Digital Cam vs. Film

[pinion]

Whats easier to bring with you on an overseas trip? Digital cam or film??

Is film ok to bring thru the x-ray in the airport? Will it affect the film you have with you?

Are there internet cafe's that will let you upload pictures from a flash card?


What's your expeirence with film? Whats the safest way to carry it so you won't ruin your pictures?


So many questions...no idea!!!

Input on this is very much appreciated!!

Cheers

pinion

[worldwidemike]

I haven't made the jump to digital, yet, and I'm not sure it will be happening soon. I guess the main reason is I always harbor hope that one of my shots will be stunning enough to enlarge and hang on the wall. It does not happen all the time, and it is not always the shots you think, either. However, if you travel enough and take enough pictures, you will almost assuredly get ones you want to enlarge. And if you want anything larger than 8x12, digital may not work. The image will likely be too pixillated.

That said, if you are just taking photos for putting on the web or a photo album, digital would be great. And cheaper.

As for film in the X-ray machines at the airport, as long as it is 400 speed film or slower, you will be fine. If it is 800 or higher, you should tell the security screeners about it and get it checked by hand.

worldwidemike

[Canadian Dude]

I have brought the same 35mm camera on every trip I have been on, its done me well, so I have to scan the pics when I get home or get the photo mat to give me the pics on CD.

The problem I have with a digital camera, and I had the same problem with my video camera, "WHAT IS SOMETHING HAPPENS TO IT?" The Vid-Camera is aboutn 1000$ and the Digi is 400$ easy, so if something happens to either of them I will be pissed!!! So I will stick with my small camera that cost me 100$ about 8 years ago, and not worry about battery life ( Digi's and Vid Cams use tons) or the damage or theft of the expencive equipment.

On the pro side, Digis take great pics these days and no film to carry!!!

[Sijuki]

I am torn between the two. I have a Canon Rebel SLR that is an excellent camera to use for anything. I know I will have to take that with me. Although I want a bigger zoom lens and a wide angle for it. But I also want a digital camera, I think just because I like to go crazy when I am on a trip. I go up north for a weekend and can easily breeze through 4-6 rolls. I could only imagine how bad I will be in Europe knowing I might not ever make it back. I would have to bring 1000 rolls with me. So I think some things I want a digital for, just so I can weed out the bad and used small memory cards for it. But the way I see it, those are going to be the only two expensive things I will have. So I don't think it will be too much to worry about.

I haven't yet gotten a digital camera, as I am not completely into them yet. I figure I will wait til the end of the year. I would prefer a 3megapixel or slightly higher and see if i can get it cheaper then it is now. But that is just me, I am a picture taking freak.

So I suppose if you like to take thousands of pics a digital might be better, and I would also think them better against any camera that is non-zoom. Also, just my opinion.

[voyd]

I made the switch to dig last trip. No contest. I am never going back. No bulky film and you see all your shots immediately.

[***Beady***]

I was thinking of getting a digi for my next trip, but the one I wanted the most (probably because it pretty), was a cannon something or rather, and it was about £400!! So, ahem, I bought myself a really nice 35mm for about £70, a hell of a lot cheaper.
I'm just gonna send back my films to my parents. I have a sneaky suspision that my mum will process them for me aswell! hee hee.
Also, I can't be bothered to worry about having to recharge a digi camera aswell as an mp3 player! Sheer laziness, I know!

[ashpunk]

Okay so I have a digi cam... really nice olympus... put me back like $400. But it does eat batteries like there is no tomorrow. I want to get rechargable ones... but I was afraid to buy them in the states thinking they might not work in the outlets in Europe. Any advice on that?

[space virgin]

you'll need to get a currency converter and plug adapter; remember that UK outlets are different from the rest of europe. I don't know how much the converter will be but adapters are not expensive.

I'm struggling with this too-- I'm researching digitals right now and plan on buying one, but it seems like a lot of them have proprietary batteries, which I refuse to buy. Rechargeable seems like the way to go but what a pain in the ass.

[Sijuki]

Beady, was that the new Canon Rebel EDS SLR Digital camera that is out? I saw that today actually, and decided if I could get my hands on one of those I would definately leave my 35mm Canon at home. All the accessories of an SLR with the convenience of a Digital. What a wonderful world. I didn't see a price though, but I assume that is about what it would run... which would be close to $900US.

[***Beady***]

I can't exactly remember which one it was, apart from that it was a cannon. With a gold bit in the middle. It was very pretty, but, there was no way I could just blow my cash on it. I just gave a big sigh out in the middle of the shop, and turned and walked slowly towards to the 35mm cameras. Ah well, I do really love the one I have now, its a Minolta Riva zoom 130. It was the prettiest one I could find!
Nah, seriously, its quite good actually.

[Sijuki]

Bummer... Yeah I love my Canon... it has been through a hell of a lot of abuse and the things still works perfect. Not bad for $300.

[cliffo]

Digital wins - no contest for me.

Depends on what your happy with though. My reasoning for going digital is not having to carry film, cost of film processing, convienience of storing hundreds of photos on a memory card and being able to delete the crap ones as you go.

I've also got a portable hard drive to store the pics on so i can keep on using the two memory cards i've got for the camera...hopefully this system will work for me.

[voyd]

Battery life is a critical dig cam spec for me, and most travellers. One of the reasons I chose to buy a Canon Powershot s400 was cuz it has a long battery life (unlike some Olympus's). One charge can easily last all day, but I always keep another battery with me just in case. I think there was only one time when I had to use the spare - when I was in the Louvre (Paris) and had taken sooo many damn pics...

[Sijuki]

I can definately see your point there Voyd... I mean the battery in my 35mm can last 6-7 mos at a time, and I definately know of a few people that have dig cameras where the battery only lasts like 6-7 hours. Definately say that a good battery life and a couple sets of rechargables would go a long way for a dig.

[***Beady***]

Thats the thing, battery life was quite a big decider for me. As I'm going away for a whole year, I just couldn't be bothered with recharging all the time. So, instead with my 35mm camera, I have a lithium battery. Which, I have no idea really, but I've been told are excellent, because they are ment to last for yonks and yonks.

[ashpunk]

Crap! You guys are confusing me now. Now I dont know if I want to bring the digi or not So is it really that hard to have them enlarged? Couldnt you just take them to a cam place and have them use the card to print it out on photo paper? I thought they were supposed to be better quality that normal 35mm? murr... splain!

[space virgin]

lithiums usually last *approximately* twice as long as alkalines. You'll still need to buy batteries, and they'll be more expensive, but you won't need to by them as often.

Last year I shot 18 rolls of film on a 35mm in two weeks. By the end of that time the battery was winding down but it was still doing well. I'm thinking of going digital because it cost over $130 just to develop everything, in addition to the price of the film to begin with. And I had to wait for a while because I didn't have the cash by the time I got home.

I'm waffling between the Canon PowerShot A70, Pentax Optio 33LF (cool swivel-y LCD screen) and Nikon Coolpix 3100, although this is starting to come in last place from the reviews I've read. Does anyone have any experiences with any of these that they'd like to share? I've gone to a couple of stores and looked at the Nikon and Canon; the salesmen were pushing the Nikon, but I later found out that was because they got a comission for that one but not the Canon. Hmph.

[***Beady***]

ashpunk, you can take the memory cards into shops and they'll print off picys for you, or they can save it all on a cd for you. Or, you could upload the pics on a pute somewhere else and email them home. Digid are pretty cool, I'm just gonna send my films home, cos I know mum won't be able to resist herself in doing them for me! hee hee.

Personally SV, I'd get the cannon. You could perhaps go into another store and batter them with tons of questions.

[pinion]

Originally posted by ***Beady***@Jan 30 2004, 07:34 PM
I'm just gonna send my films home

Do you mail them home or use a courier company?

No worries about the film rolls getting squashed in the mail?



Anyone have any good tricks/trips on keeping film rolls safe while traveling?

[voyd]

Well, I think non-dig cams have longer battery life cuz they have no viewing screen, for one. But, to save batteries on a dig, you can always turn off the viewing screen - or just use it very conservatively. That said, you will likely have to recharge your dig cam battery every night with typical usage (I just left it in overnight, although it only takes one an hour or 2 to fully recharge).

The quality of dig vs 35mm prints depends on the resolution of your shot. Obviously, the more pixels you capture, the larger you can blow the picture up and still retain 35mm-like resolution. There are conversion charts for "# megapixels = equivalent 35mm size photo" widely available. And remember, 35mm photos aren't absolutely clear either - they have grain size just like dig cams have pixels.

As far as cost - dig cams may cost more upfront - but you will quickly make up the difference after your first trip in the cost of buying and developing all those rolls of film. And with non-dig cams, that cost will be repeated trip after trip (not to mention the time, hassle & bulk involved).

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