I am quite sure I'm late arriving at this realization, and it could possibly be a well worn topic, but I've discovered, without any prior prompting or suggestion, that digital does have one great application that film is such a pain in the butt--
copying slides!
I've got a huge collection of vintage slides from when my Dad had his "era" of hobbyist photography. For about 20 years, he took the usual photos, family and friends, but he also tried to be a "craftsman" and took lots of scenics, travel photos, and architecture.
When he died, I decided it was time to convert them to prints. (This was before the digital revolution.) \
Wanting to do it myself, I went the internegative route, with fairly good success but too much time and money required to finish the job. I then switched to portra film, inherently less contrasty, and had slightly less success, before giving up because of the high number of rejects, and therefore the high cost of continuing. (I'm looking at about 3000 or more slides left to convert. And this is after I culled the dupes, the rejects, and the things that just didn't interest me.)
But Now! Even with the little dinky point and shoot digital I've got (An olympus 3000-z that will have to do until the eventual pentax digital SLR purchase) but even with its relatively small file size from the 4 megapixel sensor, hooked up to a vintage Spriratone dupliscope / slide copier, and then fiddling with white balance and contrast post-picture taking in photoshop, I'm getting some really good results. Of course the prints are still vaporware, I have the digital file, but I have both an Epson 890 and an Epson 1280 that are underused.
I think in this case, the convenience and ability to adjust contrast and color digitally, plus the huge cost savings over traditional methods, it is clear that digital is enormously better suited to this job than film.
I'll be able to convert his entire collection, plus my own, which is also numbering in the thousands these days (mostly orchids, bromeliads and some other exotics I grow in my greenhouse and around the "estate."
Digital, at least personally, in this case, is the clear winner, and as I get professional equipment, the results I get can only improve, and the workflow is just as important and superior.
Greetings from CajunLand USA South Louisiana Sid Barras
