Tom C. wrote:
One hindrance slowing digital down, is that it's closely associated with
computers. Not everyone wants or cares about them. Probably an
*extremely*
high percentage of people who buy digital cameras, also have computers.
The
rest, also a significant number, don't care and will continue using film
cameras
Anyone who works in an office or goes to school MUST use a computer. I
don't know the statistics, but I think around half of the people in the US
and other industrialized countries have access to a computer.
It's true that consumer digital cameras have been promoted as computer
peripherals more than as photographic tools. But that's changing. As their
prices come down, they are being marketed as superior substitutes for 35mm
point shoots. Ritz and others promote this idea already, by making prints
from digital film just like they do with 35mm.
For non-photography business use, digital has been preferred over film for
several years already. If you don't need great resolution, it's wonderful
to have the immediacy and easy image storage of digital.
For high volume professional photography or photojournalism, I can't imagine
anyone starting out today choosing film over digital. Digital image quality
(using professional digital SLRs or medium format digital backs) is
excellent, and I'm sure the the equipment cost is easily justified by
savings in film procesing.
35mm film has only one market that digital has not yet dominated - the
single-use camera. I see this as the last bastion of film. I really don't
know the demographics of single-use camera buyers, but I suspect they are
mostly people who have NO interest in photography, and don't take many
pictures other than the obligatory Christmas morning or family vacation
photos. Since they have so few photos, image storage isn't much of an
issue, and a photo album is just as easy (or easier) to use than a CD, etc.
And since they have so little interest in photography, they will use
whatever tool is cheapest, which for the moment is the 35mm single-use
camera. Single-use camera buyers are not necessarily lacking in spending
money or computer literacy, so whenever a digital camera appears that is as
cheap as a single use film camera, and can produce decent 4 x 6 images,
digital may take over this market, too.
However, being the most popular film size, with a large number of cameras in
use, I'm sure 35mm film will be around for a long time. But as the market
shrinks, there will of course be fewer different films available, and
processing will become more expensive and less widely available.
If I only cared about the final image, didn't already own TOO MANY cameras,
and didn't have any budget restrictions, I'd be using a digital SLR.
However, I'm a collector as well as a photographer. I use 35mm SLRs because
they're FUN. I plan to continue doing so, without worrying about whether or
not my technology is outdated.
Jeff
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