Digital V. Film: The Great Debate Wages On

Contributed by Lindsey Michael Miller

Ever since the invention of digital photography there has been a great debate waging between which is the better medium for making photographs. I wish the issue were truly black and white (no pun intended), but there are so many complications it’s ridiculous.

Well, okay, it may not be that dramatic of a schism, but there are several issues that should be discussed while approaching the question, “Which is better, digital or film?”

There are a handful of basic reasons that make each appealing, and below we’ll discuss the pros and cons of those from both sides.

1. Cost

Digital: Invariably, the digital camera is significantly more cost effective. Whereas the costs between film cameras and digital cameras of like quality are relatively the same. The cost of making photographs from film is significantly greater than that of a digital camera. Digitals are both cheap and fast, which gives them greater appeal for new photographers and home photographers. Also, you can preview the photos before choosing to make prints.

Film: The cost of film is getting cheaper, and many find the process of actually creating their own dark room and developing film more fulfilling than the quick “point and click” method. It also allows them to take more time and effort for each shot, since they only have a certain number of shots to choose from. They can’t just erase photos that were bad and start all over.

2. Ease

Film: The traditional film camera probably wins out on this one, because most film cameras are easier to use. Digital cameras have all the bells and whistles that usually make the camera complicated and difficult to figure out. Especially for traditional photographers, this poses a problem and many of them are more likely to stick with what they know has been working even if it’s not as cost effective.

Digital: The plus to those who do venture onto the digital platform is that the difficulty of use will pose only a minor challenge to mastering computer programs like Adobe® Photoshop® and Illustrator®; and even then, once those are mastered, if a photographer wants to become known, the best way to do that is to become web savvy and have exhaustive examples of his or her work posted on the Internet. Those who cross over into the threshold of the digital world will altogether have an easier time with this process.

3. Image Quality

Resolution

Film: In the world of photography, resolution simply means how sharp and visible an image is. The film cameras win by a landslide in this area, because a 35mm camera is about the equality of a 6 megapixel digital. The 35mm camera is generally cheap and easy to use, whereas the 6 megapixel digital is expensive and probably has tons of extra gadget abilities with it, making it harder to use.

Color Quality

Digital: This is one of the categories where digital truly takes the advantage. If you want pictures that not only appear brighter, sharper, and more vivid, but also carry with them a 3-dimensional quality, digital is definitely the way to go. It’s difficult to produce something as vibrant in a film camera.

Dynamic Range

Film: Dynamic range is the range of light shown within a photograph, and digital cameras really lose out here. A digital’s range often is affected by the contrasting light and usually created white highlights throughout the image. This is one of the issues recognized by camera manufacturers and is a flaw in the design that seems to get better as the technology progresses.

Noise/Grain

Digital: The noise/grain of a photograph refers to the graininess of the picture. Because of the level of sophistication and advancement of technology in digitals, they have little to no noise/grain. Film cameras, although, give the picture an earthier feel to the photo, so it really depends on what you’re photographing and how you want it produced.

Both types are still useful depending on what your end result is. If you’re a home user and just want to take pictures of your friends and family in order to e-mail them or post them on the Internet, then digital is definitely the way to go. If you’re a professional photographer, then it’s good to be versed in both types. Most newspapers would prefer photos either taken digitally or converted to digital so that they can easily place the photos using Quark™ or some other layout program. In some cases, though, you may prefer the different kind of quality a film camera produces.

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About the Author:
Lindsey Michael Miller is a writer and freelance journalist living in Brooklyn, New York and writes articles for newspapers and magazines around the country. He’s currently working on a MFA in creative writing at Long Island University and recently published his first book entitled The Circus.

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