help stop the prejudice!

[clive francis]

digging around on the net, found the British Society of Underwater Photographers (BSoUP)

open to any one, and any one can enter their competitions...........on 35mm slides!

not a mention of digital entries.

then to rub salt in the wound:

http://www.bsoup.org/Equipment.html

they advertise digital film scaners (not for sale, just which ones to get) and say digial is only good for web pictures, email and 6" x 4" picture prints.

I think we (every digital camera owner) should mail them (include a picture) and tell them what pompus asses they are being by discriminating against digital cameras and their users.

I have already sent an email, saying so :upset:

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

I feel you are wrong and hear is why, first there is nothing wrong with film camera's not everyone wants or needs a digital camera. myself I do and will in time move up to digital camera but cost prohibits me right now, I hope in future to move to digital.
Anyway they have the right to have film camera's as you have the right to have digital, seems like if you don't like it, you need to find another club that does digital.
It does not mean there discriminating against digital cameras.
It means they want to be film and not digital and its there right as your is for digital seems like a pretty open shut case to me!!!

 

[clive francis]

i think you missed the point that they claim to be the british society, but they don't allow all photographers to enter their competitions.

I have nothing against film cameras, I have had some, still do.

by stopping digital i feel they are not promoting underwater photography, look at all the photo's posted on here taken with digital cameras of all shapes and sizes, and some/most are of equall quality to film.

there are a lot of divers using digital and taking excellent photo's that people will be missing by the prejudice.

 

[scorpiofish]

Slides are required for most competitions, since they are representative of the actual shot taken, including exposure.

Digital images or even digital scans are disallowed because they can be easily manipulated. This isn't an anti-digital bias, but a fairness of competition, otherwise Photoshop skills would be a true measure of photographic skills.

The same slide requirement also negates use of print (negative) film, a non-digital medium.

Our local underwater photography society has created two digital categories for competition. One requires unaltered EXIF data with no adjustments allowed. Another allows for digital enhancements.

There's always the ass-backward way. One can get 35mm slides made from digital files. I think it would be considered cheating though.

 

[blacknet]

Hello,

in today's standards with technology digital cameras stand at 15MP (with the new kodak unit) I'll not comment on quality. The most popular ones today for underwater use is 5-6MP. The digital equivalent of a 35mm slide is approx 20MP. 2 1/4 format is about 5x that of 35mm so we're looking around 100MP. I'm not even going to touch LF.

In short digital has it's place, so does film. I believe one of our (in the US) forfathers stated "give me film or give me death!".

If you compare numbers, digital 6MP, 35mm 20MP you realize your lacking serious data with digital, the quality and quantity is just not there. As of today the digital users is mostly composed of the APS market and other fad markets that's died off over the years. Your serious pro photographers still use film but may toy with digital.

Ed

 

[RSdiver]

This subject seems a bit testy,
perhaps you should lighten up.
Unlike the US, it is possible that mot many UK divers have started in on digital photography because it is expensive for them as they get taxed heavily.

 

[scorpiofish]

Your serious pro photographers still use film but may toy with digital.

You couldn't be more wrong. At least 75% of pros using 35mm have switched to digital, probably 50% of MF shooters have switched (not including those who use 20mp digital backs on their film cameras). LF shooters will remain LF shooters. Many

Look at the various categories of pro photography and you will see why.

1) Sport photogs and photo journalists. Digital files transferred in a snap vs. film processing and logistics of getting film back from the field.

2) Commercial photography. No polaroids or rush slide processing. Product/catalogue shoots are all done on digital with camera tethered to PC. PC controls all functions.

3) Wedding photography. Most have switched. Providing digital proofs is far timelier and cost effective.

4) Nature. Pick out your favorite nature photographers. Most are now shooting digital.

Those who make a living with their camera have the financial incentive to invest in the cost of digital, saving money in film and processing cost and saving time in terms of work flow.

The pro lab I use no longer offer Type R prints or Cibachromes. The publishing companies that used to require 35mm slide submissions are now requiring digital submissions, whether they be scanned chromes or digital camera files.

Newspapers and other print media can't use the extra information film contains anyway.

Which is better, film or digital? Right now, it is still film. But this is the wrong question. The question is, "which will meet my needs best". If all you can say is "film provides more data" then why aren't press photographers still toting their Graflex around? Heck, why aren't we all shooting LF? It's better. Lots more information. Same reason wedding photogs switched from LF to MF. Same reason people switched to 35mm. The advantages of the smaller format systems, whether it be speed, weight, work flow outweigh loss of detail. The best solution starts with the final output. One thing I have seen first hand that enlarging digital files has become easier and better with the advent of 3rd party software programs and even the RIP processed by pro labs.

There will be those areas that will remain film for the time being. Some landscape, definitely those who shoot LF. Fine art. Architecture.

I still use film when the digital camera won't do what I need, not because of resolution. E.g. long exposures, fast rates, low light, extreme wide angle, limited flash synch speed.

I'm sure the same argument about resolution was made when 35mm came out. The market is making the decision. It is definitely not a fad. As the U.S. government whether they will go back to film for their spy cams once the fad is over.

If you don't believe me, buy Polaroid stock.

 

[clive francis]

nice one scorpion, first it bugged me about only entering slides, but what really peed me off (got told off for using *'s and the like) was that they said digital is no good for prints larger than 6" x 4" which we all know to be a crock (use the american version without saying it....is that allowed on here?)