Is digital boring to you?

[John Bragg]

Whilst I do not find any branch of photography boring, the process of digital capture is in itself something that leaves me cold and uninspired. The whole process of film photography in black and white is my thing and the organic nature of it always fascinates me. Give the same ingredients to 100 chefs and they will all produce something individual as a final dish. The same applies to black and white with sometimes very subtle nuances arising out of personal technique and variations therein. Sometimes things go wrong but even those lessons are valuable as well... The whole experience is one long learning curve for me and I love it.

 

[kitaanat]

I use both depends on the result I need.
Nikon D70, EOS 1DS MkII or Leaf Aptus 65 / Aptus 75 high end digital back
I've just got Kodak Retina IIIC and enjoy using it.

I've found some fact from my test that old lens have some characteristic that the new design lens didn't offer.

photography is my life : )

 

[vha]

would not say digital is boring, My RD1 gave nice pictures when i had the camera (and then i was a broke student for a while .. )
The G9 gives fine photos for web, but the handling is boring, but it does the job. So for my part its more the camera itself that bores me,
of course you have pro dslr that have the right feeling, but i can´t afford it, and well its a SLR, but it´s not boring. . .
If i could get a digital something with a clean finder like lets say a FM or a M6, a winding arm and spot like metering 🙂

Probably just a habit, 15 years with film, and a few years digital, not that strange it feels not comfy yet.
I´m aware that a camera is just a tool, but it helps if feels "right"

Might be that simple.

vha

 

[TheHub]

Is digital boring to you?

Utterly and completely. Especially digital cameras themselves.

 

[Leighgion]

What's boring is having only one kind of camera.

These days, I almost never am out without at least one film camera and one digital camera. Sometimes more

 

[FrankS]

Also, utterly and completely!

I completely understand the advantages digital offers in many disciplines of professional photography, and it's ease for casual snapshots. But >for me< I totally prefer the film and darkroom experience, the B+W prints I get, and yes, also the film camera hardware aspect.

 

[mhv]

The problem with digital for me is that it's not beautiful.

 

[bmattock]

The problem with digital for me is that it's not beautiful.

If only the world had thought to consult with you first.

 

[jespin00]

Is digital boring to you?
yes, a thousand times yes.
not only do I find shooting digital boring but it's became more of a hassle to bring it out on trips.

I recently went to a comic convention in seattle this weekend with a friend. I went more for my friend who loves comics to a religious extent, but I also thought it would be neat to take photos(being that i've never read a comic book in my life, and figured i'd do something productive than laugh at people fully dressed in character walk by as they discuss which issue they loved of 'so and so's work.)

So I brought my Voigtlander R2A and my NikonD50.
The Nikon crapped out on me! I found using my rangefinder a lot more pleasureable to use.
The fact that I didn't know what was wrong with my D50, my first camera that i've ever used extensively I might add, and prefered to shoot with my Voigtlander instead of figuring out how to revive the digital paperweight strapped around my neck, made me realize that shooting film, the whole measuring the light, focusing the subject of interest, pressing the shutter release and reflexively winding the film lever for the next shot gave me more satisfaction than a digital camera has ever done.


As I typed this, I feel no buyers remorse as my D50 lies on top of old books collecting dust, because it made me appreciate what film has time and time again prooved:
Film is not dead.

 

[Ororaro]

I agree. Just the simple action of winding the film to the next frame with my thumb fills me with a deep sense of satisfaction.

 

[jky]

Classic!..... 😛

Leica realised digital photography was boring ... that's why they bought out the M8 and introduced a whole new set of emotions into the process!

1) will it turn on? (anticipation)

2) now that it's on ... will it freeze? (anxiety)

3) damn ... is that black sweater synthetic I wonder? (confusion)

That's before you take the photo ... then afterwards!

4) is that a line of dead pixels I see there? (paranoia)

5) oh sh*t ... I knew I should have taken an IR filter! (disappointment)

Nothing boring about taking pics with an M8! 😛

 

[c.poulton]

Me too, it's like kick-starting a real motorcycle.

He he, yes, that's exactly the feeling I get 😀

 

[landsknechte]

Digital, no.
Most modern lenses, yes.

If there were more affordable alternatives to cameras like the R-D1, I'd shoot a lot more digital than I do now.

 

[migtex]

No , not bored! Luving it... too!
Different pleasures and that's Not bad either!

 

[Gid]

I don't find digital boring in the least. Its just the process that is different. My RD1 gives me a very film camera like experience, without the need for wet processing or using a lab. I also get to choose B&W or colour after the event. Like any medium, there is a need to process for the desired result. It isn't film, but that doesn't make it bad or second rate. I don't try to emulate film, I accept digital for what it is and that is fine for me.

 

[edrodgers731]

I shot film in the 80s and 90s and was happy. But when digital got good, I never looked back. (well maybe a couple of times.. 🙂 I get romantic about analog sometimes, but I scratched that itch with the M8, and I'm happy. Now I have old lenses and a solid camera that feels analog.

For those of you that think digital takes too long to process... What are you smoking? I find digital to be lightning fast and more flexible than any darkroom I have ever worked.

For those of you that like the patience and hard work required to produce the first test print in your darkroom, hey, more power to you. You might also try shooting barefoot.

Anyway, to each their own. Digital to me has been extremely refreshing, and it pulled me out of a major photography slump. Digital to me is more interesting than film. Of course I'm out-numbered in this forum! 🙂

 

[gavinlg]

If only the world had thought to consult with you first.

Hahaha that's great....

Is anyone here like me with my never ending short term phases? Today I decided to see what I could do with my lovely girlfriend, some natural afternoon light and my d300.

The results surprised me - very nice!

So really, one week I might be having a "digital is giving me the ****s" week, and the next I may be enjoying it a lot more.

 

[john_van_v]

They both have their place, digital for hyper-reality, and film for the old school feeling.

I put some writing from my other post thanking digital for "freeing" film from having to be perfectly clear, just as photography allowed painters to start becoming abstract.

I am looking for a wide angle EF-S lens for my newly used XT, so I obviously see value in digital. (arg, btw how is Cosina for EOS?)

But my best work is through a Jupiter-8, an apparently sucky lens.

 

[john_van_v]

Digital, no.
Most modern lenses, yes.

If there were more affordable alternatives to cameras like the R-D1, I'd shoot a lot more digital than I do now.

I have gotten great results with my Kodak c875, and also a borrowed Canon A-something equivalent -- as good as any dSLR.

These cameras need daylight though; available light photography is risky. Still, I have taken good night shots with both.

I will post the Canon shots here when I find a little time:
http://thinman.com/images/trip_to_williamsburg

 

[Sonnar Brian]

> i just dont see digital photos as photos.

I will always regard them as Sensor Data.