Choosing a new camera is no longer a simple matter of picking one that uses your preferred type of film. Today’s photographers, amateur and professional, are bombarded with options.
One of the largest decisions is: “Do I buy a film or digital camera?” It all depends on your preferences and needs. There are similarities and differences from camera to camera and type to type. Switching from film to digital, or vice versa, can mean sacrifices as well as gains.
Though the differences are important, the similarities ought to be considered as well. If nothing else, the familiar ground will make the switch easier, should you choose to cross over. Both digital and film cameras are capable of:
-Underwater shots. Waterproof and water-resistant digital cameras are making their way into the market.
-High-quality shots. Digital camera resolution is increasing with every advance in technology.
-Importing prints to a computer without using a scanner. Photo processors can put your film prints onto CD-ROM for a small fee; digital cameras accomplish this with a dock or transfer cable.
DIGITAL CAMERAS
Digital cameras are making significant leaps in the market. In fact, the Eastman Kodak Company is phasing out film cameras, with the death of Kodak film to follow. Digital technology is becoming so commonplace, even for amateur photographers, that companies large and small alike are moving to the many, many dollars that can be made in this part of the market.
Because digital cameras are so popular – you can purchase them at Wal-Mart for less than one hundred dollars – it’s necessary to take them into consideration, at least in the initial phase of your purchase plans.
These cameras are just as lightweight, durable, and shock-resistant as their film counterparts. They use the same carrying cases. Many lenses are interchangeable – depending of course on the manufacturer and the camera itself. Even with the advanced features that can be had on some digital cameras, users are finding it very easy to take outstanding pictures and move them to their computer hard drives.
One disadvantage comes for people who aren’t adept with computers. You don’t HAVE to use a PC with a digital camera. You can always buy a camera with a dock and compatible printer, or take your memory card to a photo-processing station to have prints made.
But you can’t really edit the shots without a computer and the appropriate editing software. Redeye reduction, picture cropping, resizing, and color tone adjustments are just some of the options you have with digital shots. Your “okay” photos can be “outstanding” with a little fine-tuning.
Using digital cameras takes a little adjustment, especially for people who have always used film. There are more menus and options, many of which are on LCD screens. The higher-end cameras also have more settings for photo quality and size. You can even preview the shot you’ve just taken, to see if you need to do it again. This prevents you from taking what you thought was a perfect shot of your tenth high school reunion, only to discover (after it’s been developed) that it wasn’t such a great shot after all.
Using memory cards instead of rolls of film can take minor adjustment, especially if you’re using a card reader to transfer the shots onto your computer’s hard drive. It’s entirely possible to make the equivalent of half a dozen rolls of film disappear – faster than you can push the eject button!
You’ll probably pay a little more, too, depending on what you wish to do with the digital. If you buy a “plain old Wal-Mart special,” you’ll fork over a small amount of money. The disadvantage: these cameras don’t work very well for action shots. You’ll get beautiful landscapes, perfect portraits, and awesome still-life shots, but you’ll flub your fourth-grader’s basketball game pictures almost every time.
If you really want action shots – or if you’re a professional photographer – expect to pay over one thousand dollars for the most basic digital setup that will handle action shots. Add a few hundred for lenses, memory cards, and a carrying case.
FILM CAMERAS
These old, familiar friends are very user-friendly: even those equipped with macro options and LCD displays are fairly simple to comprehend after a little practice.
Depending on how much you shoot, you could spend more on film than you would on a memory card for the digital setup. Add to this the cost of photo processing and you just might decide that film is on its way out.
Another difference is that you cannot examine the shot you just took. It has to be processed: by that time, it’s probably too late to re-take the pictures, especially if it was prom night or your daughter’s graduation.
On the other hand, you can usually find secondhand film cameras at a good price. Many camera supply houses, such as Wolf Camera, sell dozens of them every day. This is especially helpful for beginning photographers: people who aren’t yet sure that they want to pursue this as either a serious hobby or a profession.
Even with the LCD menus, operating a film camera is pretty much an auto-pilot thing in this day and age. Like digitals, many film cameras can be set to automatically focus and select the best time and shutter speed settings.
Because the most important things – photo quality, price, and ease of use – aren’t much different, the final decision lies in your personal preferences. If you want the ease of use and long-term savings of a digital, there are several brands – and thousands of models – to think about.
The same is true of film cameras. If you’re a purist, or a beginning photographer, a basic film model should help you decide whether you’re willing and able to pursue it further, and can therefore justify the added expense of either A) more film camera equipment, or B) a switch to digital.
