Slowly, but surely, my small camera and lens collection is becoming something that would be a nice edition to the Smithsonian. My Canon AE-1, what was once the camera of choice for all SLR beginners, is older than myself and my Canon T-90, the former choice of professionals for its tough exterior and tank like integrity, has been replaced by the digital age. In addition, film and film processing has become scarce and/or expensive, unless you own a darkroom.I have a small budget for my photography. On average I run through 10 rolls of film every six months and have them processed in small groups at mom & pop photo stores. Recently, I have switched from Fuji Velvia slide film to Fuji Reala negatives due to the demise of reliable in-house A-6 processing. Soon, I may have difficulty finding reliable negative processing stores as well.
On my last trip to a photography store, which happened to be in Virginia, I was told I either needed to give in and buy digital or learn to process the film myself. The guy's reasoning was that digital is cheaper. In a sense it is, but first you need to jump an hypothetical 100-foot-high hurdle, the equipment price. To purchase the camera equivalent to my Canon T-90 set up, I would have to shell out around $5000 dollars or more. Yes, there are used options, but no option as of 2009 which has the film speed equivalent of Fuji Velvia 50 and the correct size of imaging senor to equal 35mm film. I won't even get into the issues of lens quality, non-manual focus and other capabilities.
Digital has its perks. Its so easy to pick up a camera, take 100 pictures, delete 80, plug in your camera, and upload your favorites to the web. I find I steal my family's point and shoots or cheaper SLRs more than I pick up my own cameras these days. Its sad really. But the reality is, if I pick up my camera I will suddenly have film that needs developed and scanned. The longer I wait to pick up my highly technical cameras, the more out of practice I become. The more out of practice I become and the harder it is to get a good picture out of a roll of film. I use more film to get a good picture and it costs me more to process. Its a downward sprial that I can never seem to stop.
So here I am, at an impasse. My last 6 rolls of film have not been website worthy and my best picture this year was taken with a 5MP Canon point and shoot. Do I take the plunge and rely upon the ever-changing digital techonology? Or do I keep waiting until affordable digital reaches the point where it is equal or superior to film?
It will be hard to leave the manual focus and hand crank. Film is a quickly dieing art form that I hate to see vanish. I know the chemicals are not friendly to the environment and digital is much "greener". Still, its difficult...
I am an artist. The film is my canvas, the sunlight my paint and with my 20+ year old Canons camera as my brushes I know how to make art. Is this how painters felt when plastics and acrylics moved in? Did they feel as if the world was against them? I will join the digital age eventually, but I will not forget my love for film.
1 notes:
Dear Cousin:
Just do it.
Don't worry yet about getting the "perfect" DSLR to replace your Canon yet, though. Perhaps consider getting a used, advanced consumer or perhaps pro-sumer level body. If Canon works with older lenses, like many manufacturors allow to a point or with some adapter help, you can use your older glass for now while you work on replacing it with newer AF/TTL-capable lenses.
Once you have a stronger feel for digital and your use for it, including how you digitally develop and post-process your work, you will have a better idea of what you need in a body and can save up for a bigger/better one. Then your used mid-level body becomes a handy backup. It's a more affordable route, plus one that makes sense in terms of learning the medium and what you really need in a DSLR, before shelling out the cash.
Digital is more work in some ways, but like you said, you are more likely to TAKE PHOTOS - which is the whole point. You don't have to give up film. Plus, you never know - this might be what you need to reignite your love for picking up a camera, which could lead to you picking up your film body more often.
I love my digital. I use it more frequently. Yes, I have more photos that I "throw away"... but I also have more photos that I am keeping. There is an immediacy and excitement to digital that excites me and makes me want to get out there more. My photography has also greatly improved since I switched.
Don't give up on film. At the same time, don't think you have to spend thousands to get into digital, either.
dani k.
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