...And now I have a slightly different tack to take than in my last message.
How many of you who are railing against digital have actually TRIED digital?
I mean recently, and in a way that gives it a fair chance?
One of the common themes I encounter ceaselessly on the digicam forums is a
great sense of liberation, of excitement, and of commitment. Once people try
digital, many of them seem to really like it, really get enthusiastic about
it, and, often, they fairly abruptly leave film or the wet darkroom behind.
I'm not saying this always happens, but it's a repeating pattern.
I recently decided (after yet another setback to the completion of my
long-awaited and much-missed darkroom) to get a digital camera. Nothing
fancy, nothing cutting-edge, just a decent one of the "deluxe
point-and-shoot" variety.
I started to read reviews. I even bought a few of the newly-sprouted digicam
magazines, which are pretty universally awful (even worse than photography
magazines, if that's possible). Instead of completely ignoring the digital
counters at photo stores, as is my habit, I started to take a look. I went
to three different digicam review sites:
www.steves-digicams.com
www.imaging-resource.com
www.dpreview.com
As I narrowed down my choices, I began to visit discussion forums and speak
to users.
Then, a few weeks ago, I bought an Olympus C-3040z. This isn't the latest
thing; it's a relatively simple, very small and lightweight 3-megapixel
camera with a non-interchangeable zoom lens. It operates essentially like a
point-and-shoot.
Now, I'm probably as pigheaded a film-snob as you could hope to find. I've
been shooting Tri-X through thick and thin. But I've got to say, folks, that
for anybody who likes pictures and taking pictures and looking at pictures,
this digital stuff is as close to a kid in a candy shop as photography gets.
It's an absolute BLAST.
To say the least, my own reaction to the experience surprised me greatly. I
thought that I was just buying a glorified, overpriced toy, to enable me to
see a few pictures until my darkroom is finished, sell things on the web,
and get a bit of first-hand experience as to what all this digital garbage
is all about.
And I've got proof that digital is REAL photography: I've been hemorrhaging
money ever since I got this thing <g>. First I had to buy the best
rechargeable batteries I could find (www.greenbatteries.com). Then I had to
get a card-reader for the computer (a ZiO!). Then I had to get a better
photo printer (the Canon S800, which I just adore--what a *great* machine).
I had to get a better image-management program than the ones that came with
the camera and the printer (Photoshop Elements, a wonderful, powerful
program that has everything you need for digiprinting and then some, and
costs only $99). Now I'm looking at a new computer and monitor.
"Saving money on film and processing" is costing me an arm and a leg.
But I'll tell you, this stuff is great. It's a total blast. You can look at
what you just shot instants after you shot it. You can delete whatever you
don't like. You don't have to proof--stick the card in the card reader, hit
two keys, and you get full-screen images on your computer that let you see
as much detail as you want. Yatta yatta yatta. You know all that.
But the kicker? T my great surprise, the prints are *gorgeous*. No, I'm not
qualifying that. I'm not saying "gorgeous...for digital." Gorgeous. Really
nice. The colors are so beautifully pure, soft yet vivid; the control you
have over printing is simply awesome; the ink on the matte paper is just
lovely...there are some tricks to it, sure, and there's a learning curve, no
question, and if it's prints you want then there are some sacrifices you've
got to make.
But this stuff is not only for real, y'all, it's also darned nice, and a
total kick. I recommend the experience highly.
I'm *not* abandoning film. I love darkroom work, and my darkroom is going to
get finished, and I'll keep exposing Tri-X. You can take that to the bank.
But for those of you who have simply never given digital a chance, take my
advice...don't get _too_ "anti" in your stance just yet. Don't go painting
yourself into any corners. There just may come a time when you're going to
want to hop on this bandwagon too. And your attitude might change in a
hurry.
Take this old film snob's word for it. <s>
--Mike
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