It is interesting, this debate about the professional photo analysis, the State Department blind study, and the public curiosity. I am also troubled by several things that I am reading on this thread.
Thinking about it, I cannot recall one single historical event where photographs, digital or otherwise, were not readily made available to the public, especially for an event that happened nearly 75 years ago and of a historical significance as the case is here. It would be understandable if there was some need for secrecy however that is surely not the case here.
I do find it troubling that a photograph snapped by some poor sod in 1937 of a deserted remote island in the middle of the Pacific now has some intrinsic commercial value and is not made available to the public. Now, apparently, obtaining a digitized copy of this old photograph (by TIGHAR or any other interested party) requires some substantial fee. Now we are talking contractual obligations and copyrights, this all sounds very commercial and personally I am somewhat turned off by the whole thing.
Finally, if it really requires the eye of a professional forensic photo analyst to interpret this photograph to the exclusion of all others, count me with the skeptics. This reminds me of the old tale,
The Emperor's New Clothes.
I hope I have not offended anyone either but that is exactly how I see it.