Help: Why do you still shoot film?

Film has a far better response to highlights than any digital sensor currently made. I've heard that's a major reason they still shoot movies on film. I shoot a lot of difficult lighting situations, especially where the light is coming right in front of me into the lens. Digital clips the highlights. You can underexpose but that doesn't always work so well.

The other reason is the ability to make silver prints. Though there are digital enlargers and led/laser printers, they are beyond the reach of most. For black and white silver prints are best. I can still scan the negative and go that way, also. Shooting digital limits you to digital printing, be that inkjet or laser/LED to RA4.

I do have a DSLR and use it frequently. It is used for work or other time sensitive tasks. The photos hanging on the walls, though are mostly film captures.

Simon R Galley said:

I shoot film because the negative I produce is unique, the person standing next to me can take the same
(ish) shot, can even have the same film in the camera as me, but I can assure you the neg and the way they print it will be different from mine...

Simon ILFORD photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

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Thats a very interesting point, I like that.

Thanks for posting it.

Fintan

Using film enforces creative and technical skill. With film, one has to get it right the first time. Students need to learn how to do expose, light, and compose so their results can be proper expressions of art.

Shooting hundreds of exposures in the hope that some of them might be good is more akin to gambling than creativity.

Also, of course, electronic capture has not proven itself equal to film, although this gap is narrowing daily.

Eventually any photographer must choose his or her tools, but by learning with film, the student will master skills sooner and better than with an electronic "crutch."

Why do we still draw and paint when we have photography? For the same reasons we still do wet chemistry photography even though digital is available...
I use digital photography for family stuff - A D40 with zoom lens.... The pictures are fun... Looked at a few times and basically left forever on a hard drive somewhere... Once in a while one is printed... A few are emailed... But after that forgotten...
My personal stuff is generally done on 6X6 - C330 - in black and white... I do my own developing and printing... Most prints are given away and wind up on a wall/table/drawer somewhere... They become part of someones life... Enjoyed for a time, or maybe longer, then stored with their other papers... Their children will put them in mom's or dad's album someday and become family hand downs...
I will never hang on the walls of a museum, but I feel good about these little things...

Digital is more a record and BW is more of an art...

denny

denny said:

Digital is more a record and BW is more of an art...

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I like that, well put.