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  • FILM CAMERA

    I was thinking again.... Should I invest in a film camera. I already have a 2mp camera, and i can probably get a top of the line film camera for cheap But then theres the price of film and development!
    Only the dead have seen the end of the war-Plato

  • #2
    Some people still swear by film cameras...but in the long run if you take lots of photos you will be light years ahead saving money with digital equipment. Just as an example, I went over to the EAA Museum here in Oshkosh today and spent an hour or so taking pictures of ultralights in action (yeah I was desperate, ok)...I took 140 photos...that equals just under six rolls of film (figuring 24 exposure rolls)...at roughly $5 a roll, and about $5 for processing...today's outing would have potentially cost me around $60.00.



    That doesn't count the frustration of missed shots (can't check your quality until the image is developed, right?).
    Sure, I fronted up the cash for my Canon 300D, but tomorrow I will take my 4000th image with it...that would be a whole lot of money spent on film and developing.
    In the end it all boils down to what you want to spend your money on...
    George R. Widener
    Oshkosh, WI USA
    Aircraft Photos Here
    Railroad Pictures Here

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    • #3
      Don't forget the negative scanner

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      • #4
        Good point Paul. Gotta have one of those if you want good quality scans to archive/share on the web...scanning most prints just doesn't cut it.
        George R. Widener
        Oshkosh, WI USA
        Aircraft Photos Here
        Railroad Pictures Here

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        • #5
          Yeah but for us Kodachrome slide shooters, it is hard to switch.......well atleast it is for me. K64 must die before I go digital.......

          [photoid=306871]
          [photoid=302933]
          [photoid=281707]

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          • #6
            The cost savings of digital are not as big by far as you'd think.

            Batteries cost a lot more, digital storage media, DVDs/CDs (plus writers), etc. etc.

            I did the math and ended up with having to spend some €5500 to get a DSLR and associated stuff to do what my current SLR and slide scanner can do which cost me a total of €1500.
            That's €4000 extra cost for digital, or 400 rolls of professional slide film (including processing).
            Given the amount of film I use that's roughly 4 years. As the replacement cycle for DSLRs is currently 2 years, I'd be spending another €3000 in half that time on a new camera alone (plus of course it will require different batteries, manufacturers are smart in creating those addon markets).

            Therefore, film is LESS expensive at least if you want digital equipment that's as good as the film equipment you have now (unless you use more than 300 rolls of film a year that is).

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            • #7
              I'm still skeptical jwenting.

              I've taken 5876 pictures digitally in the last 8 months. Roughly 24 a day.

              That's roughly 244 rolls of film. Purchase and development costs would run up to about $2448

              For me Digital body and lens, batteries, bag and filters I have spent $1489. Digital gives me the option to take as many shots as possible and then edit them.

              I guess it just comes down to the amount of money you are willing to spend and whether you like to have hit or miss shots.

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              • #8
                I'm with Greg- since March, I'm at 3982 images with the 300D...translates into a whole bunch of money spent on film and developing...
                From my 15 years of shooting slide film of railroad subjects, I know my retention rate (ie: "keepers") from a given roll of 36 shots was somewhere 60-75%...now with digital it is more like 90-95%...plus I get the flexibility of seeing how the shot turned out immediately rather than waiting for developing. I remember a trip to the coalfields of Eastern Kentucky on the CSX where I had an entire day's worth of shots (was something like 4 rolls of film, and luckily it was the last day of the trip) go in the toilet due to a light meter going out on the camera...I would have avoided that problem if I had digital at the time...would have been able to see the problem as it "developed" (pun intended).
                But like has been said, it's all about where/how/why you wish to spend your money.
                George R. Widener
                Oshkosh, WI USA
                Aircraft Photos Here
                Railroad Pictures Here

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                • #9
                  I enjoy shooting slides and even putting a few on the auction. I just sold 5 slides for $16 which is not a lot, but hey they sold. I also enjoy getting together with friends and having slide shows plus I am able to sell some at shows. I do this for the pure love of the hobby, not to make lots of money at it. If I am able to get a few bucks here and there, I am happy. Gives me gas money for my truck!

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                  • #10
                    Digital is the way of the future my friend You are in charge of the image from the moment it is taken to the final product. With film, you are at the mercy of the film developer when you take your roll in.

                    Keep practicing with the 2mp and save up till you have the $$$ for a nice D-SLR.
                    Click Here for my aviation photographs.
                    No Frontiers

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                    • #11
                      Keep practicing...as it has been stated above.


                      -PIAA310
                      ***My Blog***

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                      • #12
                        Greg, I'm specifically stating that you'll need to spend big bucks to get the same quality from a DSLR as you get from a real one.

                        In my case I have an F100. The ONLY DSLR that even comes close is the D2h.
                        That's €3500 for the body. Add 2 spare accus and a charger, that's another €500 or so.
                        4 1GB CF II Ultra cards run at another €600 or so.
                        Something like an image tank (say iPod 40GB), €450.

                        Instead of processing film at €3.50 a roll you burn them on CD. That costs roughly the same per image.

                        So the only savings are film, currently €700 a year for me. At the purchase price of the equipment at €5000 or so, that's about 8 years to earn back the difference.
                        In that time given the current expected lifetime of DSLRs I've had to replace that stuff all 2-3 times.

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                        • #13
                          It depends on use.

                          You want high quality prints.

                          I want high quality digital images.

                          We both have the gear we need for our purposes.

                          And we are satisfied.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by jwenting
                            Greg, I'm specifically stating that you'll need to spend big bucks to get the same quality from a DSLR as you get from a real one.
                            So D-SLRs are not real cameras?!! Most people here are not pros, they don't need slide quality images. Secondly, the images from a midrange D-SLR (10D, D100, S2 Pro) is good enough even for some pros.

                            Since I went digital, I hadn't had to spend a penny more to process or store my images (off the memory card).
                            Click Here for my aviation photographs.
                            No Frontiers

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                            • #15
                              Also the 300D produces the same quality as the 10D.... and with the hack it has/is getting all the features of the 10D .

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