depending on instruments and configuration.

In the future, ease of use will be a hot item. Olympus's AutoConnect USB already makes it easier to hook a camera up to popularplatforms. According to Knaur, manufacturers will be focusing onadvances in picture accuracy, zoom lenses, and resolution.

McGowan believes wireless will be big. Put the camera down nearthe computer and watch it transmit the pictures on its own. He alsosaid to watch for more automation-as in 'You push the button, we dothe rest.'
Now's the time to deploy digital imaging solutions to yourassociates. Smaller units, bigger features. Resolution climbs, costplummets. Just picture it.