anotherview Loc: California

Nice, simple way to put it. Why go in reverse before going forward?

usken65

I still shoot film with a nikon. So I can tell you 35mm film is still readily available.

whitewolfowner

And making a come back too among amateurs and especially serious prosumers.

whitewolfowner

Very well said, bravo!!!

BebuLamar

Do you shoot color or B&W?

whitewolfowner

"Digital represents another technical advance in doing photography. Film served as a technical advance over other methods of its time."


You are so wrong, in fact you couldn't be more wrong. Digital is not an advancement; it is just another medium that has advantages over film, sure it does. But film has advantages over digital; one is only better than the other in certain situations. It's like arguing which is better; Canon or Nikon; each has the edge on the other in certain specific areas but one s not better than the other. Those who try to tout the argument of digital being better than film are both ignorant and lazy: PERIOD!

Erik_H Loc: Denham Springs, Louisiana

Um, guys, I do believe that theduke has left the building...

anotherview Loc: California

While dated now, this lengthy opinion of Ken Rockwell discusses some matters of film-versus-digital-photography which still apply to these two media for doing photography: http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/filmdig.htm

usken65

On film mostly b&w but I still use color too.

anotherview Loc: California

Good afternoon. You may defend film photography until the cows come home. Yet, film has become obsolescent, while it remains popular among a sub-set of photographers. Clever marketing also attracts some individuals to film photography.

Nevertheless, to my knowledge, all cellular telephones that contain a camera use digital means not film for capture of photographs. The future of photography, in part, continues to grow from this innovation.

About a decade ago, Ken Rockwell penned this assessment of film and digital approaches to doing photography, and it raises some good points:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/filmdig.htm

Which approach to photography one employs appears more like preference and convenience apart from the technical.

I've talked with experienced photographers about film versus digital, and the ones who use digital now all say the same thing: Digital photography gives the photographer more control.

Note that KR dwells on the non-linear fall-off highlights as a desirable characteristic of the film medium. Adobe Camera Raw, however, can now reproduce some lost information from the highlights by interpolation of remaining information.

In addition, one may use cloning techniques in Photoshop to add some information to improve the appearance of highlights in a digital photography.

I read quite a bit about photography and its history. Several years ago, writers of photographic material declared that digital photography has finally surpassed film photography.

For my part, I'd like to see a report of what percentage of all humans taking pictures use film versus photography. Meanwhile, my continual observation inclines me to conclude just a small percentage use film anymore.

whitewolfowner

Oh, it definitely is a small group that uses film today. Many, today, have never shot a roll of film in their life and certainly never stepped into a darkroom. The few that have, some were good in the darkroom and knew what they were doing; while others did not. Only those that really knew what they doing and could produce a fine print will even think of defending film and/or going back to it. For many, they would rather sit in front of their computer and fix files than go in a dark room and pittle with smelly chemicals. I did film both privately in my own darkroom and commercially and was very good at it. My honest assessment of it is this. The statement you said many have said that digital gives you more control would only be argued by very proficient studio photographers that have mastered light control; these are the ones making 6 or 7 digit figures in large commercial studios. And the statement would apply only to color, not B & W. In the olden days it was almost impossible to find a lab to give you shots back and not be off by 40 units of one or two colors. It was so bad, I rarely shot color until I got a job setting up a lab for a camera store and running it. If you have a machine to do the chemical processing of your prints, color is fun to do; but will take a long time and in all honesty, I find it boring as anything because you waste so much time waiting for the 8 or 10 (forget the exact time) minute process to give you your exposed print and it can take several tests to get the color and exposure correct. It was nothing to make a good color enlargement and take several hours to get it if first starting out because you have to find the right combination of colors for the base of the film you are using. Doing it in a drum, even worse, worse, worse. Personally, I'd rather do color in digital if I don't have access to a processor.

B & W is a different story. There are things that you do to B & W digitally that are easier than a darkroom, I will grant that, but there are things you can do in a darkroom, you cannot do in digital and many much better. It all depends on ones skill level and if they have that desire to go back into the darkroom, mess with the chemicals and everything that goes with it. Me, I miss my darkroom very much and dream to have it set up again. If I can ever get to move, I'll make sure I can set it back up and my 8008s and FE2 are just waiting for that next roll Ilford HP5 and any other new emulsions they have concocted in the last 15 or so years.

BebuLamar

I found that recent resurgence of film use is primarily B&W. They are in good supply as well as processing materials. I don't do well in B&W although I certainly enjoy B&W photography done by others. Since I only shoot color and I found my option is too limited. B&H don't want to ship C-41 and RA-4 chemicals due to some rule by the DOT.

whitewolfowner

That sounds off base. If they can't be shipped, then how does B & H get them in their store? Try the Rochester Institute of Technology photography book store. Who knows, you may have to drive to a camera store to get them.

anotherview Loc: California

Thanks for your comment. Good to hear the voice of experience on this subject.