Digital Versus Film

Excellent used cameras available at reasonable prices. Old cameras still work well.

Huge range of accessories are available for film cameras - lenses, flash units, viewfinders, camera bags, etc.

Cameras and film are readily available around the world.

Good services to support you - stores, Web sites, books

Processing is readily available, quickly if you pay extra. Or you can develop it yourself in your own darkroom.

Capable of high quality if done carefully.

High quality films still have more resolution than digital cameras, but the highest quality films are slow (ASA 50 or less).

Commercial photographers still like film for many uses.

You have an original image that you can go back to when your scanner or skills get better.

You can manage your photo collection with albums, binders, and file boxes.

Reliable when you are far from electrical power.

Film cameras tend to be large. Some small ones are available.

Complete camera kit can be big and heavy.

You have to process all your photos, the bad ones and the good ones, and file them all together because they are all on one roll of film.

Photos must be processed before you can view them.

Processing is usually done by someone else. If you do it yourself, you need special equipment and a darkroom.

Errors or lack of care in processing can ruin your pictures.

Image quality can be poor if you use fast films or do not take care in how you take pictures.

You have to physically sort and file large numbers of prints and negatives if you do much photography.

Rapidly emerging technology with lots of new features - gadgeteers heaven.

You can work with images on your personal computer.

Small size of many digital cameras makes them easy to have along.

You can immediately views photos as you take them to see if you have what you want.

You can immediately delete images you do not want.

Good quality prints can be made on inexpensive desktop printers.

You can choose the size and quality of the images as you shoot them.

You can manage your image collection on your computer.

Images can be easily emailed, included in publications, put on a Web page, or written to CD-ROMs.

Good digital cameras are still expensive compared to film cameras.

Technology ages very quickly, older digital cameras often not worth spending your money on.

Small size of many digital cameras makes them hard to hold steady.

Most digital cameras do not have interchangeable lenses. Those that do are expensive.

You generally need a computer to be able to work with your images.

Cost can be high for fancier digital cameras.

Cameras have many features you may never need, notice, or understand.

Most digital cameras are very automated, giving the photographer little direct control.