Taking photos is something that many people around the world do every day. In fact, over a trillion photos are believed to be taken annually all over the globe. In the past, most photos were taken on film. However, since digital cameras and phones have come out, a majority are taken digitally.
Despite this change, some people still prefer to use film when taking photos or video. While you can convert film reels to digital to make them easier to share, there are still some other struggles you may encounter when deciding to use a film camera. This article is going to take a closer look at many of these potential struggles.
A Lack of Features
A lack of features when shooting on film is one of the biggest drawbacks of using it in 2022 and beyond. Modern cameras have several different features that make life a lot easier. For example, many digital cameras have various ISO settings that allow you more flexibility in when and how you take photos. Other useful features include better zoom, built-in filters and touch ups, and much more space to take and hold photos.
Older film cameras simply can’t compete in terms of functionality and features. Also, as technology continues to advance, more and more features will be announced for digital cameras that widen the gap even further. Many newer cameras are also lighter and much easier to carry, than the bulky and heavy cameras of the past.
Results are Generally Not Instant
One of the biggest and most annoying struggles of using film today is that you will be unable to instantly see your photos you just took. With a digital camera, it will only take seconds for you to be able to see the photo you just took in detail, to make sure it is okay. If not, you can easily take more until you find one that is right.
Sure, there are some instant film cameras, but they aren’t always readily available and if you don’t have one, seeing your photos and making sure they actually turned out okay will be a much longer process. You have to trust your skills, and it can be frustrating not to see your results right away.
Getting Your Photos Online is More Challenging
Today, when most of us take a photo, it instantly goes online. It is either posted to Instagram, put on another social media platform, or sent to a friend over the internet. With a digital photo, doing this is as easy as clicking a few buttons on your screen. However, if you shoot with film, the process isn’t that simple.
If you want to do it yourself, you will need to get the film developed and then scan the photo to get it on your computer, a process that is often anything but quick. Another option, as briefly mentioned in the intro, you can use a service to convert film to digital, but even that takes a bit of time (though it produces some stunning results).
The Cost of Film Processing
Another drawback of using film is having to deal with the cost of film processing. The scanning and processing of film can be expensive, and often involves you sending your film to a lab to get done. Many cities will have a lot of places where this can be done, but the costs can add up. While it might not be more than $10 or so, that is money you wouldn’t need to spend if you simply took your photos digitally, as you would have them instantly.
While you can try to process your film at home, it can be a labor-intensive process, and one that might not always yield great results. So unless you want to put the time into getting the right equipment and perfecting the craft, you are likely better suited paying for the photos to be processed successfully.
In conclusion, while some people still love using a film camera today, it is important to be aware of the potential struggles you will need to deal with. If you are okay with these issues, feel free to continue using a film camera, of course.
