film or digital and age

film or digital and age

  • <20, predominantly film

    Votes: 12 1.9%

  • <20, predominantly digital

    Votes: 3 0.5%

  • 20-29, predominantly film

    Votes: 89 13.8%

  • 20-29, predominantly digital

    Votes: 23 3.6%

  • 30-39, predominantly film

    Votes: 103 15.9%

  • 30-39, predominantly digital

    Votes: 33 5.1%

  • 40-49, predominantly film

    Votes: 87 13.5%

  • 40-49, predominantly digital

    Votes: 44 6.8%

  • 50-59, predominantly film

    Votes: 73 11.3%

  • 50-59, predominantly digital

    Votes: 49 7.6%

  • >60, predominantly film

    Votes: 59 9.1%

  • >60, predominantly digital

    Votes: 71 11.0%
  • Total voters
    646
  • Poll closed .
I'm 32 and grew up with Photoshop 4, creating graphics and working on websites that included using photography, post processing and everything that comes with the digital age. One day I went, stuff it - so I will make my own photography for my work. Looked at the files from digital cameras back in 2005 and never liked the dynamic range, colour and contrast (too clinical) - so I went to film. Bingo, Velvia, Provia and Black and White gave me the organic and "real" look to an image that I was always after. Film will always be the essence of photography for me.
 
Well, I finally voted. Here's my story as to why it took me so long to vote... don't know if it's relevant or interesting.

I'm 19, and I shoot predominately digital.

I saw the thread last night, and the first thing I did was try to count all the times I shot film and the times I shot digital. I've been taking photos for about 4 years now, started using film for 2. I kept shooting digital while shooting film... so I guess you can say I've shot much more digital than film.

Then the first thing I did upon that realization was try to come up with an excuse as to why I shot more Digital than Film, as if it was a bad thing. "But I started off with digital, it was given to me, it's not my fault"... things like that.

Then I asked myself why I did that... 'cause it was kind of silly.

Then I read a post in this thread that said "What's this whole predominately digital thing?" I also remembered how my girlfriend was completely clueless about photography until I showed her my M3, Hexar RF, and M8... and this site when she asked me where to start... and one of the first things she tells me is to stop shooting so much digital and use more film.

🙂 I'm not saying these things to start a fire, I've been using a lot of film lately mostly because it has a higher dynamic range than my camera's sensors, and because I've finally found access to a darkroom. There are also two different, completely unique feelings that are associated with each medium, and my choice between the two often falls on my mood of the day.

I'm saying this because the poll results might be inaccurate. As one person said, there might be digital users that aren't voting. I don't know why this may be, but PERSONALLY, I was dissuaded to vote because there seems to be a stigma that comes with using digital here. Almost every digital-related thread has a few playful posts that read something like "what's digital?" or "[x-amount of money] can buy you [film camera] and [x-amount of film]" I enjoy seeing them, they're playful, but they also contribute to a somewhat negative image of digital photograpy.

Again, I'm not saying this to start a fire... just sharing my reasons as to why I hesitated to vote and why the poll results might be a little off.
 
I move back and forth between digital and film. Today I shot 1 roll 35mm b/w, 1 roll 120 b/w and 5 digital frames. Trying to take pic of butterflys and the af on the digital helps me.
 
Looks like a pretty healthy spread of results so far. I'm 51 and use film mostly. Nothing against digital, I just prefer using film - especially 120 in my TLRs, Mamiya 7 and Hassy 500c/m.

For me, the choice is probably determined most by subject matter. Sports, air shows and macro are things I'd probably shoot in digital. Travel, street, landscape and portraits are definite film teritory for me.
 
PatrickCheung said:
but they also contribute to a somewhat negative image of digital photograpy.
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When it comes to amateurs, it's kind of high-schoolish to me. Film is cool and digital is not. You don't want to be with the wrong crowd! :bang: 😉 😀

When it comes to pros, they seem to simply use whatever they need to get something done.
 
I'm 32. iPhone, GF1, Mamiya 7ii and Yashica T5. I shoot more with digital, but most of them are very casual, or nothing but test shots. If the film is free, I love to shoot everything with film.

I think I can say my main camera is the film, since 90% of my photographic energy goes for film.
 
I'm 25 and I've never owned a digital camera. Film was much cheaper to start out with, i got my first "real camera" for $30, and I work at a drug store with a mini-lab so it was very affordable to learn. If I was doing weddings or some kind of pro work, I would probably get some kind of digital camera, but I just don't like digital. Getting into developing at home has been one of the most rewarding things I've ever done.
 
Keith said:
I sometimes wonder what impression film makes on someone young ... a child of the digital age!

Seeing a negative come out of a developing tank is almost a religious experience for many of us ... how does someone in their twenties or younger perceive it when they see it for the first time?
Click to expand...

Every time I take the roll of negatives off the spool I gasp and say "oh my god" over and over. It never gets old.
 
Keith said:
I sometimes wonder what impression film makes on someone young ... a child of the digital age!

Seeing a negative come out of a developing tank is almost a religious experience for many of us ... how does someone in their twenties or younger perceive it when they see it for the first time?
Click to expand...

well... I'm 24 and not exactly a child of the digital age because I learned it with my grandpa's OM10 with 50 1.8 (he still has it... I've seen it 3 weeks ago, it was great 🙂)

coming from a short trip with dslr (i didnt like the crop factor at all) I got myself a film camera and a fast 50. I love B&W films for the tonality and mood they give me and then I decided to do my own developing. So far I've only done 2 films and it worked well with D76 and ilford stuff. it really is a miracle when it comes out. seems so vulnerable when you have to make sure no light touches the film and all the chemicals make it a strong roll of negatives that resists light after the treatment.

there is some magic. I like it
 
Keith said:
There's a lot more people in the over sixty group who have had hip replacements, have haemorrhoid problems, have failing eyesight, poor memory etc etc!

Why not digital as well? :angel:

😀
Click to expand...

Haha. I'm in my late 20s, and I think I already have a failing eyesight and poor memory. Should I be worried yet?

Started off on digital for the first 2 years of my photographic learnings, and been shooting film (primarily, except snapshots) since then. More than the 'cool' factor has been the intent to improve upon skills, by discarding the meter, the AF and trying to understand light better, with an all-mechanical rangefinder. Simpler setup - one camera, one film, one fixed lens, 36 exposures to shoot, and lets me stay away from 'Mine has more autofocus points than yours' kind of chitchats.

Digital when shooting for others, film when shooting for myself.
 
Late 20s.
The first camera I ever bought myself was digital. Recently gone "back" to film after using "borrowed" film cameras prior to digital.
Both have their place, I essentially have a small OM system and a rather large E-System and I use them for different things and different cicumstances. I have a few rangefinders and a zone focus for "fun" and a 6x6 SLR if I really want to challenge myself.
 
I'm 67 and shoot both, but much prefer the simplicity of film cameras. I scanned a 35mm neg last week and printed a section on A4 so that full size would be 20x16 ish. Knockout. Film was cheap Fuji 200 ISO Superia scanned on Coolscan V ED at 2500 dpi. Made me wonder what all the digital hype was about...............for a moment or two! Each has its' time and place, of course, but there is just something about handling a strip of film.
 
I'm in the 30-39 bracket using predominantly digital but would, as I'm nearly 40, prefer to be in the 20-29 bracket... film or digital isn't so important 🙂
 
23 here, Shoot about 90% film. Only shoot digital when Im photographing caves and disused mines, other than that though all film.
 
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