Which has the better quality?
This is a debate that rages on between photographers and there is no definitive answer to this question. It is really down to personal preference. Perhaps now digital has a slight edge due to it’s convenience and versatility but both of these mediums of photography have their strengths and weaknesses.
Sharpness and focus
Top end digital cameras are shaper and more accurate than film cameras. If you look closely at your images you will see the focus is pin sharp. Film cameras tend to have a softer focus even when they have been accurately focused.
Which is better to work with?
Digital cameras do have the advantage of being able to shoot hundreds of images without having to change memory cards. You can also view the pictures straight away to see if you have got the shot you want. After you have downloaded your images you can use the same memory card again.
Film cameras shoot only 36 frames per roll of film. This means if you will need to keep changing rolls if you are shooting a lot. If you want to see the shot you are taking before you get your films processed you will need to take a Polaroid picture. This will mean buying Polaroid film and possibly a camera.
Grain vs. Noise
In low lighting conditions you need to increase the sensitivity of the film or sensor in your camera. You do this by increasing the ISO/ASA setting in you digital camera or using a faster film in your film camera.
In a digital camera increasing the sensor sensitivity creates ‘noise’ or picture quality degradation and is see as a bad thing. Having said this some of the new top end cameras are dealing with this issue. Film cameras on the other hand use faster films. These create a grainy quality to your end picture, which many photographers see as a good thing because it adds an interesting texture to their images.
Expense
Digital cameras are more expensive to buy but in the long run you do not have to buy film and get it processed. Film cameras on the other hand do need upgrading every few years in the way that digital cameras do.
Prints
Prints from film have a softer more organic feel to them. Prints from a digital camera are sharper but this can give them a hyper-real quality. If you look at them closely lines around objects can be so sharp that they look almost cut out.
Conclusion
Personally I would say that digital has the edge. I prefer the smoother texture and grain that you get with film, but digital is so much more convenient and versatile.
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