film vs digital 

Im considering going back to painting at this point tbh

Film wins because you can eat it

glad that ryan gosling can give me a breakdown about camera mediums

I used to think this objective vs. subjective thing was true. But when I look back at my own old photos, it doesn't matter what medium I used. Time passes, and it makes every photo mysterious and subjective. I think film is just a way of creating that mystery a little bit sooner.

When I shoot digital, I feel the urge and the need to make the final image as perfect as possible. When I shoot film, I hope each of my images is imperfect in its own little way

"just don't hate on the other one" powerful quote right there

Anyone that’s upset at film making a comeback just hasn’t yet heard the sound of a Hassie shutter slap

Banger as always. I do all my “work” on digital, but I don’t ever feel inspired to shoot my non-work stuff on digital. There’s something to be said for the delayed gratification of seeing whether you got the shot you intended when shooting on film. That and just the vibes are 👨🏻‍🍳👌

I recently starred shooting film again after 20 years. And I have to say that I’ve never been more excited about my photos. The suspense of waiting for development and scans makes you think 10 times before firing the shutter. Something that with digital doesn’t happen because we are more prone to be trigger happy. Exploring the different film stock is really exciting. In the end I find that most of us try to emulate in digital what film photography provides right out of the box: grain, color grading, etc.

honestly I agree with every point here; I originally learned to shoot and develop film, but I shoot digital because I can't afford to shoot film. I love shooting digital like film - thinking and framing before I shoot - then recreating the film look in lightroom. some people will hate this, but it's a digital homage to film.

Shooting with intention an reveling in whatever comes out. Film is like a surprise when you see it.

I use both mediums and they're both great. Typically if I want to shoot wildlife I use digital, if I want to be artistic or document things I shoot film. I think more people need to explore the art world more and find ways to express themselves without war or violence.

20 minutes ago I bought Revueflex SD1, 50mm lens and Kodak ProImage 100 roll, and i think it's cool, photography is cool

I do agree with a lot of things mentionned in the video but on the subject of wildlife photography I think you missed the point a bit. I think a good wildlife photographer doesn’t just try to snap the rarest animal and keep the image true to life. There is a ton of story telling to be done with composition, light etc. The best wildlife pictures I’ve seen are not the sharpest, they are the ones where you can feel the photo and the emotion the animal give off.

The IMDb flex tho

Jason, that is a fantastic explanation why I love film and why both film and digital have a reason to be around. Great video 👍🏻

I like film because i can take a bad photo believe it’s good then get my heart broken days after

Theory, people are saying film is trash to make film affordable again.

I like developing film and making darkroom prints because i like having 0 free time

Congrats on the cake, Jason! 🎂 I also like product photography on film; I use a half-frame PEN FV to do all that.

Dude, i was literally just thing about this today and it occurred to me that film is like thinking of the memory while digital is like looking out a window.

Great video. I loved the way you broke it down and how you ultimately leave it for everyone to decide what's best for them. That's the only healthy way to go about one's interest. Do whatever works for you and be happy, let others do the same.

Learning film photography has made me a significantly better digital photographer. Shooting film made me fall in love with the physical process of taking photos. The way it forces you to be intentional about your shot and visualize what you want out of a photo before you take it. This has helped me cut down on over shooting a scene, getting more variety in my shots, and how to shoot a better image so I don’t have to go ham on fixing it in post. I wish I could shoot more film but it’s just so expensive that i have to supplement with digital. Which makes me curious about videos like these. With the rising cost of film and development I wonder if film photographers will be able to use their subjective approach to photography and circumvent a lot of the “objective” nature of digital. Kind of like how each of your videos ties in the vibe of your photoshoot i.e changing the aspect ratio, sound design, and color grading. Anyway, slightly pretentious comment finished. I love your channel it is great source of inspiration and it is very well done. Thanks for all your hard work

I think the argument is dumb, but many of the intentional limitations with film can be had on digital if you need that. Intentionality can exist in a digital workflow, you just have a lot more safety nets for later IF you need it. The physical qualities of film are unique, but many of those aspects can be replicated. Ultimately I think there’s a lot of commodifying and romanticizing the film workflow as though it’s makes your images better as long as there’s a monologue to go with the image (for some not all). I think we should just take the same attention and feedback we give to film stocks, and demand better sensors and color profiles. No this isn’t a replacement for film, but it could be a more sustainable option for a person torn between the two or film photographers who can’t afford to do film full time

Probably the best summary of the topic I've ever watched, thanks Justin!

This is my favorite video you have ever made. hands down. A great look at and into this nonsensical debate. very well thought out and hilarious. Thank you!

I've taken photos of compelling subjects on digital, and those photos still get blown out of the water by a picture of my coffee table on film. Metering correctly, carefully choosing your composition, your film stock, and having a decent lab is equivalent to 10 hours editing a single digital shot (including adding imperfections to give it more life). Except with editing I have 50 million decisions to make. Even editing my own scans, there's very little I have to do to get "a look", and though I can edit it further and do the same I'd do to digital, there's zero need to.

I agree with you on all points. And i do think that being good at film photography will make you a better digital photographer due to the amount of forethought that goes into it. I started with black and white film in the early 90's and loved it. I have been shooting digital for about 10 years. I just dusted off my old Pentax k1000 and bought a few rolls of film. You have inspired me to get back into film photography again. I am new to your channel and love it.....

Exactly, very well put - I use both, digital for photographing factual representation of the subject and film where I'm trying to convey a mood for travel, projects etc. Both are good for different reasons.

I like Your mature and suprisingly serious approach to the topic so much that I almost didnt skip the ad.

For me, it's purely the feel of a film camera (the winding of the film reel, the snap of the shutter, and the clicking of the aperture reel), and the feeling that I'm giving something older and disused a new life.

film vs digital: you are so right, I agree with a lot of what you said. Thanks for your post, keep them coming!

I just love how your eyes match your backdrop, true professionalism!

I shoot both. I'm new to film. I like not being able to see the image. When you finally get them back, it's like opening a present. Nothing quite like that feeling.

I like the example of the sailing across the sea or painting a painting.

I just like old processes because I'm weird. Learning and utilizing them, knowing that's how it was done once upon a time is what I enjoy.

Dude! I'm watching your videos for years know and I can truely confirm: Your production value is on a different level by now 🎉🎉 absolute banger of a video!

I love your videos , but this is one of my favorites , great explanation , and wonderfully executed and explained 👌🏽💯

Loved this style of video! Great way to get your points across

Great video, Jason. And I think you're spot on. I'm old and shot film for a good 27 years before switching to digital around 2005. Most of that time I had a darkroom, too. When I got into digital, I still shot like I was using film, even though pixels are basically free. I never understood the idea of standing on the shutter release and taking 20 images of the exact same thing. The most ironic thing in my personal experience is that I spent the whole time shooting film trying to minimize the grain I was getting but when I started shooting digital, it was too sterile. So I spent time and money emulating grain and putting that back into my digital images. FFS.

Loved this. Really appreciated this aspect ration in 4k btw.

Oh man, you're going to crush the Internet with this spicy vid title.

I've been putting off scanning my film for so long. I have a dozen or more rolls dating back to December 2018. I plan on scanning them in the coming weeks and I can't wait to relive some of those captured memories.

Great video, I also came down to this conclusion myself, I shoot both film and digital, my Sony is for fast portraits or general full frames and better light recreation, while my Fuji is for artistic photos along with street photography, but my film is for anything that catches my eye for more than 10-30 seconds or significant memories I wanna keep. Keep it up, Jason.

Both are amazing technologies. I shoot film for the process and organic texture renditions. I hope the analog process continues to resurge so we can continue having this choice.

representing the half frame gang 😎

Literally the best "Film vs Digital" video on RU-vid! Outstanding take on this whole film vs digital war. Can't we all just get along. Thanks so much for this.

Smart way of thinking about it. Thanks for sharing.

Totally agree, Jason. The reason I started shooting with film , again, (previously shooting film since the 70's), after shooting digital for the last 20 years. I do bring a digital camera, for situations, that I may not be able to return. KB

Somehow you hit on an angle of this conversation that I have never heard, before--and I have wasted SO much time discussing film v. digital. Nicely done, and agreed on all points!

it's all about the process, amazing video, hope you can come to Brazil someday.

I've definitely done more weird complicated artsy stuff digitally (in preproduction) than with an analog camera. Gells, lensfilters, movement long exposure, overexposing, reflective spray, all combined etc. While with film I let the film itself do the heavy lifting. It doesn't matter what you use, your intent will change how you use it.

I like what you said about film photographers trying to capture a feeling. I wasn't seriously considering film until I randomly saw a photo of the beach joe Greer posted on Twitter. It wasn't that great of a photo but I immediately felt like I knew that place, and had been there, and it reminded me of something. And I wanted to explore film so I could recreate that.

Good point about subjectivity. I do like using my one inch Panasonic's in low light or event or sport's, but I have a contax ii rangefinder and yashica TLRs which are much much enjoyable, keep me in the moment and would be prohibitively expensive in a digital version. I did give up film a while back but these days it's much easier to scan or get scanned and that makes it much easier

Retired and wanted to get back into photography in a meaningful way. Got a new digital camera that was all work to learn and use, dumped it. Now my cameras are over 10 years old, they’re slow and sort of emulate the look of the film I used to use and the way I still shoot. Now if I could only see the image the way Jason does.

I largely disagree with the sentiment here. Describing the difference between digital and film as feel vs not feel, is a sentiment I don't agree with. It seems dismissive to me to render a whole process as not having "feel". I think film has a certain feel, but alongside that, digital does as well. The sharpness, contrast, and precision from digital vs the softness and light leaks of film are simply two sides of the same coin, not different fields entirely. When I think of a film like Collateral (2004), I don't see a film lacking "feel", despite it being shot on digital. I see a film with amazing contrast and a feel all to it's own. I see the point you're making, but it also harms your own argument. Describing film as better because of imperfection would make something like painting or drawing even more valuable, when in fact that argument doesn't make sense. Imperfection and light leaks does not a feeling make. In fact, I think relying on the look of film to impart a sense of meaning can be a crutch to those in the modern era when comparing to digital. Having to rely on the pre-edited nature of film to create a look for you (I'm not saying that's what you're doing) just shows a lack of knowledge in a different part of the process. I guess I would say that the biggest advantage of film is just not having to edit as much, either beforehand or after. Just choosing film because it makes part of the process easier for you by removing some thought about the look of the photo doesn't make it better, and in fact, in my mind makes it a little less flexible. In a sense, you're training yourself to not have to think about the end result as much because film takes care of so much of that for you. Also, to your point of fixing in post vs pre, that just seems wrong to me. Many of the best photographers, people like Ansel Adams, heavily edited their photos in the darkroom, much like people do today in photoshop. It may be a more hands on process, but it's still essentially the same process.

I really enjoyed this. Well put. You should do more "philosophical" videos like this one.

The cake 😂😂 Also thank you for using this aspect ratio, literally the only videos that fill my ridiculous phone's screens

Im just starting out so shooting on raw and then editing to look like film is my current setup and im very happy with it. In the future ill probably get a film camera but thatll take time

A lot of great points in the video! I have shot film almost exclusively for the last 5 or 6 years now and one big pain point is the development process. It’s just not something that brings me joy. So often I get lazy and get it done in a lab (scanning too); it also got me thinking is this just digital with extra steps haha. I love the shooting process, the vintage camera tech, the look and feel, all of it. I’ve started to experiment lately and want to go more digital with an analog feel, if that makes sense. There is some great stuff out there like the Leica M10-D, a digital range finder that has no display.

It’s all in your head. There are a lot of great shots with soul shot on Digital. Same there ara an entire era of sports photography that was shot on film. It’s absolutely depends on your inner artist.

I've tried explaining why I shoot digital for work but film for myself to my friends and family. Now I can just share this video and say ditto.

I didn't know that Jason also had an acting career. Who would have thought that his physical stiffness would let him get into the role?

Quit your job at disney and just start selling handmade film photography zines at coffee shops.

Limitation breeds creativity so intentionally slowing myself down and and taking the time to get it right with film tends to help me create better images

As a tintype artist I appreciate the shout out, yeah we love ether fumes. The images look better the more brain cells you kill.

Probably the best opinion/explanation I've heard on this tired subject. Jason, you got it right.

Great break down of this topic

I love it, I shoot both due to whatever image I want to make. No matter what you shoot just shoot

I shoot film and relate to what you're saying but I also used to be a professional sports photographer, and you're off base about sports photography. The very best sports photography captures feeling. The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, to borrow a phrase.

So well said! More inspired to shoot film than ever

such a fan of your channel! Thanks for always keeping it real. As a relatively new film shooter, I couldn't agree with your sentiments. EMOTION for sure

Honestly I love shooting film for the scan. Digital color correction helps me reach that subjective look. It's been a big topic in cinematography since the early aughts when digital intermediates were a new, popular process; now with Dune and others we're seeing film intermediates for media captured on digital cameras for digital presentation.

I started on 110 instamatic camera in the 70's, with a revolving flash cube. 50 something years later, and many many cameras later I clutch a gfx. I fucking love it. But i also loved every camera along the way... it's a journey that reflects life. Just discovered your channel. Looking forward to viewing more 👊🏽

Well put! Couldn’t agree more. I love the slowness of film it really makes you think about the shot before you take it. Digital is great when you want to just go out & just worry about the simple side of photography.

Both ❤

Excellent points!!! And that’s why I shoot film also why I shoot my digital as if it were film

Keep in mind, a lot of film shooters, either back in the day or currently, are "fixing it in post" when the get in the darkroom and dodge, burn and change their exposures onto paper. Preconception is awesome when either shooting film or digital, and the post production will always be there; either in front of a glowing screen or huffing development chemicals while dodging someones face onto paper. And don't even get me started on spot toning. :)

Very well stated. Each is better at some things. Folks can choose what suits them best and that is a good thing. I like to think about engagement. You can fire away on digital and get a bunch of raw files that as you said can be significantly altered and distilled later, with no human engagement during the exposure. Film demands engagement. With limited images available on a roll, cropping at the risk of grain and mush, different response palettes, the cost as you pointed out, and so forth one MUST be engaged during setup, decision, and exposure. Indeed, I feel more alive and connected while I am looking through the viewfinder (with both mediums) precisely BECAUSE of the engagement with the process.

Good Video, Jason! I was quite surprised (and pleased) to watch a "serious" Jason. Digital Photography is better in many ways to film, but I love to shoot film because I think a lot more about what I want to do and how to do it. I think before I fire the shutteer because I want every exposure to be a good one. I enjoy all the adventures you have with Caleb and always look forward to new ones.

I shot 30 rolls of 120 film with a FujiGW690ii during a train trip through europe this summer, and I did it because I personally think 6x9 produces sharper images than what I achieve with digital (at least what I have). I made that choice to obtain nice quality photos with nice colors rather than getting "feelings" images like you described. Although, I get why you said that and I agree with you on that idea. I just feel that there is also the possible avenue to choose film to obtain superior quality of images (And here I think of 6x9, 4x5, 8x10). These formats, to me, will always be superior (in quality and soul) to any digital format.

This is a great summary. Beautifully considered. I shoot both and it’s the imperfections in film that I like. Subjective.

Probably the best AvsD monologue ever. Bravo dude!

I spend a fair amount of time making perfect digital images look like film, or doing ICM, now that’s super hard with a film camera.

I truly enjoyed this video. thanks

I use to be a hip hop producer which I think pointed me towards film. It was like sampling from vinyl vs sampling from a download. Both results are up to the skills of the artist but vinyl samples had its own characteristics and the workflow was fun.

It's kind of like the debate with impressionist-style painters. Some people just prefer to capture the mood and essence of a scene rather than the literal interpretation.

Digging the 4x3 aspect ratio video. Thought I was back at the IMAX watching Oppenheimer in 15 perf 70mm for a second.

Spot on. Well presented, dude

Wait, you can do astrophotography with digital cameras?

This one made me cry and in a good way.

The last time i came this early, i had to make it up with brunch

Do a video on half frame photos!!

Spot on. I grew up shooting, developing and printing my own work. Switched in about 2003 when point and shoot digi-cams became popular and my second child was born. Bought a dslr in 2008 and sold a few pieces of film gear thinking I'd never shoot film again. For some reason, I picked up my slr at the beginning of the pandemic without knowing film was a thing again and while I don't shoot enough love it again. I still shoot my dslr but find myself wanting to shoot film more for most of the reasons you said.

I just like the clicky clicky noise my Holga makes when I advance the film.

I needed to hear that about sports photography no wonder I haven’t been creative

I love shooting skiing in film, makes it fun to be less objective in action photography

A feeling can be captured regardless of the medium. it doesn't matter if you shoot film or digital at the end of the day they are all tools. Tools used to capture the world in your minds perspective or from an idea. Its more about shooting things in a unique way or finding a medium that fits with the objective you trying to shoot Just shoot and use what you like and creates the work you want to create... But also be open minded and experiment

I first started shooting a Holga camera after seeing David Burnett win WHNPA awards using one in 2001 or 2002

BTW, what's the setup used to record grainydays videos?