10 Reasons Manual Film Cameras are Best for Learning
Jun 14, 2013 21:14:11 #
mdorn wrote:
As Kai points out, learning photography with a ful... (show quote)
Instant gratification or instant feedback? I learned using a K-1000 taking lots of notes.... I see the value in EXIF data and being able to correct errors "in the moment"....
Jun 14, 2013 21:41:35 #
Back ion the 60's and 70's I shot film. Developed and processed my own black and white. Digital makes learning much simpler and more accurate. With digital, you can change settings and immediately see the results. You can test lighting and exposure and other variables and see exactly the results.
In the old days, you had to keep meticulous notes and you didn't learn much until you shot another test, trying to duplicate everything including chemical temperatures and mixtures and an almost infinite number of variables. If you sent you film to a lab for processing, that introduced more variables. I have learned more in the year I've been shooting digital than I did in a decade shooting film.
In the old days, you had to keep meticulous notes and you didn't learn much until you shot another test, trying to duplicate everything including chemical temperatures and mixtures and an almost infinite number of variables. If you sent you film to a lab for processing, that introduced more variables. I have learned more in the year I've been shooting digital than I did in a decade shooting film.
Jun 14, 2013 21:52:33 #
There is an endless supply of learning tools on the internet. Why start a beginners class here? If you want to learn, there is more knowledge and information available, free of charge, than anyone can possibly digest. There's a multitude of E-books that are very inexpensive and just packed with valuable information for all skill levels.
Jun 14, 2013 21:52:56 #
There is an endless supply of learning tools on the internet. Why start a beginners class here? If you want to learn, there is more knowledge and information available, free of charge, than anyone can possibly digest. There's a multitude of E-books that are very inexpensive and just packed with valuable information for all skill levels.
Jun 14, 2013 22:01:39 #
Until I started to learn digital photography a year ago, I too would have said I learned a great deal by processing my own film and making my own prints.
But, based on my more recent experience with digital photography, I realize how long it took to learn anything. I'm infinitely more knowledgeable since taking up digital photography. And now, after only 1 year, I realize that I didn't know much at all when I shot and processed film That's like using my fingers and toes for math compared to an electronic calculator or PC.
And during my film days I shot several weddings. I never want to go back to those days of film and learning at a snails pace.
But, based on my more recent experience with digital photography, I realize how long it took to learn anything. I'm infinitely more knowledgeable since taking up digital photography. And now, after only 1 year, I realize that I didn't know much at all when I shot and processed film That's like using my fingers and toes for math compared to an electronic calculator or PC.
And during my film days I shot several weddings. I never want to go back to those days of film and learning at a snails pace.
Jun 14, 2013 22:16:21 #
But, you don't have to have film experience to learn all those settings and variables. Beginning photographers need to learn all of those variables and settings today just as they did in the film days. And, digital cameras are much more complex, with an endless array of features and settings.
Today, the beginning digital photographer can learn all that much faster than was possible in the film days. Today, you change a setting and you see an immediate result. You change another setting and you immediately see a result. In the time it took to shoot and process a whole role of film, the digital student is already learning advanced techniques about lighting and processing and how to use an endless array of gear.
I consider my decades of film photography and darkroom work of very little value today. Digital is far superior to film for the purpose of learning photography. I'm 67 and I'm familiar with both worlds.
Today, the beginning digital photographer can learn all that much faster than was possible in the film days. Today, you change a setting and you see an immediate result. You change another setting and you immediately see a result. In the time it took to shoot and process a whole role of film, the digital student is already learning advanced techniques about lighting and processing and how to use an endless array of gear.
I consider my decades of film photography and darkroom work of very little value today. Digital is far superior to film for the purpose of learning photography. I'm 67 and I'm familiar with both worlds.
Jun 14, 2013 23:59:38 #
jeobrien46 wrote:
But, you don't have to have film experience to lea... (show quote)
I am willing to bet that your film experiences have stayed with you far more than you realize. True, many novices today learn about how to set apertures, shutter speeds and ASA's (I hate ISO's), but you not only know how; you know WHY!
Jun 15, 2013 00:10:55 #
Unless you're still shooting film, let go of the ASA's and move on. Older is not necessarily better. You sound like your fighting progress. There's lots to learn. It's a very exciting time for photography. So many more tools. You're only limit is your imagination and your grasp of the tools that can bring your vision to reality. Enjoy the new world of digital photography.
Jun 15, 2013 00:38:50 #
jeobrien46 wrote:
Unless you're still shooting film, let go of the ASA's and move on. Older is not necessarily better. You sound like your fighting progress. There's lots to learn. It's a very exciting time for photography. So many more tools. You're only limit is your imagination and your grasp of the tools that can bring your vision to reality. Enjoy the new world of digital photography.
Oh, I do enjoy the world of digital photography; I was one of the first in my area to embrace it. I am not fighting progress; I am fighting change for the sake of change. The primary reason for the pervasive use of ISO is that ASA speed assignment was minimalized in the last quarter of the 20th century and yet "no ISO speeds greater than 10000 have been assigned as of July 2011". Note however that, "On an international level, the ASA system was superseded by the ISO film speed system between 1982 and 1987, however, the arithmetic ASA speed scale continued to live on as the linear speed value of the ISO system." Note also that all film speed assignments made since 07/2011 are designated "ISO equivalent". [All quotations per Wikipedia, as of 05/10/2013, although bold-facing is mine.]
Jun 15, 2013 02:34:32 #
jeobrien46 wrote:
Until I started to learn digital photography a yea... (show quote)
Actually I believe you did learn a lot developing and printing you pictures. But you learned printing, not shooting photographs. One could argue developing/printing and photographing are two distinct parts of photography overall.
I would then say to learn how to shoot, digital is probably superior but using film might give you an edge learning how to produce prints of images.
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