(a) The judge of the probate court or any other authority performing the functions required to be performed by the judge or by the probate court in any county of the state is authorized to install and to use photostatic equipment or other photographic equipment for recording any documents authorized or required to be recorded in the office of the judge or of the probate court or for recording and preserving the minutes of the court. The equipment may be installed and used by the judge or by the probate court for the same purposes and in lieu of the commonly used method of printing, typing, and handwriting the documents, records, and minutes. The equipment may be provided or its use permitted by the proper county authorities.

(b) The authority given by this Code section for the installation and use of photostatic and photographic equipment is permissive only.