Film Vs. Digital

1 Sunset, 2 Mediums, 4 Cameras – By Charlie Bierwirth

By / May 6, 2022 / Gear Theory / 2 Comments

In the digital world we live in, many people ask “why film?”. It’s something I asked myself when I first started this great hobby just three years ago. Once I started shooting film I quickly found that there was a distinct difference. I’m an engineer so naturally I over-analyze nearly everything; photography is no different. While camping this past fall I had the opportunity to capture a beautiful sunset. At first, I just took the photo on my Argus Argoflex TLR loaded with Ektar 100. After I got my shot I pulled out my Fujifilm X-T30. Still wanting to take more photos I pulled out my Canon SureShot MAX loaded with Fujifilm Fujicolor 400. Finally, to be able to immediately show off to my friends at work, I pulled out my iPhone XR and took a shot with it. 

All Analogue: a Digital-Free Experience of Film Photography – By Ailbíona McLochlainn

By / February 16, 2022 / Philosophy & Reflections / 22 Comments

Last week I received a message from someone who happened upon my website. They had read that I shoot both digital and film, but could only find examples of digital photos. Where could they view some of my analogue work? And I realised then: They couldn’t.

Well, technically they could – by visiting my house. Our walls are covered with framed darkroom prints. Albums and boxes full of prints and negatives are stacked upon shelves and hidden under beds. But I haven’t digitised film in years. After I shoot a roll of film, it gets developed, then photographically printed. No digital steps are involved and the print is the final result. I do sometimes take digital photos that depict prints or negatives as objects. But I don’t digitise the photographic images.

Teenager, yellow jumper on train platform

Searching for Relevant Difference in a Digital Commercial World – By Tim Cole

By / September 17, 2020 / Philosophy & Reflections / 20 Comments

I’ve often struggled with the digital age, the chase for visual perfection. Always feeling behind the curve. Hounded constantly by camera brand marketing, ‘to be a great photographer you really need 12 megapixels… no I mean 24, 36 mmm no 100 no 200 megapixels, ‘to be a great videographer you need 2k, 4K I mean 8K!’ I find the speed of change exhausting.

Fuji X-Pro3

Fujifilm X-Pro3 Round Two: The X Files and a Meditation on Film and Digital – By David Hume

By / May 28, 2020 / Digital Cameras / 15 Comments

The X-Pro3 came at a good time for me. I’d returned from a six-week trip to Italy where the last two weeks were spent in Venice trying to make work for exhibitions. So I’d been making holiday snaps and serious stuff, and working out what photo gear I needed to carry and what was too much.For digital (snaps) I’d taken an X-E2 and just the 27mm pancake. Fine. For film snaps an Oly Trip 35. Fine. For serious film stuff an FM2 with 50mm for 135 and an Agfa Isolette III for 120. It all worked out well, and I’m still in a space where I’m thinking a lot about some exhibitions coming up later this year and a couple of other projects that should be fun.

Rioch GRIII

Ricoh GRIII and GR1s Experience Comparison by a Film Agnostic – By Steven Bleistein

By / January 6, 2021 / Digital Cameras / 13 Comments

I am sure to get some grief about this piece given that my last article on the analog Ricoh GR1s ended with my resolution that I was not interested in buying a digital GR. Well, that sentiment lasted about two weeks before I broke down and bought a Ricoh GRIII. And I’m glad I did. The digital GRIII remains remarkably faithful to its analog predecessors, while taking what makes the analog GR cameras so distinct to the next level, without compromise or gratuitousness of functionality. The GRIII is one of the best digital cameras I have ever used.

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