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Position:Home>Visual Arts> Old Film Cameras > Digital Camera Quality?Question: Old Film Cameras > Digital Camera Quality!? I had thought that old film cameras, particularly the Pentax K1000 (I think this should be pretty renown) wouldnt be able to compare to digital cameras of nowadays (Take Nikon D70 for example)!.
However I'm having second thoughts!. If someone could explain briefly (or any length :P) how this might work, it'll be awesome! I'm trying to get into photography you see :)Www@QuestionHome@Com Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Rather than spending a few thousand dollars for a top level DSLR and lenses I use my film cameras and lenses (I have Canon A-1 and Pentax 645 cameras and lenses)!. It costs me $25 to buy a roll of film, have it developed, and scanned to disc at maximum resolution!. I have a good photo printer and use it for most of my enlargements, but I also take the negatives back to my processor to make some of the more important enlargements!. Replacing my equipment would cost me thousands of dollars!. For the cost of the best available Canon DSLR and 1 lens I can shoot more than 300 rolls of film--all with better quality!. I just doesn't make sense for me, especially since I seldom shoot more than 50 or 60 rolls of film a year any more!. 1 DSLR (with it's limited longevity) versus the multiple 35mm and medium format bodies I currently own--1 lens versus the 20 or so I already own--I did the math and for me it said keep shooting film!. Having said this, I'm in my mid-50s, , you're likely much younger so digital photography is probably inevitable for you!. So, if you decide to go with film don't buy the Pentax!. It's a great camera, but if you buy a Nikon film camera and lenses they are compatible with current Nikon digital equipment!. That way, to go digital your only investment will be for the body--kind of a best of both worlds situation!.Www@QuestionHome@Com First, go to the library and get a good book on photography basics!. You need to learn how ISO (timing) works, depth-of-field, focus, and so on in order to really take good photos!. Next, make sure you get an SLR camera!. Most old (mechanical) cameras are SLR, and the digital SLRs tend to be more pricey, but it's worth it!. What is SLR!? It means that the viewfinder shows you what the lens itself sees, so the "preview" through the viewfinder is correct!. Non-SLR use a separate viewfinder, which skews the angle of the image, yielding subtle crapiness (but crappiness nonetheless) because even small changes in lighting (and shadows) could make the shot less spectacular!. Good photography is 3 things: lighting, operator know-how, camera quality!. Finally, if you're talking about quality, the key thing is how far you're going to "blow up" the final pics!. If you keep them printed-photo-album size (e!.g!. 5x7"), then even a 3 megapixel camera will do, but if you're going to make poster-sized prints, you'll probably want something more like 6 MP!. Above 6 MP, the law of diminishing returns starts to take effect, and it becomes a "cock-fight"!. Check this out: http://www!.kenrockwell!.com/tech/mpmyth!.h!.!.!. (if you search, you'll find other independent sites that concur)!. D70 is a good choice!. My mom has a Pentax that still works excellently, so she's got good value from it, and she definitely knows her stuff, but even she has "gone digital"!. Consider buying used!. The 'quip-whores (those who buy cutting edge equipment just to brag about it) will pay top dollar when the item comes to market, and it usually doesn't take more than 6 months for the value to drop -- then they sell their "old" stuff, and you can save a bundle!. (They usually take good care of their equipment, too!.!.!. but ask to inspect it carefully and test out the functions first)!. Look in your local classified (online and off)!. A used D70 will be pretty inexpensive by now!. One more tip: I know some camera afficionados who buy lenses on the big auction site, and have had good/safe transactions!. The lenses are what's gonna cost the most, but they're highly interchangeable -- make sure your camera body features a common/popular lens mount system!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Well, I have to say that the Pentax K1000 is a workhorse of cameras!. Probably the sturdiest one ever built!. I've been a photo/journalist for a newspaper for 20 years and started out shooting film and processing it!. I really didn't want to make the jump to digital but now I'm hooked!. It's cheaper than having film developed!. Of course, there are those purists who will never use digital and I understand that as well!. Resolution is getting better and cameras cheaper!. The lenses are the thing that will always add to the expense!. I was told that after about 17 million pixels, your eye won't be able to distinguish from 35 mm film!. It's like watts on a speaker!. It's a waste of money to buy more watts because your ear can only hear up to so many!. I'd try the Nikon D70 or a Canon!. I've used the professional Nikon and Canon both and they are awesome!. I hate to admit this but I'll never go back to film!. P!.S!. On my digital cameras I still shoot manual most of the time!. It's not point and shoot like people think!. It can be for the amateur but you can get better digital pics shooting manual with certain lighting, etc!. Good luck!.Www@QuestionHome@Com I agree with John T 95% - the 5% disagreement is his recommendation of Nikon for the lens compatibility (older film camera lenses with new Digital SLR body)!. Any lens that mounts to your Pentax K1000 will work on the current Pentax DSLR cameras!. I did the same math analysis that John T did and came to the same conclusion!.Www@QuestionHome@Com I know your Pentax WAS a very good camera, but there are so many digital cameras and they will be the camera of the future for all Photography!.Www@QuestionHome@Com I concur, I will never go back to film!. I like the instant feedback, the zero cost to see the results and the amount of shots is only limited by the memory!. With that out of the way, digital is not quite there!. The whites have a tendency to get blown out, so exposure can be pretty tricky to get those subtle values in whites!. I disagree about needing an SLR!. I use a point and shoot Canon A640, a 10mp wonder that is easy to use, and takes wonderful digital photo's!. The draw back, I can't change the lens!. But, the upside, when I was shooting pro film, 99% of my shots were done with a moderately wide to a mild telephoto!. So I don't feel limited, I feel liberated that I don't have to lug around a medium format camera anymore and can shoot just about forever without having to thread through another roll of film!. Plus I like the small compact style of my current camera!. The other disadvantages, if I want to shoot manual, all the settings are handled through the menue!. Makes changing settings a bit time consuming!. Plus, there is no flash connector, so I am limited to using the built in flash!. But, since I don't like flash photography, it really doesn't matter!. I do have a Fuji S2 that pretty much gathers dust, a wonderful digital SLR that can do it all!. But its big and obtrusive!. Sure it looks cool and makes me look like a pro!. Then people clam up, give funny smiles, and it makes a terrible racket with the mirror slaps up!. Like saying, "hey, I just took your photo!!" What you have with digital is the best learning tool in the world!. In the film days it took hours, even days weeks to see the results!. Now you have instant feedback!. Therefore, your learning curve to get past the basics is considerably shorter then what I went through!. Your biggest hurtle after that is learning how to process your shots!. You're going to have to learn the software which can be easy with the software that comes with most digital cameras that is always very weak, or use pro quality software where you are going to have to spend time learning it!. The premier photo software for years is Adobe Photoshop!. But it is very pricey!. If you want something that is powerful, you can go with Photoshop Elements from Adobe for about $100 or go too: http://www!.gimp!.org and download, for free, their version of Photoshop!. It is very powerful, but again, you will need to learn how to use it!. I hope this helps Source: 50 years of photo experience!. Been there and done it all!. Now I don't give a rats behind what it was shot with, or how much photoshopping was done to it, but rather the final results!. =============== Life is so simple, but we insist on making it complicated Confucius 551 - 479 BC =============== Peace Jim http://www!.ChinaBlix!.com !.Www@QuestionHome@Com |