Film or Digital? 1010 Responses

Last post: 1 year, 11 months ago | Thread started: Mar 11, 10, 7 p.m.

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• MHDC

  I've really been struggling with this one lately. I learned on film (35mm), but have been almost strictly using digital the last several years. From Nikon SLR to Leica M8 now exclusively. My struggle is the loss of "film look" the nice coloring and grain (digital noise doesn't count). Although digital is very immediate and cheaper. My thoughts are for any important shoots( I shoot fashion/editorial mostly on location), I would go back to film, pinch some pennies and get an Leica MP. My M8 would be for mostly street shooting and backup. Any thoughts on this QBN photogs??

  Mar 11, 10, 7 p.m. – Permalink

• inteliboy

  Have had the same dilemma...

  Sometimes I think I'm going insane, but digital photography looks like video to me. M8 is pretty damn nice though, and the full frames of canon/nikon/leica.

  If your going back to film maybe go for medium format not 35mm, especially for fashion/editorial work?

  • Yeah, but I have Leica M mount lenses. They're great lenses. If I went Medium, it would be starting from scratch.
    – MHDC

  

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  Dog-earMar 11, 10, 7:23 p.m. – Permalink

• ismith

  I would do the opposite– film for pleasure, digital for professional just for the workflow benefits but if you're truly more comfortable with film (and more impressed with the shots) then the other way certainly works too.

  • < yeah this. especially if sticking with M lenses. maybe upgrade to the m9... *drools*– inteliboy

  

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  Dog-earMar 11, 10, 7:26 p.m. – Permalink

• epic_rim

  i've never used film. RAW digital photography is great, though. I suppose film adds something else, but i'm not sure I could leave the convenience of dig

  

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  Dog-earMar 11, 10, 7:28 p.m. – Permalink

• bigtrickagain

  use both! digital for work, film for pleasure. digital is so much easier to work with and faster for pay stuff. i am with ismith here.

  and, shit man, if you are buying leicas, you are loooaaaded >_< are you sure you want to use a rangefinder for fashion/editorial stuff? it seems that the advantages of a rangefinder wouldn't be utilized on staged shoots - but maybe it's your style i guess (:

  

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  Dog-earMar 11, 10, 7:41 p.m. – Permalink

• garretttt

  film
  and digital if you have a short deadline

  

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  Dog-earMar 11, 10, 7:45 p.m. – Permalink

• xcreonx

  Film for sure.

  I know several fashion photographers who shoot on medium format, develop at a nearby pro lab, then scan the negs in their studio. Perfect workflow for them and you get the wonderful exposure latitude, not to mention the "feel", of film at a much higher resolution than a digital camera (the actual scan is higher res, as is the apparent "resolution" of film itself).

  I use medium format myself and scan on a Nikon 9000 ED.

  • nice I'm gonna look into that scanner.– MHDC

  

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  Dog-earMar 11, 10, 8:11 p.m. – Permalink

• xcreonx

  I should also add that I also frequently use 35mm, as you do with your Leica, and scan with the Nikon 9000. Wonderful results!

  

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  Dog-earMar 11, 10, 8:12 p.m. – Permalink

• vaxorcist

  hmmm... I'd really stop worrying and go shoot something really good... digital for the faster feedback testability... then shoot a film shot or two if you want to see what it would look like in film.... get a used 'blad on ebay for cheap, 35mm film is..well not 120 film.... and the flash sync of a leica is not the 500th of a 'blad... and squares are cool.....

  then again, if you're into gear, and you like film, and you shoot street... get a 120 TLR.. rolleiflex 3.5E planar if you have the $$... delightful.....

  but I have to admit, when I was a digital tech, the files coming out of that old Kodak 14N were really, really good, even if the thing was sloooow and only good under 160 ISO....

  

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  Dog-earMar 11, 10, 8:17 p.m. – Permalink

• garretttt

  plus with film there's so many different cameras that shoot completely different images, weither rangefinder, automatic, medium, polaroid.... slr. every camera has its own unique look.

  i believe this digital lacks this.
  it seems really difficult to tell the difference between Nikon and Canon digital

  

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  Dog-earMar 11, 10, 8:20 p.m. – Permalink

• jaylarson

  if you are looking for a more grainy look MHDC, stick with Nikon DX cameras. They continue to have that "look" compared to Canon.

  

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  Dog-earMar 11, 10, 8:38 p.m. – Permalink