I've seen some people recommend film cameras over a point and shoot in the $100-200 price range, however how would one get a picture taken on a film camera (on 35mm film) onto your computer, is there an easy to to do it or does it require you getting them developed, then scanning them? Surely that would be more expensive in the long run than just getting a point and shoot?
Film usually provides some heavy artistic control. If you develop the film yourself, you can get some really nice results since you're the one doing it. Also, there's a certain essence to film photos. There's a vintage quality that can't really be correctly faked with digital photos.
[editline]20th April 2012[/editline]
However, if you're a beginner or something, I'd definitely recommend a DSLR.
Personally, I happen to own both as I've bought a DSLR but also have my father's old film Pentax.
So I can assume they're not for general convenience, and should be used for "lomo" and fun?
Strictly speaking, in all technicality, DSLRs are more convenient. Film can also be pretty fun too (not just lomo). And I mean, it really depends on the amount of experience you have and how serious you are about your work.
I might just get a cheap one and some 35mm film and just take shots for a few months, then get them developed and see what happens.
film cameras will always be superior for macro photography. It's a toss up for regular type photos of you being a tourist or at a party, but digital always wins for convenience
funny how you say a "cheap one"
most film cameras, even old slr's are pretty cheap these days in comparison to digital
it's the cost of film in the long run that makes it expensive now a days.. My most expensive film camera atm is probably this voightlander vito b, which goes for about 250 if it's in really good condition
even the olympus om-1 (which i've heard is a pretty decent slr) doesn't go for that much.
Film has many advantages which in my opinion outweigh it's disadvantages.
1. Large sensor size - in comparison to a cheap compact's sensor, 35mm film is humongous, and don't even get me started on 120 format. Larger sensor size means better low light performance, deeper depth of field, and the photos just feel nicer (no real distinct qualities, but comparing the same equivalent focal lengths with the same lens quality on say an APS-C sensor in comparison to a full frame 35mm, the full frame just looks nicer.
2. Lens library. Cheap film SLRs give you all of the advantages of DSLRs for a cheaper price in terms of lenses. If you get an F mount Nikon, K mount Pentax or anything similar to that, you have a lens library available that is enormous, covering all quality ranges in every practical focal length. Also the lenses on most film SLRs will far outperform the lenses on a cheap compact.
3. Film Grain - some find it very appealing, gives photos a more organic feel.
4. Cost - the sheer cost of film developing and scanning forces you to value your shots more, you will almost inevitably become a better photographer by using film.
5. Dynamic range - film produces some of the most aesthetically pleasing colour renditions in comparison to digital, and with the wide range of film types around, the colour rendition can cater for any mood or feel. Also the fidelity with post-processing exposure control is enormous, I'm not sure on the exact number, but it's in the double figures and beyond the amount of exposure stops you get with digital RAW files (your cheap compact won't get you that file type most likely anyway).
You seem to have a rather narrow minded idea of photography. Cameras are not just for taking photos of your holidays or your friends puking their guts out in the middle of a main road, most users in this subforum use them as a hobby, to take photos in which they create scenes more fantastic than what they are actually taking a photo of, or they just enjoy seeing how the medium captures their favourite things. Also you're going to get smashed if you start saying film is for "lomo and fun" around these parts.
i've got a bunch of k-mount lenses from old pentax slr's, the great thing is they all work with the pentax dslr i'm borrowing from school
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