To some, the issue of "Film vs. Digital" has already been decided by the video world. Why shoot film when digital is worlds more convenient, less expensive and easier to store and organize? For the masses, digital is the medium of choice, but for professional photographers, the debate is ongoing.

For most camera owners, those who are not necessarily photographers, the choice to move to digital is a no brainer. Professional photographers, as dictated by their profession, will leave no stone unturned in their search for the highest quality.

What are the advantages of each? For starters, digital is more convenient. You can view your photos immediately, upload them to your computer and share with friends on the Internet. Is anyone still buying film rather than clearing their memory card? Do people still pay money to get their photos transferred to a CD? The answer is....sort of.

When photographers are trying to make money from their work, they don’t need to sell whole albums of pictures. They need to make one image perfect. The very best professional digital cameras have an image resolution of about 24 megapixels, more than most people would ever need.

The best film cameras have an equivalent of well over 100 megapixels. This becomes important when making prints, something that amateur photographers rarely do anymore. Billboards, art galleries, advertisements....they all need huge prints and incredible resolution. Landscape photographers still choose to use expensive 4x5 inch film, which produces unmatched image quality and massive size.

Digital cameras have only been seriously sold in retail outlets for about 15 years. Film dates back to the 1820s. Digital certainly makes our lives easier, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it makes it better. It will probably take some time for digital to catch up and despite all its advantages, film isn’t going anywhere.

For assistance with your photography needs, contact Gearshift TV, by calling 877.477.STUDIO or filling out our online form.

Film vs. Digital Photography