Digital vs Film - Or Digital and Film

Technology is advancing at an amazing rate. Digital image capture now rivals film for quality. The photo magazines constantly have articles about Digital vs. Film. The premise is that one will out do the other. But I wonder. Is it true? Or, is there room for both?

Digital photography is great. It gives you immediate feedback on the image you just made. You can check it and make corrections on the spot. With film, you make the image and then wait for the film to be processed. A week or two after the photo shoot you find out whether your composition and exposure were on target. If they were not, you are out of luck. So digital is obviously the right way to go, right? Well yes....but...perhaps you should consider using digital and film.

To get the most out of my shooting opportunities, I have been using my Nikon D70s and Nikon 8008 (yes I still shoot with it and it works great). I usually shoot the D70s at a rating of ISO 200. I also shoot my 8008 using ISO 200 film. I shoot both formats. I get the immediacy of digital, plus I am fairly confident that my exposure will be right on the 8008 since I am shooting at the same film speed and exposure.

The Nikon D70s is a 6.1 mega pixel camera. This means I get an image that is about 17 meg uncompressed. I can safely print up to 11 x 14 and still have a great image.

When I take the film from my 8008 I can scan the slide or negative with my Nikon ED V scanner. When I so, I get an image that is about 52 meg uncompressed. If I need a print larger than 11 x 14, I can use the image from the 8008. This is especially important for stock photography where the client may want a larger file size or the original transparency.

Using both formats gives me the greatest flexibility for my landscapes. Yes, it does mean carrying an extra camera, but I have always carried my 8008 or my Nikon FM2 as backup. By using both formats, I get the best of both worlds.

Thomas T. Dean has been an avid photographer for over 30 years. Visit his website for more information and photographic examples. http://www.thomasdeanimages.com

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