[me2]

This is a very interesting discussion.

For me film is dead. I'm declaring it dead for me right now, forever, because about once a month I get the romantic idea that I should just go back to shooting film. And its time I got that silly notion out of my head.

I have a Canon film EOS Elan sitting right here. I needed a pocketable P&S to go with an SLR when I just can't carry an SLR. I was thinking of buying a Pentax 90WR locally for $25.

I bought a 40D body for less than $1000. Its on its way to me as I write this.

Locally it would cost me 25 cents a shot for 35mm film, processing and scanning onto a CDROM. And none of these are really high end services, just run of the mill.

It will take 4000 shots for the 40D to pay for itself in film costs alone. I'll shoot that in a year, meaning it will pay for itself in a year. Pretty hard to argue with the economics.

Then there are the other reasons - getting an instant view of the shot, having adjustable ISO, higher fps without a winder, better AF, faster image turn around, better white balance, better post processing, etc. and digital is a no brainer.

One of the reasons I am writing this is to remind myself of all this. I wanted really good IQ in a compact camera. I bought a G9 instead of the 90WR. I am quite sure the 35mm images from the 90WR would give the G9 a run for the money, but when you factor in everything else, the G9 wins, even if it is $350 more out the gate.

Money aside, I know that digital cameras have made photography easy. I bought my first SLR 20 years ago - a Pentax ME Super. Its way, way easier to "get the shot" with the modern cameras, but that doesn't mean it takes less talent to get the great shots. Great shots are still about composition, light, post processing, etc. That hasn't changed at all. As a matter of fact, don't look now, but I think the level of what we though was a good photograph has gone up. It may be harder now to get a great shot than it ever was. Yes I know about Ansel Adams !

One thing about digital shooting is that its much better for the environment. 4000 shots/ 36 per roll is 111 rolls of film that aren't going to go into the landfill someday. Not to mention 111 film canisters and cartridges or the chemicals to process the film.

Anyway... this will be the last time I debate digital versus film in my mind. For me film is dead. Anyone want to buy a good Canon EOS Elan ?