Shel Belinkoff wrote:
Y'know, for me, photography isn't about resolution, it's about trying to
get a certain look and feel to the photos I produce. Sometimes an older
lens and an old style film will provide the desired results, sometimes a
very sharp lens and very high resolution or acutance film is more suitable.
Sometimes 35mm is appropriate, sometimes Med Format. And sometimes a
digital camera offers the best choice.
I agree. I remember seeing someone's website once that had a number of
photos, one of which was an award winning pic of a canyon wall at sunset
using a digital camera, I think it was a 6Mp DSLR. And on the same
website, he had a couple of pictures using a Kodak brownie camera of
some old ghost town buildings, and I thought that those pictures were
artistically better than the hi rez digitals. The composition and
framing were beautiful, as well as the subject.
Is film going away? In pundit mode, I'd suggest not, although it will
probably go into a severe slump, and its use will stabilize after a while,
and then start a small, but significant return.
Its hard to say. It may become an expensive niche. Without sufficient
demand, the stable price point will go up due to economies of scale and
production/distribution costs. Digital is just too convienient to
justify a return to film, nostalgia aside.
Now, is it practical to buy new camera gear? Indeed it is. Unless you're
a professional, or on a very limited budget, the idea here is to have fun
making photographs. So, buy the camera you want, shoot film until it goes
out of production. If you like some emulsions and you're concerned they
may disappear, freeze a few hundred rolls. Worried about getting the film
processed? learn how to do it yourself.. Become an artisan instead of
being dependent on computer technology and local labs.
This where you will find the niche. There will be artisans that do it
"the old fashioned way" and their art will be prized by many. Just like
people who build Shaker furniture by hand or do Quilts by hand. Those
things are rare and prized by many.
There's room for both, but will both survive? Hard to say in the long run.
Perhaps the sun will explode before film disappears, or perhaps there will
be an ominous announcement tomorrow putting to rest all this speculation.
Your guess is as good as any. Only time will tell.
Shel Belinkoff
[Original Message]
From: Antonio Aparicio <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: 5/18/2004 6:33:02 AM
Subject: Re: Future Practicality of Film
I have found Norman Korens site most illuminating on this subject:
http://www.normankoren.com/Tutorials/MTF7.html
According to which, only the 11 megapixel full frame sensor based
cameras exceeded 35mm resolution.
