Should I go with Film Phototography or Digital Photography?
Which one? In my list of choices for film is the Yashica Electro 35 or Nikon FM10.In digital the Nikon D5100. I'll be taking pictures of landscape, fun stuff… And Swimming(competitions).So which way should I go? Do you recommend any other cameras for film?
Id go with digital… Just because i have no darkroom expierience… But thats just me…
i have friends who swear by film and say that you can get the best most crisp photos possible… Even more than 30mega pixels!
The habits you pick up with film photography are priceless.
Here is what happens, people go out and buy digital cameras and love the fact that they don't have to pay for all those junk images. However film is a great tool for forcing you to learn that film is expensive and therefore need to take care for every frame you shoot. I can't count how many times I have seen people with digital cameras go out, and without the slightest clue on how their camera works, shoot, and then they go though them later and hope they took at least one good shot. What a waste… Wouldn't it be better if they took a bunch of great photo's, if they had only slowed down and realized what is happening?
In that idea though, I do not believe that 35mm film photography offers anything more than a digital camera. I'm a digital photographer, but I still shoot film, just not 35mm. I still shoot 120, 4x5 etc… In film.
I have been in a darkroom and shot film before digital was viable. While film will certainly make you realize the value of knowing what you are doing and getting it right in the camera, you can do that with a digital camera, too.
I prefer the digital camera over film because you can see the results immediately. All it takes is a laptop. You can take it with you while shooting landscapes to ensure you got what you wanted, right out there in the middle of the mountains. That can't be achieved with film.
Camera recommendations would be either Nikon or Canon. Both of these brands take outstanding images. However, there's one distinct difference. You can put a very old Nikon lens on the latest Nikon body. This is not the case with Canon. Canon has changed their bayonet.
As an instructor, I like to start my students using film.
I can then view the negatives from their first roll and troubleshoot any problems they are having with exposures (shutter speed and lens aperture). After about six technical assignments, they are disciplined shooter with the ability to 1) troubleshoot any problems they later encounter and 2) are getting excellent images every time the press the shutter release.
The Electro 35 is just a basic 35 mm P&S camera. You need a fully adjustable camera like the FM10 to learn how to control your exposures.
With the right lenses, the FM10 and D5100 will both be able to shoot action sports like swimming competitions.
If you want to learn photography, go with digital.
What with instant feedback from the LCD display and all, you'll see immediately what your photo looks like. A very easy way to learn.
But if you want to become GOOD at photography, go with film.
Going full manual (and the FM10 is as full manual as an SLR gets) will make you think about what you're doing, and with repetition and practice, the things you need to adjust to get a good photo will become second nature.
If you are planning on doing it professionally, stick with digital.
The apparent resolution of digital is much higher than with film. Also if you will be shooting events indoors, digital will allow you to use much higher ISO's than film while still maintaining a relative lack of noise/grain.
Film can get expensive. Factor around 50 cents per shot. That will add up over time.