How much longer can photographic film hold on?

[steffoto]

I shoot almost exclusively large format colour film. While I suspect one day a large format sensor will certainly be available - it could quite likely require me to carry a car battery around to power it!

And anyway - if it's anywhere near $20K then I'd have to shoot over 3500 keepers on it before it was cheaper than my current film process. A process that produces 120 Megapixel images on my scanner that are streets ahead of anything I have ever seen from a digital camera of any description. The detail and warmth of a well scanned 4x5 negative is just extraordinary. And they usually require only about 40 seconds of post-production after the scan.

I reckon film will be around for a very long time. The choice of available films will definitely diminish (it already had!) - but I still expect to be able to source sheet film. At least in B+W. The bigger concern is sourcing colour chemistry!

I also think that it can be easier to learn and improve your photography by shooting film. Digital cameras can sometimes do too much "thinking" for their user - potentially by-passing the creative and analytical processes that lead to great images. It can be a bit too tempting to do 5 shot brackets or to tone-map HDR a bad exposure with a digital. When each image is costing $5-$8 you tend to think about what you are doing!

On one level digital has resulted in a lot more photographs being made. But the total number of really good artisitc and striking images is about the same as it was. The convenience and low price of being able to make more images more quickly does not always lead to better photography.

All that said - I love my 7D! For many uses it is the best camera I have. But for serious images. Where I am trying to think like an artist. The ones I hike for hours to make. I want them on film. Big film. The bigger the better.

[DavCal]

Hi Kym,
I shoot both, more digital than film for the reasons you list but may I suggest that film does one one advantage over digital, one that seldom gets a mention? Namely, that at least with film you have something tangible, something physical that you can actually hold. Our digital images may be only a crash away from oblivion. Yes we can, and should do backups but I still sometimes find it reassuring to have a tranny, BW neg to go to if something happens to my digital hardware. But you are right, the convenience and versatility of digital will always win out over film.

Cheers,

David.

[Kym]

@DavCal ... I print my photos

[NoSideshow]

It will last forever.
In November last year, the Smithsonian entered into a contract with a New York archiving company to protect all their precious images in their servers.
Guess what technology they are using? Colour and BW slide Film. Yes...that's right.

[I @ M]

It will last forever.
In November last year, the Smithsonian entered into a contract with a New York archiving company to protect all their precious images in their servers.
Guess what technology they are using? Colour and BW slide Film. Yes...that's right.

Of course it will last forever when you have people like the Smithsonian Institute able to afford the cost of producing rolls of film just for themselves ------

[Kym]

It will last forever.
In November last year, the Smithsonian entered into a contract with a New York archiving company to protect all their precious images in their servers.
Guess what technology they are using? Colour and BW slide Film. Yes...that's right.

Film as a niche product? Sure almost forever.

As mainstream consumer and pro imaging? It's dead.

[ricktas]

Film and digital can go hand in hand. What pi..annoys me are the purists from both sides, who think that for some reason, they are better because of the path they have chosen.

The film purists bemoan the level of PP that happens with digital, but they forget the processing that went into high quality film photos, where un-sharp mask, saturation changes, even hand painting, was-is used. Then you get the digital purists who proudly proclaim, "I don't edit my photos', like doing so makes them out to be better than everyone else.

I would say, stop being holier-than-thou, cause you aren't and get on with learning to be a better photographer, dark room processor, digital processor.

Film will be around for ages, so will digital. Live with it!