Digital Photography Versus Film

Digital photography is very popular these days that you will be hard-pressed to find casual photographers who still use film. But is digital photography really better than film? It depends on whom you ask.

There are several factors that separate digital photography from film photography, and these same factors are the reason why the use of digital cameras is more widespread and common. Some of the most obvious advantages of using a digital camera are its flexibility and convenience. With a digital camera, you can do as many takes as you want, discard the damaged or unwanted shots, then view the captured images at once. You can't do these things using a film camera. Because the film will be wasted if you take a shot that may be an error or otherwise unsatisfactory, it significantly narrows down the photographer's leeway to take as many shots as he wants and then make a selection later. Another thing is that you can't see the pictures taken at once - at least not until the film has been processed and developed..

Films are also prone to exposure, and therefore the risk of your shots being permanently damaged, which makes it an even less desirable option especially for casual photographers. With digital photography, on the other hand, archiving of pictures is made all the more easy by the capability to store the picture data on a personal computer, where the images can be viewed and even edited to manipulate some picture variables such as brightness, sharpness, contrast, and others. Copying and distribution of the pictures is also very easy, while digital prints can be obtained in a few minutes also using your home computer. Thus, with regard to being a no-fuss, easy way to take pictures, digital photography takes the cake.

What about the price of the camera and the quality of pictures? Film cameras are actually cheaper, but if you will consider the cost of buying the films and then processing them and making copies, then it would seem that buying a digital camera is actually more practical. With regard to quality of pictures, some experts who are concerned about the art of photography prefer the use of film because according to them, on the hands of an accomplished artist, digital photography cannot beat the image quality of film not just in terms of resolution but also in refinement. But for those of us who are just starting with photography, digital cameras sure sound like the best way to go.