Camera - digital or film

[kkk 7]

I'm interested to know if anyone is still using film cameras here? Digital cameras have really taken off in a big way the last few years and I don't know anyone using film.

 

What do pro photographers think of digitals?

[rach 1]

Easy to use but still takes decent pictures digicam.

[white-void 0]

My cameraman friend now uses both - not sure which for which occasion....

[spook 0]

lots of pros use digital now for standard shots. they don't need to get all elements perfect (eg light) as they can tweak this later in photoshop. as a result photo shots are generally a lot quicker. plus it is way cheaper.

serious landscape photographers will still use medium and large format slide film. these have much better resolution than digi for printing large photos where detail is important.

i don't know too much about editing/tweaking photos, but from what i understand, they can shoot on slide film, scan it and edit the digitized version.

[soubriquet 0]

I still use my old Pentax MX, the smallest and lightest full-frame SLR ever made. It is also the last fully mechanical manual camera. The exposure meter is fantastic. It has a ripper Zeiss 28-70mm zoom, but after 30 years of field work the front element is stuffed

[Kumapix 0]

 Originally Posted By: spook

lots of pros use digital now for standard shots. they don't need to get all elements perfect (eg light) as they can tweak this later in photoshop. as a result photo shots are generally a lot quicker.

photoshopping a photo not only takes more time, it also lowers the quality.
I think pros are pros because they can get the light perfect.

[thursday 1]

Soubs my first SLR was a Pentax MP with a F1.4 lens.

Still got it and still works well.

 

My first digital SLR will be a D200 which I will buy today!!!

[spook 0]

from the look of your pics you probably know tons more about this that me kuma. i just mentioned it cos my old man's been working in advertising for the past 30 years and i'm just regurgitating what he says.

but isn't photoshop just a natural progression of what has always been done with different processing effects anyway? from what i undertsand, people have always been able to affect how photos are printed by altering the levels of developing chemicals etc. if you look at a lot of what landscape photographers are putting out these days, i reckon the vast majority would use photoshop to boost colours and add vibrancy.

 

for my part, i like to wait for the light and i don't touch up any of my pics. the only thing i do is minor cropping.

[bobby12 0]

in the dark room you can change both the film and the print.

 

i think people dont normally process their own color film, but with balck and white you can make it but with balck and white you can make it more/less grainy during development of the film.

 

when making a print, in color or b/w, you can increase the contrast and also dodge/burn part of the print to, say make a white sky get some cloud detail in etc.

 

all this you cna of course do in photoshpo too. i think newspapers of course do in photoshpo too. i think newspapers have a policy of what is and isnt acceptable to do. the above are ok to do. stuf like adding someone in where they werent orginally is generally not ok, but you will see the sun and other tabloids do it to some extent.

 

i have a canon g7 which is almost like an slr but still compact and small, i love it. i also have 2 nikon film camera which i never use. if i used film i would only do it with a medium format camera. for me 35mm is no better than todays digital prints, although you do get a different looking image.

[thursday 1]

just bought my D200. Now looking forward to hours of exploration tonight.

[spook 0]

cool. lets see some pics soon then

[big-will 7]

What are the main differences between that one and the D80?

[thursday 1]

I went for the body material, the white sensor cell count, the faster shutter return and more shots per second.

 

In fact I don't know, it just looked more sexy.

[SirJibAlot 0]

The resolution and contrast ratio of digital has come a long way, but still difficult to get that 'film look'.

[thursday 1]

with the number of shots I take of my baby, digital is the only way for me to go.

[HighlyTrainedNovaTeacher 2]

I really must buy a camera.

A whole lot of looking and research is required though

[LiquidX 0]

I have a similar camera to bobby12 and really like it. Before I had my digital camera I hardly ever took photos. It has really encouraged me to take pics which is a good thing.

[spook 0]

another good thing about digi camera is that for an amateur hack like me, i can learn things like exposure settings much quicker than with film.

you can bracket your shots and instantly see the results

[Kumapix 0]

re: photoshop. you can do all the adjustments in photoshop that you can do in a dark room and more. It's the 'more' that takes time and changes the photograph to 'art'. This is what some people do to save their bad shots. The trick is to work hard to get your shots better in camera.

 

Thursday, you're going to love the d200! When i was choosing I found it to be too big and heavy, but you get used to it real quick. Now when I pick up a d80 or smaller it feels like a toy.

[thursday 1]

Kuma, you're so right. I was playing with the camera late into the night. Can't wait to get shooting at the weekend.

[Kumapix 0]

my favourite thing about it is the function button on the front. I have it set to spot metering to expose snow correctly. The rgb histogram kicks ass too. (but both of those features are on the d80 too)

[peterson 0]

I use my keitai phone right now, takes decent pictures.

[Mantas 3]

What kind of mega pixels can you get in them things now?

[oo 1]

I think lots of them are 3

[joshnii 2]

I have a Sony cybershot at the moment but it seems to be a little poorly from time to time. I find I can't trust it, sometimes the focus is not right and it turns itself off on it's own and a few other things. I'm considering a new purchase.