Ask the Teaboy

Q: Should I buy a film camera, or move to digital?

A: From looking at current trends in camera sales, it would appear that digital has certainly taken off in the last couple of years, and the percentage market share compared to film is increasing as each month passes. Many could assume from this that there is no reason to buy a film camera over a digital unit any more.

Although the advantages of buying a digital camera are many and obvious, and most new digital owners swear they'll never look back, there are still some valid reasons why a film camera may be better suited to some.

Three reasons why some may wish to stick to film:

1) I either don't have a computer, or I hate computers, or computers hate me.

If you and your computer don't get along too well, perhaps consider sticking with film. Although you don't actually need a computer to make use of a digital camera, you will only really get FULL benefit if you do. Being able to email downsized images to your family and friends is almost half the fun of owning a digital. Additionally, being able to tinker with your images (enhancing, manipulating) can also be a lot of fun - that is, if you know how, or are willing to learn, and if you have the time! Other benefits of using a computer in combination with a digital camera is making use of convenient online printing services like our WebPrints service.

For this type of person, the non-computer-inclined, the freedom to leave all processing work to photolab staff can sometimes outweigh the convenience and flexibility of having a digital camera.

2) I'm travelling on holiday, and would rather sit on the deck drinking Tequila than spend time looking for power outlets to recharge my digital camera battery, or worry about how much space I have left on my memory cards.

Where many film cameras will last several months before a battery change, a digital camera won't! Recharging is a fact of life with digital camera ownership. Memory cards (the digital equivalent of film) have the opposite problem - they get full, rather than empty. Once a card is full you'll need to offload them to CD, or laptop, or some other digital media before you can continue using the card (or take plenty of memory cards with you). Unless you're carrying one of the large capacity portable storage devices available, some of your valuable holiday time can potentially be spent finding ways to offload your images at a local photolab.

3) I like the flexibility of shooting negative or slide film, or various flavours of black and white film, etc.

Some more dedicated film users can look with disdain on digital cameras as they miss 'the look' their film camera gives them. They've developed their own methods and systems to create their own style and flavour of photography. Although often these styles can be reproduced in the 'digital darkroom' (i.e. on the computer with programs like Adobe Photoshop) it can mean a whole new learning curve that requires thought, energy, and enthusiasm. If you don't have this enthusiasm, perhaps sticking with film, or having a digital camera in combination with your film setup, is the best way to go.

I'm sure we could find a few more reasons, if given enough time and head scratching, that a few of you may prefer to stick to film. Although recent articles seems to spell the end of some kinds of film cameras - it should be around long enough for most of us...