The Film Versus Digital Debate

Saint Marys Lake by Ratso59
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For ease of use, Digital cameras come top. As long as you have the camera, the card to write your images to and batteries, you're ready to go. Just point and click. Okay, so there's slightly more skill to it than that.

My point is, is that digital photography is ideal for those who do not wish to embark on a career as a professional photographer. In order to extract the images from the card you need your own computer and a memory card reader. No need to worry about sending your film off for processing and no one else has to see your images.

Digital cameras now are packed with so many features and they're relatively cheap, so they're easily accessible for the majority of us.

Film cameras are a different thing altogether.

Initial pricing for film cameras are exceptionally high and are usually only within reach for those of us who take our photography seriously. They also cost money to process them either by sending them away or by doing it yourself. With digital cameras now becoming so popular the need for film developers etc. are dwindling so it's even harder to find a shop or retailer than caters for this market. However, they are there if you know where to look and most, if not all, professional photographers would.

In terms of picture quality, they are two different mediums. No image will be exactly alike on whatever camera you take them on. Quality will also depend on any additional processes you may add i.e. scanning, quality of film developers, time and software.

Some photographers will shoot the same image on both types of cameras in order to get the maximum potential for the image.

So, really it all comes down to personal preferences and resources as to which camera you decide to use. There really is no good way of comparing the two types of photography together.

But, don't let that stop you from debating your views :)

As a Squidoo Lensmaster, images are very important to me for improving the look of my lenses. Many of my images are displayed on my lenses using my account on Flickr.

As an amateur photographer, I believe Digital is far easier and cheaper than using a Film camera. For ease of use and speed, Digital wins hands down.

Why?

Digital Cameras are cheaper than Film: The initial cost of the camera is considerably cheaper than a Film camera. I can pick up a very good Digital Camera for under £100, although I would be happy to pay up to £150.

There are also no processing costs. I won't have to send my film away to be processed (though I wouldn't have to do that anyway, as I have a professional photographer on hand! ;)) All I need is a memory card (of which I have loads!), a computer and a memory card reader to transfer to my computer. I would also require editing software but these can be found on the Internet for free.

Digital Cameras are fast: Not just in the actual taking of the photograph but the processing of images to the computer. You take the images today and you can have them ready for editing the very same day maybe less than one hour after you have taken them.

Digital Cameras are Easy: For amateur photographers they are easy to use and process. Most, now, have software included to improve your images as you take them e.g. face recognition. Just point and click. All you need to worry about is composition.

1} Practice holding the camera steady by bracing yourself, keeping your weight balanced and your elbows tucked into your side. Breathe out as you squeeze the shutter.

2} If you're working without a tripod, use a shutter speed of 1/60 sec or faster, according to which lens you are using. For example, using a zoom lens (55-200mm) pick the longest focal length and then translate it into a corresponding fast shutter speed.

3} Rest the camera on something. Use walls, sturdy trees, for example, as a natural tripod. Avoid touching the camera during the exposure by using a cable release or self-timer.

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