In What Areas Is 35mm Film Better Than Digital?
Although 35mm film cameras have taken a back seat to the instant gratification of 35mm digital cameras, film cameras still offer benefits their digital counterparts can't replicate. From longer battery life, to a better use of grain structure, film cameras can still outperform digital in some aspects. Without the option to review and manipulate images, film shooters are less likely to miss recording key moments and spend less time on their images after the shoot.
Batteries
Usage of batteries varies between film and digital cameras. Disposable batteries used in a film camera far outlast a rechargeable battery in a digital camera that has to power an LCD screen and menus. Although rechargeable batteries are more environmentally friendly, a photographer is less likely to be caught with a dead battery in a film camera than a digital camera.
Grain
Shooting high-speed film adds a grainy, gritty quality to images that can complement the subject matter, and be commended. Excessive graininess in digital photography creates a colorful mess of extraneous pixels in shadow areas that requires post-production manipulation.
The Moment
Seeing digital images immediately after they are shot equals instant gratification. But as a digital photographer scrolls through images shot mere seconds ago, they may miss the opportunity to photograph the next moment that is happening right in front of them. Time spent reviewing images could be spent shooting and capturing more memories. Since images cannot be instantly reviewed on film, the photographer is less likely to miss moments.
Time Saver
Shooting film is a two step process; shoot and process. Images from a 35mm digital camera require post-production processing to enhance sharpness, saturation and color, just to name a few areas that can be manipulated. Although images directly from digital cameras can look good, many serious hobbyists, and professionals, spend time adjusting their images for optimum quality after they have been shot.
The Magic
The magic moment of finally seeing the printed outcome of your photographic efforts can't be replicated with digital. Although the wait can be as little as an hour with a quick photo lab, the magic of thumbing through a pile of pictures just isn't as satisfying when you've already viewed the thumbnails on the back of a digital camera. Film images still give the photographer a sense of achievement, since the roll isn't seemingly endless, like a high capacity digital media card.
Tags: digital camera, digital cameras, film cameras, less likely, 35mm digital