Help! I need as many answers as I can get to a few questions for a college project!

willy13664 · Dec 26, 2011

Do you still use Film?
Do you Develope your own?
What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film?
Can you, do you use both?
Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing?

Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident?

Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier?

Many Thanks in advance, you will be doing me a huge favour, I have some answers but the more the better.

Also feel free to add any questions I should be asking..........

Neanderman · Dec 26, 2011

Do you still use Film? Yes.
Do you Develope your own? Yes, black and white only.
What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film? The primary advantage of film is archivalness; the primary disadvantage of digital is lack of the same.
Can you, do you use both? Digital just for snapshots.
Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing? No, all of my printing is done optically on silver paper.
Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident? Yes. Can you even have a "happy accident" with digital? (I don't know, I'm asking...)
Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier? Maybe it's because I work with computers, but I just think film has more 'magic'.

Ed

zsas · Dec 26, 2011

Hi welcome to Apug!

Some questions for you, do you use film?

What is the angle of your paper?

There are 50k+ Apug mbrs, all use(d) film

DWThomas · Dec 27, 2011

Do you still use Film? Yes (APUG is the ANALOG Photography Users Group)

Do you Develope your own? Yes - B&W which is my primary film medium

What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film?
Digital may provide faster results; shorter workflow to the web or other e-media - and cheaper per shot after surviving the initial gear purchase
Film, especially B&W, is more easily archived, offers higher affordable resolution, and to me, a more interesting workflow

Can you, do you use both? Yes

Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing?
Not generally, as my serious prints are optical on gelatin silver paper

Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident?
Hmmm - that could be a real bag of worms, but my gut sense is yes, although I try to be precise and consistent which would reduce that likelihood.

Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier?
Many of the differences I feel are due more to the equipment I use than the medium. My digi-stuff is relatively recent, with full and exotic automatic capabilities, most of my film shooting is done with older, fully manual cameras - or at most auto-exposure. Work with the latter tends to lead to a slower, more thoughtful approach to my photography

Hope that helps.

DaveT

munz6869 · Dec 27, 2011

Do you still use Film? Of course, this is APUG!!
Do you Develop your own? Yes, B&W at the moment
What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film? Distribution and speed make digital useful, and Quality and enjoyability make film useful
Can you, do you use both? Yes.
Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing? Sometimes, but not always.
Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident? Only because I use it more, and certainly for my own creative personal stuff I use it mostly.
Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier? I mostly shoot Medium & Large format - and those systems are often big and manual/prone to human error, but deliver astonishing picture quality when used well.

Cheerio, Marc!

mooseontheloose · Dec 27, 2011

Do you still use Film? Of course! I'd say 80% black and white, 20% colour (mostly positive, occasionally negative film)

Do you Develope your own? Yes - I develop all my own black and white, but colour goes to the local lab

What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film? I have never had a digital camera (other than my iphone) but in my opinion it's useful in having a quick turnaround, being able to learn new techniques (like flash photography) quickly, and there's no intermediate step between taking the photo and sharing with others. Disadvantages - too much chimping leads to not being in the moment and missing other photos, too many photos mean dealing with storage and other workflow problems, the cameras don't seem as interesting/fun to use as older film cameras. Also, deleting perceived "bad" shots doesn't leave any time for reflection as to why it may be bad, or to the realization that it's an interesting photograph anyway. As for film, advantages are that one can try a variety of cameras/lenses/film for a specific look, working in the darkroom is fun, being in the moment when taking photos, making each shot count. Disadvantages -- the time between capture and development (and then printing) can be long, requires scanning to share with folks in a digital world, difficult to find film or chemicals at the last minute or in emergencies, too many cameras to use!

Can you, do you use both? Only film cameras, iphone used for snapshots

Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing? Scans are only for sharing on the net or by email, all prints are made optically in a darkroom.

Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident? I think there are just as many happy accidents with digital, but they may tend to get deleted!

Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier? Shooting film is fun. It's different from digital, I don't have to spend hours in front of the computer in a digital darkroom. I have to rely on myself rather than the camera to produce good results. Film cameras often draw reactions from people -- good and bad, but interesting nonetheless.

bdial · Dec 27, 2011

Do you still use Film?
Yes

Do you Develop your own?
Yes, all my B&W, some color

What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film?
For digi, seeing an immediate result is nice sometimes. Film lends itself to working more carefully, which can result in better photos.

Can you, do you use both?
yes, and yes, but 99% of my "serious" work is film.

Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing?
Yes, for color work. Occasionally with B&W.

Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident?
Not really. A lot of people may associate film with an uncertainty with "will this come out?" questions, because they don't understand the process and there are a lot of hazards to overcome between making the exposure and ending up with a print. But those things are largely controllable. Some of the hazards, for example, over-exposed highlights are hazards for film and digital, but digital allows immediate review and perhaps correction. Those kinds of technical issues don't often result in a "happy" accident.

Happy accidents such as a person's expression, or some other dynamic occurrence in the image can happen equally with film and digital photography.

Herzeleid · Dec 27, 2011

Do you still use Film?
Yes, Mostly black and white.

Do you Develope your own?
Yes, I do develop b&w myself, send color films to the labs.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film? Can you, do you use both?
I use both; digital when immediacy is required otherwise I go with film. I use digital for flash work, I test the light and exposure then switch to film for shooting.
IMO advantages or disadvantages of film and digital media often narrows down to the speed of producing the final image, because the rest, I believe, are trade offs.
In digital medium, the results are almost instantaneous (not instant, a fine print requires adjusting). Analog medium requires more time, It needs meditation.
I believe digital and analog are different animals, you can't compare watercolor to oil painting.

Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing?
I scan film for online sharing and creating digital negatives for alternative processes. (e.g. cyanotype, vandyke brown)
When it comes to printing I am more on the hybrid side. I value analog prints more than the digital prints.

Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident?
No. In every medium there is a chance of producing a happy accident.
A correct exposure and development won't result in a mistake/happy accident.
Only faulty, failing or expired emulsion, wrong operation or development might cause unexpected results, and not necessarily something desired.

Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier?
It is different for sure, but not necessarily better, worse, precise or clumsier, just different beasts.

SuzanneR · Dec 27, 2011

I've moved this thread from the "Feedback and Discussion" which is meant for APUG itself to Ethics and Philosophy. Seems a better place for this.

Jesper · Dec 27, 2011

Do you still use Film? - Oh, yes
Do you Develope your own? -Yes, all of it
What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film? - I enjoy the final prints and don't really like the digital process
Can you, do you use both? - Just film
Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing? - Only silver based prints

Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident? - Mistakes might put me on another track, but I don't try to disguise my mistakes as art

Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier? I get better prints and I don't have to rely on batteries

Jim Jones · Dec 27, 2011

Do you still use Film? Yes.

Do you Develope your own? Yes.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film? While digital images can be extensively edited, especially if captured in RAW, film is easier to manage in the B&W that I prefer. Digital is convenient for snapshots, internet posting, and color.

Can you, do you use both? yes.

Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing? yes.

Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident? Such mishaps may go unnoticed at the time of capture, and thus escape deletion. I make more mistakes in digital than on film.

Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier? Large format film encourages careful initial capture rather than casual capture with hopes of making up for that in post processing. Large format film has a distinct quality advantage over affordable digital cameras. Digital is far more convenient.

mjs · Dec 27, 2011

Answers.

willy13664 said:
Do you still use Film? Yes
Do you Develope your own? Yes
What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film? Film is less precise, less perfect, more likelihood of surprise. Digital isn't bad, it's just another technology I can't afford.
Can you, do you use both? I suppose that I could but I don't. Digital is not interesting to me.
Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing? I could but I don't. A digital reproduction is not useful to me.

Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident? Yes, for good and for ill.

Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier? In part because I can't immediately review what I did. In part because as a computer programmer for more than 30 years now, the last thing I want to do at home is sit in front of a computer screen. And, in part, because film can be manipulated in ways which do not provide entirely predictable outcomes.

Many Thanks in advance, you will be doing me a huge favour, I have some answers but the more the better.

Also feel free to add any questions I should be asking..........

Please see answers in bold above.

keithwms · Dec 27, 2011

willy13664 said:
Do you still use Film?

yes

Do you Develope your own?

yes

What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film?

too many things to mention, this has been discussed ad nauseum. In the end it's a matter of choice and, for some, necessity. For some it's enjoyment. For many of us, it's control of the entire workflow and complete ownership of the whole process. And ultimately, it's the individuality of the final print that holds so much of the value.

Can you, do you use both?

Yes

Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing?

Sometimes.

Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident?

Not much difference in the capture phase, but happy accidents certainly do occur in the printing process.

Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier?

Again, this has been discussed in great length. Books could be written....

ME Super · Dec 27, 2011

Do you still use Film? Yes
Do you Develop your own? No
What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film? Digital is faster, performs better than film at higher ISO, easier to share, harder to maintain (have to periodically make a new backup), has lower quality projectors. Film is slower, harder to share, higher quality projection, better detail (at lower ISO).
Can you, do you use both? Yes.
Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing? I shoot slide film. Nobody makes reversal paper any more so they get scanned before printing.

Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident? No. You can have a happy accident with either medium.

Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier? It's what I grew up with. Film SLR cameras are generally less expensive than digital, so I can spend less money to get the control I want over the image. It makes me slow down because each shot costs. With Digital, the temptation is there to "spray and pray I get the shot." With film, not so much. Having said that, automation is useful on either platform.

ME Super

removed account4 · Dec 27, 2011

Do you still use Film?

yup

Do you Develope your own?

yes

What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film?

they are both the same .. the cost

Can you, do you use both?

yes

Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing?

yes

Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident?

it is just as easy to make mistakes / accidents with film as it is with digital ...

Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier?

film only feels different / clumsier because there
are more steps to follow to get the negative, or later the print.
and it only feels differently because people want it to feel differently.
i could present a digital image i made and a similar film based image,
and i am sure no one would be able to tell which was which ... we WANT it to be different, so it is.

welcome to apug
and good luck with your project

john

KanFotog · Dec 27, 2011

Do you still use Film?Yes

Do you Develop your own?
Not yet

What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film?
-Film forces me to think BEFORE I shoot, which is about the best thing to do if one wants to learn photography. When I know I have just about 37 shots in a roll, I start avoiding the shots that don't seem interesting. With digital, more time is spent shooting than thinking.
And of course, as others have mentioned, with film there's the advantage of archival.
-Digital is good if you want to keep changing ISO for every shot or move immediately from B/W to color.

Can you, do you use both?
I can but don't. I shoot just film, and occasionally borrow a digital from friends to shoot an image or two.

Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing?
I get prints AND scanned images. Prints are for me to see and show some close friends when we meet, scanned versions are for fb/flickr etc.

Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident?
Nope. With film you always think before shooting so by the time you release the shutter, you know pretty well what you'll get.

Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier?

-Feels different because it is.

-Doesn't feel worse at all, in fact film has a unique look to it that digitals don't.

-Feels better because of tangible results (prints and negatives or slides) and also the fact that there's an element of surprise involved from the time I shoot to the time I see the prints in hand.

-Precision I think has more to do with the superb build quality of cameras and lenses from older days than the ones in market today. It's great to know I can shoot a camera made in 1978 and still get results that are upto today's standards technically. With digital, it's rarely beyond half a decade.

-Clumsy: Occasionally, yes. If I've to stop and change rolls in broad daylight or dusty areas it bothers me a bit.

Cheers,
Som

Bruce Osgood · Dec 27, 2011

Do you still use Film?

YES

Do you Develope your own?

YES

What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film?

DIGITAL HAS THE ADVANTAGE WHEN MEETING DEADLINES. ITS' DISADVANTAGE IS IT AIN'T FILM.

Can you, do you use both?

I COULD BUT I DON'T

Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing?

I SCAN ALL NEGATIVES IN PLACE OF CONTACT SHEETS THIS HELPS IN DECIDING WHAT TO PRINT.

Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident?

NO. ART IS NOT MADE BY MISTAKES OR ACCIDENTS. IT IS INTENTIONAL.

Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier?

NO

Welcome to APUG. I hope you find your answers.

Mark_S · Dec 27, 2011

Do you still use Film? YES
Do you Develope your own? YES
What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film? I prefer the process involved in generating a print via the traditional methods. Digital is good for 'newspaper' images - ones intended to be seen once and then discarded, but the final result from the traditional process is one that can be expected to outlive the photographer who created it. I believe that one of the problems in our world today is that we spend far too much time and effort creating disposable things, from digital images to paper plates to fast food meals. Past generations left the world a better place than they found it, building layers of civilization. This generation strives for sustainability where we leave it no worse than we found it. I find it it reassuring to know that I can create something that will outlast me, with tools that were created by a generation that came before me
Can you, do you use both?
I use digital for snapshots and things like images to accompany internet postings, I use analog when I want to create something which is intended to last.
Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing?
I will scan prints to share on the internet, but a negative is an intermediate form which I do not consider worth scanning.

Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident?
I do not believe that art is generated by mistake - art involves the artist sharing a vision with the observer, it is the design of the artist that makes something art. It is possible to generate a pretty image by happenstance, but I do not consider this art.

Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier?

Many Thanks in advance, you will be doing me a huge favour, I have some answers but the more the better.

Each of us will have a different way of answering these questions. The only answers which should guide you should be your own.

Also feel free to add any questions I should be asking..........

Do you feel that photography has made oil painting obsolete? Is an oil painting less interesting if the artist did not compound his own pigments?
There are many questions that one could ask about process, but in the end, it is the final image that counts. It doesn't matter if it was created through digital imaging, traditional photography, carving an image on stone, or the arrangement of discarded objects in a box. The question that is important is does the end result please you, and can you use it to express some idea to someone else - if so, it was successful

tkamiya · Dec 27, 2011

Do I still use film? YES
Do I develop myself? YES
Advantages/Disadvantages? I don't think in terms of advantages/disadvantages. I use the format that gives me the result I'm after.
Do I use both? YES. I use film for B&W, digital for color
Scan negs? YES but not always. I use scanning as a tool to explore possibilities in darkroom
Mistake? NO. I don't believe in unintentional success. I plan and try to achieve my vision. Anything else is a failure in my own view.
Worse/Better? Again, I don't think in those terms. I love B&W and film gives me the feel and the results I'm after. For color, digital works for me.

papagene · Dec 27, 2011

Do you still use Film? Yes

Do you Develope your own? Yes - B&W

What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film? Dunno

Can you, do you use both? No, only film... can't afford to do both. I enjoy the whole process of shooting & developing film and making wet prints in a traditional darkroom, so I stick with that.
Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing? Nope... only scan to post images on the web.

Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident? Another dunno... there are plenty of chances to make mistakes with both. I am a firm believer in "Happy Accidents," but only as a great learning opportunity not an end result.

Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier? I just like the (film/darkroom) process. Photographing with a large format camera is a joy, frustrating as it can be, but a real joy. I can't afford and have no interest in digital photography.

MattKing · Dec 27, 2011

Do you still use Film? Yes.

Do you Develop your own? Yes, currently black and white only.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film? The primary advantage of film is it gives me the best results, and it is much easier to store and organize. The disadvantage of film is that it is becoming expensive to use for photographs of low importance. The primary advantage of digital is how quick and inexpensive it is for lower quality results and how easy it is to share those results. It also makes cataloguing of results easier. The primary disadvantage of digital is the investment necessary to get the same results as my $50.00 film cameras.

Can you, do you use both? Film primarily. Digital for record shots that I intend to share electronically, and some snapshots.

Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing? Most of my printing is black and white, and done optically on silver paper. I do scan and have labs print colour on silver paper. For very special photographs, I have labs print them optically.

Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident? For me, film is much more likely to produce art - whether due to conscious planning or happy accident. Most likely that is because I am much more likely to have a film camera at hand, and much more likely to want to use a film camera.

Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier? I have an infinity for film and I enjoy using it and it performs well for me. Using it is satisfying - I get joy from it. In comparison, digital gives me decent results when I use it for things that I ask it to do.

Terry Christian · Dec 28, 2011

Do you still use Film? I think that question would be answered by anyone on APUG by "yes," me included.

Do you Develop your own? Yes, all formats and both B&W and color.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film? Film cameras and equipment cost much less than the initial outlay for a digital professional camera. Also, I find working with film satisfies my artistic impulses better because it is infinitely more tactile and because I'm making all the artistic decisions. That said, digital is better for when I need to know that I "got the shot," and for color work. It's also more convenient and gives more versatility for the amount of equipment involved.

Can you, do you use both? Yes.

Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing? Yes. I use scans to post examples of my work online and to my web portfolio. I also use scans as digital contact sheets, to help me decide what to print optically and how much tweaking of the negatives I need to do in the darkroom.

Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident? Photography will always be a source of happy accidents. I'm inclined to say that more are possible with film because of the variable nature of organic causes, like film stocks, expiration and chemistry, but people tend to be more fearless with digital and using it to experiment in ways they may not be inclined to with film, since the feedback is immediate and they aren't wasting film and chemicals in doing so.

Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier? I have a love affair with film, but I also respect the advantages of digital. However, I don't think digital will ever truly replace film. I feel the best photographers will continue to use whichever method works best for the look they want at any given moment.

maarten m · Dec 28, 2011

Do you still use Film? YES

Do you Develope your own? YES (b&w)

What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film? I DONT THINK ABOUT IT. SOME TINGS NEED FILM? OTHERS CAN DO WITH DIGITAL.

Can you, do you use both? YES

Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing? YES, BUT A ENLARGING DARKROOM IS IN THE MAKING

Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident? NO

Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier? A PHOTOGRAPH ON FILM HAS BODY, DIGITAL DOES NOT EVEN HAVE WEIGHT.

mm

MattKing · Dec 28, 2011

MattKing said:
Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier? I have an infinity for film ....

That should be: "I have an affinity for film ...."

Rudeofus · Dec 30, 2011

Do you still use Film? Yes
Do you Develope your own? Yes, color and b&w
What are the advantages/disadvantages of Digital and Film? The current range of films offers a well composed palette of colors and tones. I like the choice of analog cameras better than what's offered in the digital world.
Can you, do you use both? I use digital cameras in my line of engineering work, but privately I'm 100% analog.
Do you use Film then scan the negs before printing? Yes, for most of my color work. B&W I don't scan except for demonstration purposes.

Do you think that film offers more chance of producing art by mistake / happy accident? IMHO you can produce interesting results by accident but not art.

Have you any other thoughts as to why film feels different/worse/better/more precise / clumsier? No. I like analog cameras, film, processing and dark room work, and I like the results I get.

Help! I need as many answers as I can get to a few questions for a college project!

willy13664

Neanderman

zsas

DWThomas

munz6869

mooseontheloose

bdial

Herzeleid

SuzanneR

Moderator

Jesper

Jim Jones

mjs

keithwms

ME Super

removed account4

KanFotog

Bruce Osgood

Membership Council

Mark_S

tkamiya

papagene

Membership Council

MattKing

Moderator

Terry Christian

maarten m

MattKing

Moderator

Rudeofus

Help! I need as many answers as I can get to a few questions for a college project!

Moderator

Membership Council

Membership Council

Moderator

Moderator

Privacy & Transparency

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