Digital or Film...

[GardMan]

I shoot digital, but that's only for convenience & application. DSLR, like 35mm, to me anyway, is great for some things and not others.
DSLR is as good as yesteryears film for typical action, sports, birding, family & fun shots. Plus the control you have in digital post-work over the whim of a film lab's developing process.

But for landscape, large gallery work and such, it's film. And it has nothing to do with the medium, but everything to do with format. Large format.
As far as I know there is no 4X5 digital.

And yeah, this topic could easily go on...

Not 4 x 5, but PhaseOne and Leaf make digital backs for various 645 medium format cameras, and I thought I had seen some even for view/press cameras. Some of the sensors are > 50 x 35 mm and 50-100 MB. You can imagine they are priced accordingly!

 

[GAD]

And that's really too bad. Personally, I like to know how things work. :wink:

I'm just sayin',
Joe

I have a friend who served as a United States Naval Officer. One of his "quirks" was that he insisted on knowing how to do things "the old ways". He knew, for example, how the analog range finder worked and was probably the only person on his ship who would even have a chance at aiming and firing the main battery if the radar and digital system failed. He also could use a sextant and plot navigation courses using nothing but the sextant, maps and "drawing tools". However he freely admitted that all the knowledge was useless unless one of the science fiction plots (see this, for example) that postulate a technology roll back to the mid-1600's or earlier actually occurred in his universe and lifetime.

That said, I do think for some people and applications, knowing how things work is overrated and does not necessarily provide an advantage. I do not know how a manual transmission works, for example, but the absence of the knowledge doesn't effect my ability to drive effectively with one.

Back to photography, there are definitely a whole lot of people who will never care what is happening so long as what they see in the viewfinder (or equivalent) is what is captured to the camera's memory. Their sense of composition does not need to understand about shutter speeds, f-stops, depth of field and so on.

Sounds like me. I refuse to use any automatic setting on anything until I know how to do it all manually. I too know how to use a sextant, and can plot charts. I can navigate by the stars and can point out all the constellations. Back when I was into astronomy I refused to buy a computer-guided scope (A new tech back then) and I still have all the star charts.

I can use a compass and chart a course on a topographical map. I'll only carry a GPS when hiking if I have a compass and map as a backup. People die when batteries die.

I can develop color and B&W film by hand. I just don't want to any more.

 

[CA-35]

Ah the age old debate; new school versus old school! Technology goes on....whether we like it or not. It's all for the best. Look what we've done in a short time with technology leaps that used to be 20 years, then 10, then five, and now it seems about every two years it squares itself. In 50 years folks it will be a different world. It's inevitable, like it or not.

I still think Johnny Unitas and Tom Matte but now a days its Tom Brady and Terrell Owens. Same game? No. But its enjoyable. When i surfed in the 70's I used a 9'6" Velzy, now they surf on boards that are barely 6'0 and have 3 skegs? Bi-planes or F14's? Model T's or F250 Mac Daddy diesels? Pay phones or cell phones?

Live and Learn. imagine if Einstein had a computer instead of a slide rule? Imagine Beethoven with the ability to hear back instantly his compositions instead of assembling an orchestra? If the tools make the artist better than so be it.

 

[silverfox103]

I still think Johnny Unitas and Tom Matte but now a days its Tom Brady and Terrell Owens.

Please don't put Terrell Owens in the same sentence as Tom Brady. I think you meant Randy Moss.

Tom C.

 

[CA-35]

Re;

Please don't put Terrell Owens in the same sentence as Tom Brady. I think you meant Randy Moss.

I knew when I typed that I would regret it. TO has BO. I meant Tom Brady and Wes Welker.

 

[jeffc]

I am a former professional commercial photographer and though I initially fought the change from film to digital, I have been 100% free of film for many years now. Commercial clients generally won't even accept work shot film now - which makes sense since it's going to need to be scanned into digital format before it can be used anyways. The ability to avoid a darkroom and process your own material is alone the single most beneficial reason to not be using film. Immediate results is another great reason. COST is the final nail in the coffin.

 

[taabru45]

So I'm guessin' no one here would be interested in a couple of nice old Minolta SLRs....(the lens are supposed to fit Sony Digitals, but you'd have manual focus) will consider trades for guitar related stuff.... :lol: Steffan

 

[jeffc]

So I'm guessin' no one here would be interested in a couple of nice old Minolta SLRs....(the lens are supposed to fit Sony Digitals, but you'd have manual focus) will consider trades for guitar related stuff.... :lol: Steffan

I sold two Maxxum 7000 bodies, several AF lenses, grip, and several Minolta flash's for.... argh... $75 total. Film stuff doesn't have much of a market. That said, my son shoots Sony Digital and is always looking for lenses. If you want to private message me which lenses you have, he might have interest.

 

[Ian]

Those damn cds mess up my needle, and I still can't get the songs playing....plus they are hard to center with those larger holes..... :? Steffan

You obviously need to pick up the turntable-adaptor kit, if you can still find a turntable, that is! :lol:

Joe

Hey Joe, there's actually a pretty big market for turntables these days, loads of new ones being released all the time, not to mention that Linn never stopped making the LP12. You might be shocked at the price of them though....

Cheers, Ian

 

[hideglue]

Hey Joe, there's actually a pretty big market for turntables these days, loads of new ones being released all the time, not to mention that Linn never stopped making the LP12. You might be shocked at the price of them though....

Cheers, Ian

Ian,
I've been wanting an LP12 since the '80s!
And though I've owned some decent tables since (Dual, NAD, Thorens), I still want that Linn. Someday. . .

 

[twocorgis]

Hey Joe, there's actually a pretty big market for turntables these days, loads of new ones being released all the time, not to mention that Linn never stopped making the LP12. You might be shocked at the price of them though....

Cheers, Ian

Ian,
I've been wanting an LP12 since the '80s!
And though I've owned some decent tables since (Dual, NAD, Thorens), I still want that Linn. Someday. . .

I have a '75 Thorens TD145 and it still works great. Had to buy a NAD preamp for my modern home theater receiver with no phono input. Before that I had a Dual 1219. Great tables both.