Digital Versus Film Photography

Most people today own a digital camera. The superfluous number of models on the market has made photography a hobby and activity that is no longer restricted to the professional. Further, with social networking websites and the online world, digital photos are easily shared and stored. But as with most technological developments that signify a departure from traditional or longstanding practices, a dialogue has emerged as to the benefits of digital versus film photography. The portability and ease of the digital camera makes it a more popular amateur photography option. However for professionals, there is still an argument as to the merits of both film and digital photographic cameras, with both versions still in use today. Here's a quick rundown of the advantages of both digital and film photography.

Advantages of digital photography

1. Instant review of pictures. Digital cameras allow photographers to assess the lighting and composition of their work immediately after taking a photograph. If need be, they can simply recapture the image.


2. Fewer ongoing costs. Once a digital camera has been purchased, it costs very little to take, and store, hundreds or even thousands of digital photographs.


3. Various functions and settings. Digital cameras can be used to capture videos as well as photographs, and there are a number of settings through which the photographs can be taken, such as sepia and black and white.


4. Metadata. Digital cameras are embedded with metadata. The time, date and model of camera are all recorded with the image and form part of the image's memory.


5. Digital manipulation. Once a digital photograph has been transferred from the camera to the computer, it is easy to digitally manipulate, retouch or affect the image.

Advantages of film photography

1. Better to capture detail. Film photography can pick up and capture greater variations between light and dark, making black and white film photography preferable to digital.


2. Photo quality. Film cameras produce photographs with higher definition than digital photography. For larger photographic prints, film cameras produce much higher definition and clarity than their digital counterparts.


3. Cost. For amateur or hobby photographers, digital cameras are affordable, easy to use and perfect for capturing special moments. For the professional, however, quality film cameras are significantly cheaper than their digital counterparts. Furthermore, because new digital models are continuously hitting the market, digital cameras tend to lose value rather quickly while film cameras usually retain their value over the years.


4. Aesthetics and tradition. Many photographers vouch for an aesthetic quality to film photography that cannot be replicated by digital cameras. Such advocates are also often drawn to the tradition and history of film photography.

There are pros and cons to both film and digital photography. For many photographers, however, the final decision rests on their personal style and their budget. Or, many dabble in a little bit of both! To find out more about photography and the differences between digital and film, there is a range of photography courses available. If you don't have time to attend classes, it is possible to study via distance education and learn the ins-and-outs of the trade on your own time.