Digital vs. Film

By Kat Yares

I love my digital camera, really I do. It's super handy to snap a picture, load it on to my hard drive and send it to others. Not to mention, if you don't like the shot, you've got a chance to 'do over'. With digital pictures, you can crop, you can tweak, and you can get rid of the dreaded 'red eye'.

But, there's nothing like holding a print in your hand, or thumbing through an old photo album. Recalling memories of a time long ago or maybe even yesterday. I watch my now grown children show off baby pictures to their friends and I realize just how important these print pictures are to them. Taken years before digital cameras ever came into being; the old photos bring joy and laughter to those who look at them.

Sure, I could print the digital pictures out. Go buy the paper, a special printer and color cartridges. Why? They are far more expensive than just having film developed at the local super center.

It's just not the same anyway. Half the fun of film, is not always knowing what you're getting. Did I cut off Aunt Martha's head; was the focus right for Nephew Tim's dunk shot on the court? Those are the pleasant surprises that come will film cameras.

Of course, me being me, I generally haul both the film camera and the digital to important events. Why not? This way I get two different views of the subject at hand. Sometimes one is better than the other is, sometimes not.

When I use black and white film, sometimes the shot is ten times more spectacular than the digital will ever be - I don't care how many mega pixels the camera has.

Do I love my digital camera? You bet I do. Yet, for those special memories, those things I really want to remember, those will be taken on film. If I feel I really have to have them available for online use, I can always scan, or pay extra at the super center for a cd-rom.