The Future of Film

[LavaSurfer]

Yep! That's the thing I don't like about digital: One computer glitch, and it's GONE. If your camera floods, it's GONE. Printed digital photos look terrible compared to regular photos. (Even when using that ultra-expensive photo-print paper)

I disagree! Isn't America great! LOL

If your camera floods, it's GONE - Are Film Cameras Water proof too? If the memory card gets wet you can probably recover photos but thats the least of my worries after loosing a $500 - $5000 Camera.

One computer glitch, and it's GONE. My house burned and I lost all my negitives, Now what. My digital photos survived on the hard drive.
Backup Backup Backup! The Digital Golden Rule!

Printed digital photos look terrible compared to regular photos. There are way too many things that can effect a photo be it Digital or Film. It all starts behind the camera and ends in the print shop. I have some really bad negitive processing done and its not reversible. With Digital at least you can tweak it.

I hear people complain about cameras all the time. The real malfunction is the idiot behind the camera. I have seen people take HORRIBLE shots with equipment I DROOL over because they don't take the time to learn how to take a picture.

On the flip side, Digital does manage to mangle some things like white ballance. Its tough to get good shots when a lot of white is present but it can and is done if your properly trained. I have digital picture prints that you would have to have serious training to know they are not film. Good printing is possible.

 

[vladimir]

This is just plain wrong. EVERY shot in sports illustrated is shot digitally (with the exception of the swimsuit editions where MF is used, but some is shot digitally).

SI has editions besides the swimsuit issue?

 

[OE2X]

I echo what Ron Frank says.

I switched to shooting digital professionally ten months ago and have not looked back. I have an Epson 4800 printer that makes the most beautiful 16x24 prints I have seen. My office and home are lined with prints ranging from dye transfer, to hand printed black and white, to lab printed large color prints, to prints from my Epson. Non pros would be pushed to figure out which was which.

The black and white prints off the Epson are some of the most beautiful prints that I have. I can add a hint of blue in Photoshop to increase the silver quality.

Every magazine and printed material that you pick up now is all digitized. It may not have been shot with a DSLR, but the film was scanned, photoshoped and then printed.

As with anything though - typically the more money you spend the better your quality. A Nikon D2x is $5K., Lenses - as much as you want to spend there, Photoshop CS2 $800., backup drives, card readers etc... well you get the idea. It can break your bank.

 

[LavaSurfer]

I echo what Ron Frank says.
as you want to spend there

well you get the idea. It can break your bank.

Kinda reminds you of SCUBA

 

[RonFrank]

SI has editions besides the swimsuit issue?

Yes, I was shocked an amazed to discover it's actually a SPOTS magazine. Sheesh, what is the world coming to when only one out of 52 editions are dedicated to hot babes in skimpy attire

 

[LavaSurfer]

Yes, I was shocked an amazed to discover it's actually a SPOTS magazine. Sheesh, what is the world coming to when only one out of 52 editions are dedicated to hot babes in skimpy attire

And Hairy guys the rest of the time

And its guys that buy it - Sheesh!

I vote for Swimsuit edition 51 weeks and Hairy Guys the remainder!

 

[steveann]

I think for me, the biggest reason to hit the digital world is the cost. I'll live with shutter lag, poor white balance, and all the other intracacies of a digital camera (although I'll find a model that minimizes this) and bathe in the joy that is no processing fees. Just think, 2000 photos in one trip. I don't even want to think how much that would cost to process. You could probably buy a whole backup digital system for that. And you'd only keep 5% of the shots, maybe? I'd rather have slightly lesser quality in the photos, and only pay for the processing of the ones I want.

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

Okay: I'm not saying that film cameras don't flood, photos don't burn, or dogging out digital in any way. I'm saying that, as a complete amateur and a new diver, I want something that I can shoot photos with, with a minimum of task loading. I don't like messing around with aperture, shutter speed, f-stops, white balance, and all of the other stuff that I don't know a damn thing about. I don't have the desire to justify or spend $500+ at this time, for a camera and housing.

As an example: I have a $10 knife. I have $5 sunglasses. If I drop my knife underwater, it's gone. I don't care. If I lose my sunglasses, (which I'm constantly doing) I don't care. If I flood a $100 35mm camera, it sucks, but it's better than wiping out a $500-$1000 digital.

I didn't realize that my personal preferences were going to ignite such a storm of controversy and outrage. My apologies.

 

[Warren_L]

Okay: I'm not saying that film cameras don't flood, photos don't burn, or dogging out digital in any way. I'm saying that, as a complete amateur and a new diver, I want something that I can shoot photos with, with a minimum of task loading. I don't like messing around with aperture, shutter speed, f-stops, white balance, and all of the other stuff that I don't know a damn thing about.

This really isn't a digital vs. film issue. It's more of a p&s vs. dSLR issue for the most part. With a good p&s camera, either film or digital, that should allow you to not worry about your settings if you want to just point and shoot. But a good camera will also give you the flexibility to take more control, should you wish.

 

[RonFrank]

I didn't realize that my personal preferences were going to ignite such a storm of controversy and outrage. My apologies.

I apologize if my comments suggested outrage by any streach. I just don't want people to read a post, and walk away to tell the world that digital prints stink as it's just not true.

As for your film vs. digital questions, you can pick up a very well made 4mpix used digital camera, and a housing for a couple hundred bucks. You can use it as dumbed down as you like.. fully auto, and it will do a LOT better job than any PnS film camera in auto mode UW. Heck, you can likely find NEW discontinued models with a housing for around $200. In a flood the housing is generally not ruined, so if something does go wrong, you just need to replace the body.