What is the difference between a digital and a film camera?

Answer 1

now Danielle is writing this :) digital cameras might seem better but are they?? They might be easier to use but they are actually harder because you have to focus them while the digital one is easier because they are easier to print and taking. This is why they are better than digital cameras.

I think the above answer confuses film camera with digital camera! The opinion expressed above seems to favour film camera rather than a digital one. Possibly so, but before submission the author of that statement above should have revised what he wrote!

Answer 2

Film camera's use the old film canisters and have to be developed (taken to the store). Digital cameras use memory to store the images, and can be uploaded to your computer/iPod/etc.

Digital camera: Points of light are detected and each point (called a pixel) is assigned a value representing color and intensity. The collection of pixels is saved to some kind of electronic media, flash card, magnetic disk, optical disk or maybe something entirely different. The resulting file can be read by imaging software and the photo can then be printed.

Film camera: Points of light are detected and each point is recorded by a grain of chemical material that is light sensitive. The chemical material can be processed in a lab and turned into negatives and/or prints or transparencies. The resulting image can be put in a book, framed and put on your desk or just thrown into an old shoebox.

Answer 3

Pros of digital cameras

• digital images can be seen immediately after taking the picture through the small monitor on the back of a camera
• digital film (cards, storage devices) can be re-used almost indefinitely, so you do not have to continually buy more cards to take more pictures
• digital cameras can handle a wider range of lighting conditions than film handles
• digital cards can generally hold more images than a roll of film
• digital information does not decay with time and does not degrade when copied
• digital images do not require processing for viewing
• digital images can easily be manipulated on a computer without being scanned first
• digital images can be mailed and shared with others who live far away through image sharing web sites
• newer digital cameras offer more features for the same price, or cost less for the same features than older digital cameras
• digital "film" (cards) can be changed in broad daylight

Cons of digital cameras

• digital cameras require electricity to operate
• digital cameras can be more expensive than film cameras
• all digital cameras quickly become obsolete or outdated
• the digital camera you buy today can become outdated within 12 months
• when you buy a better digital camera, you often have to upgrade digital cards and the computer you store your files on, which can be expensive
• digital cameras create files that are relatively large
• hi-resolution digital images have very high file sizes, requiring large digital storage devices
• digital cameras require special storage cards to hold digital image files
• digital camera files must be downloaded to a computer and most computers are not inexpensive
• some digital storage devices are subject to failure, causing a loss of stored images
• some people prefer to print digital images on paper, which requires a printer, ink and paper, all of which can become expensive
• taking pictures in low-light conditions results in digital noise that can be difficult, or impossible to get rid of
• digital cameras with removable lenses can get dust on the sensor, resulting in a spot on every image taken with that camera - this can be expensive to have cleaned, or dangerous to clean by yourself
• digital cards can become corrupt, causing you to lose images
• less expensive digital cameras may have a lower dynamic range, leading to lower quality images

Pros of film

• film cameras made 50 years ago can still make photographs today
• film cameras do not have to require electricity to operate - though many do
• film does not require electricity for exposure
• film can be used in any film camera designed for the same format, that is, a roll of 35mm film can be used in a 35mm camera made today or a camera made decades ago and still create usable images
• grayscale images can last for decades and do not require computers for viewing
• film is not affected by magnetic or electro-magnetic fields
• developed film does not have to be stored in the dark
• large film negatives can deliver higher resolution than is available from any current digital camera
• large polaroid cameras can create photographic prints with no visible dot pattern
• old film negatives can be reprinted at any time - there is no reliance on a specific software program or computer operating system
• digital noise is not present in film negatives
• prints from film negatives can deliver a subtle range of tones and detail that is still not matched by current digital printing methods
• cheap film cameras take pictures with the same dynamic range as expensive cameras because that range is within the film, not the camera

Cons of film

• film must loaded into cameras and developed in light-tight conditions
• special chemicals are required for developing film and for developing prints made from film negatives
• some of these chemicals can be toxic and should be handled with care
• there are fewer commercial labs that can process exposed film and return negatives along with prints
• this drives up the cost of developing and printing film-based images
• the number of images that can be captured on a roll of film is limited by the length of the film roll and the size of the images exposed on that film
• 35mm film typically comes in 24 and 36 exposure lengths
• images captured on film must be developed before an image can be seen
• most people also prefer that a print be made from the film negative for viewing
• only the polaroid process allowed immediate (within about 60 seconds) viewing of a photograph
• film negatives or final prints must be scanned prior to computer manipulation
• some color prints can fade over time
• loading film into a camera can be awkward
• most types of film are limited to a specific range of sensitivity (a single ASA value)
• most film developed for low-light conditions tends to be very grainy

Common among all cameras

• better quality lenses will create better quality images
• cheap lenses will create poor quality images
• "pushing" the limits of the range of lighting the camera (and film or digital card) was designed for will result in noisy images - in other words, shooting in very low light generally results in grainy images with very little detail
• there is a practical upper limit as to how large the image can be made before there is serious degradation - either pixels or film grain will begin to obscure the image
• it is the skill and vision of the photographer not the camera, that determines the quality of the images created with the camera
• strong back-lighting can lead to an under-exposed main image
• the camera cannot see in the dark as well as you can

Answer 4

It depends on the camera type. For inexpensive "point & shoot" cameras, the main difference is that a film camera takes the picture immediately when you press the button. On some digital cameras, especially the older ones, there is a delay, sometimes up to a second or more, between pressing the button and the camera taking the picture. With the more expensive SLR cameras, there is no difference in shutter response time between film and digital cameras. Most digital SLR's can take multiple pictures as rapidly as a film camera with a motor drive.

Answer 5

Film and Digital Cameras are very different but share the same basics, the difference between Digital and Film is that with Film you can expect better quality photos then Digital cameras, Film cameras can be expected to last longer then Digital Cameras, and since Film Cameras haven't changed since the 1960's you dont need to upgrade every year on a new $500-$2000 DSLR and when the lenses you already have dont work on your new $2000 DSLR? well you could spend another $2000 to $3000 on new lenses and accessories, or you could stick with your Film Camera for the next 30 to 40 years before needing a new Film Camera, also Film works much better because if you own multiple Film Cameras, you dont need to learn how to use it since they all share the same design basics, but if you dont like to wait for film to process (taking it to a Photo Lab only takes an hour) then Digital might be your choice but face the problem of spending thousands on new Camera Bodys every year, also Digital Cameras arnt as well made as Film Cameras

Film

Pro's: better Quality of photos, Better build quality of the Body, Longer life, wider choice of effects, its own unique Photograph looks, easier to use if using more then one

Cons: longer time to process the film (inless its Instant Print(Polaroid))

Digital

Pro's: faster time processing photos, able to view photos instantly, camera-to-computer processing

Cons: more expensive due to need to upgrade to newer DSLR's, requires power to function, harder to set up the Camera (White Balance, Color effects, etc), harder when switching from one DSLR to another of a different brand

Discover more at:

Camera Store
Adelaide, SA
Phone: 1800 155 067

Answer 6

Film Photography takes a lot more focus since you can't automatically see it or edit it like you can a digital photo.

Answer 7

easy!a digital takes photos, and film take a video, DAAA!

Answer 8

The main difference between a film and digital camera is the fact that a film camera uses film. A digital camera uses a SD card instead of film.