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Personal thoughts on Film vs Digital

jdphoto

Well-known member
Yeah, I know the title is enough to fan flames regarding this much talked about comparison. Aside from the advances in dynamic range, low light and the ability to shoot thousands of images in a row. With digital - anyone can basically do it. To stand out amongst the masses does take skill, but when it's generated with a few keystrokes it seemingly unmasks the obscure, puzzling, or mysterious quality or character that a true analogue photograph is endowed with. A recent look at some pics from Nick Brandt and Sebastiao Salgado confirmed what I personally feel about their switch to digital. Both of these artists are well known for their unique styles and editing, but imo, the digital versions lack the character and emotion of their analogue counterparts. Nick Brandt used a Pentax 67 for most of his earlier, compelling photos, but a look at more recent "digital" versions failed to evoke that sense of mastery and awe. Salgado mentions that he switched because of the convenience of digital...AAGGHH! That's like Leonardo Da Vinci or Picaso using an iPad Pro to doodle with. I'm still learning my craft, and frankly, digital does shorten the learning curve if you have a basic understanding and fundamentals to work with. But for me the tactile nature of working with film out weighs the inconvenience. I also think there's a little push back from those bored with the endless stream of HDR, over cooked saturation and hyper resolution of digital. Film requires patience, contemplation and theory. Something I just don't get from digital, so for me, there is no comparison, but I wish my darkroom skills were better!
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
I find that the more technically polished the images from digital cameras are, and they've reached a very polished state already, the more valid these viewpoints become. Using the imperfections of the different films to enhance the visual expression of an image is something completely different from creating a similar effect in Photoshop or other software.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
... With digital - anyone can basically do it. ...
Utter hogwash. If you're not seeing the look and feel that you want out of your digital captures yet, that simply means that you haven't learned how to get it, which immediately points out that the above statement is wrong.

I love film images. I love them for their inconsistency and defects, the way that they surprise me with the odd way that film sees. I love them for the horrendous constraints they place upon me as a photographer to make them sing, for their limited degrees of freedom, and for all the crazy creativity it takes to make art with them.

I love digital images. I love them for their consistency and predictability, the way I can get exactly what I want from them first time, every time, if I pay attention to what I'm doing. I love them for letting me express what I want to express without the distraction of medium limitation.

Whether you work fast and furious, or slowly and contemplatively, has NOTHING to do with the capture medium. It has to do with your mind and heart.

G

PS: I presume because you posted this that you want others to respond with their thoughts and opinions, not just agree with you. :)
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Horse pucky was what I thought. Hogwash is close, I suppose. :)
 

JoelM

Well-known member
I just went back to film. I find it to be a much more thoughtful process.... for me. I still have digital, but I am enjoying my "new" venture.

Joel
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Love film shooting, especially with the attitude of print film. That said, I hate the delay between shooting and results and also TBH the real cost (which is every week vs occasional but more significant for digital upgrades). Somehow paying $30 for processing feels worse than $1000 for a camera upgrade - nuts I know ...
 

jdphoto

Well-known member
Utter hogwash. If you're not seeing the look and feel that you want out of your digital captures yet, that simply means that you haven't learned how to get it, which immediately points out that the above statement is wrong.

I love film images. I love them for their inconsistency and defects, the way that they surprise me with the odd way that film sees. I love them for the horrendous constraints they place upon me as a photographer to make them sing, for their limited degrees of freedom, and for all the crazy creativity it takes to make art with them.

I love digital images. I love them for their consistency and predictability, the way I can get exactly what I want from them first time, every time, if I pay attention to what I'm doing. I love them for letting me express what I want to express without the distraction of medium limitation.

Whether you work fast and furious, or slowly and contemplatively, has NOTHING to do with the capture medium. It has to do with your mind and heart.

G

PS: I presume because you posted this that you want others to respond with their thoughts and opinions, not just agree with you. :)
Well if you took the time to read the title you would have understood that I don't expect everyone to agree. Hence the term "personal".
You point out nicely though, my exact thoughts on digital vs film. You say..." I love digital images. I love them for their consistency and predictability, the way I can get exactly what I want from them first time, every time, if I pay attention to what I'm doing. I love them for letting me express what I want to express without the distraction of medium limitation.

Yeah, it's the predictability and the first time, everytime comment that confirms my point of anyone can do it.
Also, I never mentioned that I wasn't getting what I want from my digital photography, i just find it incredibly boring unless i'm working with lighting. I was simply pointing out that Nick Brandt and Salgado's digital versions lack the emotion of their analogue counterparts.
You also say regarding film... "I love them for the horrendous constraints they place upon me as a photographer to make them sing, for their limited degrees of freedom, and for all the crazy creativity it takes to make art with them." Hence, my friend why film is utterly more emotional and imo, satisfying then digital
 
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jdphoto

Well-known member
Love film shooting, especially with the attitude of print film. That said, I hate the delay between shooting and results and also TBH the real cost (which is every week vs occasional but more significant for digital upgrades). Somehow paying $30 for processing feels worse than $1000 for a camera upgrade - nuts I know ...
Not if you process, print and scan your own film. Still cheaper then a MFD camera and the devaluation of a continuing seemingly endless upgrade cycle.
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Not if you process, print and scan your own film. Still cheaper then a MFD camera and the devaluation of a continuing seemingly endless upgrade cycle.
I have to say that my MF upgrade cycles have slowed dramatically .. ok, ok, :ROTFL::chug:

Seriously though, once I hit 50mp it was basically over. At 100mp we're well past 8x10 territory and so now it's really colour, tonality and dynamic range vs resolution IMHO.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Well if you took the time to read the title you would have understood that I don't expect everyone to agree. Hence the term "personal".
You point out nicely though, my exact thoughts on digital vs film. You say..." I love digital images. I love them for their consistency and predictability, the way I can get exactly what I want from them first time, every time, if I pay attention to what I'm doing. I love them for letting me express what I want to express without the distraction of medium limitation.

Yeah, it's the predictability and the first time, everytime comment that confirms my point of anyone can do it.
Also, I never mentioned that I wasn't getting what I want from my digital photography, i just find it incredibly boring unless i'm working with lighting. I was simply pointing out that Nick Brandt and Salgado's digital versions lack the emotion of their analogue counterparts.
You also say regarding film... "I love them for the horrendous constraints they place upon me as a photographer to make them sing, for their limited degrees of freedom, and for all the crazy creativity it takes to make art with them." Hence, my friend why film is utterly more emotional and imo, satisfying then digital
We will agree to disagree then. Nuthin' wrong with that! :D

I only find film 'more emotional' in that it is occasionally annoying as heck, and tedious. :)

There's nothing in digital capture's consistency and predictability that makes it less emotional to me. The emotional feeling I get from my photography is when I capture what my mind's eye wanted, not when I fight with a process to get it. Sometimes the fight is fun, but the photographs are fun-er.

G
 

Shashin

Well-known member
Film and digital are just processes. Certainly, "out of the can," each have their own qualities. But you can over cook a film image just as much as a digital one--just look at Ansel Adams later prints. Or look at Chris Rainier's Papua New Guinea work--beautiful, but really pushed.

It is the photographer and their skills that have the greatest impact on the result. Digital is no less a skilled process, even though the initial product might seem easier.

Choose a process for its characteristics, and then develop the skills to master it.
 

Tim

Active member
For me Film and Digital are both just methods to make an image.
Both have their advantages and disadvantages and their nuance look. Either is a choice rather than overall superior to me.
To me its like paint or charcoal to an artist. For some images I prefer the look of film other times digital look great.

The main reason I am driven to digital is because of commercial and convenience (time) reasons.
If minilabs were still in operation in my area I'd frequent them, but alas most have gone.

There is another category of photog who uses both sets of tools.
Being a confessed gear head I find that certain cameras encourage me more than others. I offer no apology for this.

I can agree that Nick's film work may look better but I have noticed in myself that often what you see first becomes the norm and thereafter anything else does not quite look right. Perhaps if Nick started with digital we'd prefer them?

Enjoy your choice.
 

jdphoto

Well-known member
We will agree to disagree then. Nuthin' wrong with that! :D

I only find film 'more emotional' in that it is occasionally annoying as heck, and tedious. :)

There's nothing in digital capture's consistency and predictability that makes it less emotional to me. The emotional feeling I get from my photography is when I capture what my mind's eye wanted, not when I fight with a process to get it. Sometimes the fight is fun, but the photographs are fun-er.

G
Working to achieve a desired image through a process that requires patience, skill, determination and fortitude is exactly how I want to learn. Keeps me proficient. I'm grateful to shoot both mediums, but film imo, is more tangible.
However, I do scan film, so I guess that's considered a hybrid process.
 
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darr

Well-known member
I like film and digital equally and appreciate them for their unique offerings.

Film has evolved into a meditative process for me, and I never saw this coming. Years ago, I really disliked the darkroom and swore I would do whatever I could do to get out of it, but today surprisingly, I enjoy processing the film I shoot, but I prefer digital printing. When I shoot film, I know I have a finite amount of shots and that forces me to slow down. I am the type of person that has been told most of my life to "slow down". I have finally slowed down and film has been a welcoming gift for me to go back to. Film has a unique look that I enjoy as well.

Digital is very helpful in a different facet of my shooting life, and in all fairness, it makes my life easier and I appreciate that. The amount of "work" that I can produce with digital tools is astounding when compared to my film work. My digital work is more predictive to me than my film work.

I enjoy them both as photography has been pretty much my entire working life, and I am still as excited about it today as I was when I picked up my first 35mm camera back in the late '70s, the Canon AE-1 with a 50/1.8 lens. No complaints from me for either process, just appreciation and gratitude to have been lucky enough to work in a field that I have had a lifelong love affair with, and it started with film and continues. Sorry for the girly talk guys, but I cannot hide who I am amongst friends. :)

Kind regards,
Darr
 

Tim

Active member
I like film and digital equally and appreciate them for their unique offerings.

Film has evolved into a meditative process for me, and I never saw this coming. Years ago, I really disliked the darkroom and swore I would do whatever I could do to get out of it, but today surprisingly, I enjoy processing the film I shoot, but I prefer digital printing. When I shoot film, I know I have a finite amount of shots and that forces me to slow down. I am the type of person that has been told most of my life to "slow down". I have finally slowed down and film has been a welcoming gift for me to go back to. Film has a unique look that I enjoy as well.

Digital is very helpful in a different facet of my shooting life, and in all fairness, it makes my life easier and I appreciate that. The amount of "work" that I can produce with digital tools is astounding when compared to my film work. My digital work is more predictive to me than my film work.

I enjoy them both as photography has been pretty much my entire working life, and I am still as excited about it today as I was when I picked up my first 35mm camera back in the late '70s, the Canon AE-1 with a 50/1.8 lens. No complaints from me for either process, just appreciation and gratitude to have been lucky enough to work in a field that I have had a lifelong love affair with, and it started with film and continues. Sorry for the girly talk guys, but I cannot hide who I am amongst friends. :)

Kind regards,
Darr
I have seen your work Darr, I feel its more about the image and less about the tools for you. While there is an abundance of cameras I will choose one. But if there was only one I would use it and make the best of it. I like the camera as an object but enjoy its result more.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
I find that the more technically polished the images from digital cameras are, and they've reached a very polished state already, the more valid these viewpoints become. Using the imperfections of the different films to enhance the visual expression of an image is something completely different from creating a similar effect in Photoshop or other software.
I have to quote myself here: "... the imperfection of different films..."

For my latest two films, one Portra 400 and one Ektar 100, both in 135 format, I tried a lab that I hadn't tried previously, and suddenly things have a new meaning. I guess I had forgotten why I changed to digital very reluctantly 12 years ago, even if that was with the very "film like" Fuji S3. Suddenly, I have a feeling that I've gone from drinking Haut-Médoc to orange juice. And by all means, there's nothing wrong with drinking orange juice. For breakfast, it makes much more sense than wine anyway. But what I realise is that although the film shots I look at today are far less perfect from a technological point of view than what I see from my mobile phone, they convey the message that I have in my head in a better way.

Then there's Photoshop, and umpteen different film simulation plug-ins and whatnot. But I would much rather have the experience of looking at the fresh negatives or scans from the lab, saying to my inner self "Yes, those are my photos. That's the way I want them to look." There is a limited number of genuine pleasures in my life. This used to be one of them, and I want it back on a regular basis.



 
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