> On 19/7/04, graywolf, discombobulated, offered: > > >Here is a bit of a poll: How many of the folks on this list who have > >been into photography as a serious hobby for 5-10 or more years, and > >for whom it still is a serious hobby have 100% abandoned film?
OK, I've been a serious photographer since 1985 and a professional since 1993. I'd still consider myself a serious hobbyist when I'm off duty, although I probably shoot less personal stuff than most of you all. I currently shoot digital when I am shooting high volume or high speed work (action, studio work with models, etc) and when I am shooting casually (take a camera to the party, etc). Both are places I used to shoot B&W for cost and convenience reasons, even if I'd have preferred color. Digital gives me a greater cost advantage in high-volume, low-success-ratio situations, plus it's color. Now that I've lost my darkroom (the paper is all digital, and no regrets there) B&W is a lot less convenient and more expensive. BUT, I haven't abandoned film 100%. I still shoot film when I am shooting slowly and deliberately. I use film for lens testing, and for bumming around stuff where I don't want the bulk or risk of a DSLR kit. Obviously I still shoot film in my nifty film cameras, of which I have far too many. The Spotmatic F, KX, and Nikkormat EL have a charm and feel that the latest Canon and Nikon DSLRs just don't. I'm shooting mostly 50 and 100 speed film, B&W or fujichrome, plus the occasional roll of TMY 400 for casual work (I've got dozens left over from when the paper shot film). I'd consider medium format, but I have no way of appreciating the quality of a bigger negative (no darkroom, no MF scanner, no MF projector, etc). Given the way I'm now working with film, MF seems otherwise to make sense. > (cotty?) >I don't miss film, I don't miss my darkroom...the only thing I miss is my >FA 85/1.4.... I do miss printing B&W film. I don't print much of my work in any medium right now because it's so much cheaper to enjoy on the computer. I don't miss shooting or scanning color negative film. I HATED color negative film. I miss my Nikon F5, which I still own but have virtually no use for. I miss my fast wides and ultrawides, which digital crops into uselessness and screwmount doesn't have at all. I miss my 85 and 105, too. Nobody has yet made a fast 58,60,or 70mm especially for DSLRs. Given my collection of fine 85s and 105s, I'll be shooting certain kinds of work on film for a while yet! DJE
