I’d like to limit digital photography in The Omnibus Film Photography Thread to its use in scanning film photographs; so to help keep that thread on-topic, I’ve started this thread for discussion of digital photography and video.
I’d always used film cameras until I got a Motorola flip phone and, later, a flat phone with a keyboard on it. The photos weren’t very good. Eventually I bought a Nikon D3300. With so many other things going on in my life, I learned to use it just enough for casual photographs; snapshots, if you will. Before that (until 2007) I was involved in shooting digital (mini DV) videos at a local studio.
Not too long after buying the Nikon, I got my first iPhone 6s. A couple/few years ago I replaced it with an iPhone SE. The phone is much handier than the DSLR. It’s with me most of the time, and I can carry it in my pocket. So the DSLR sat unused, literally gathering dust.
And now I want to develop my own film and scan the negatives… which means I have to learn how to shoot with a DSLR again. (I’ve forgotten everything, and never learned other things.) I will have questions, and I’ll post them as they arise. In the meantime, here are a few posts talking about using a DSLR to start things off
Yeah, M is the ticket for me, although tbh the way I have my Fuji set up, A or S essentially behave like manual modes because with my index finger on the exposure compensation wheel, I can almost instantly get to the exposure I want with just a little plus/minus action.
My camera also has 4 saved settings on the mode dial and I actually do use them some. One of the stronger features of the Fuji lineup is their color science. You can load some really nice film stock simulations into those user defined settings for those times I either down feel like shooting RAW or just want some inspiration. I particularly like one of the Portra simulations, the Ektar sim, and one called Pacific Blues. The Cuban Negative sim is nice too.
For me, the biggest difference between digital and analog photography is the fact that you have control over ISO on a frame-by-frame basis, something that really was only possible in the past with large-format photography using sheet film and some variation of Ansel Adams’ zone system.
But with roll film cameras, the ISO of the film you loaded is all you have. If you decide to shoot at other than the box speed for push or pull processing, you have to do the same thing for the whole roll. So all your exposure choices are on a line, with “big aperture, fast shutter speed” on one end, and “small aperture, slow shutter speed” on the other.
Add variable ISO to the mix, and now you have an exposuretriangle instead of a line. Worth the time digging into that concept first.
@Johnny_L.A , from your comments in the Film thread it’s clear that you really like the film workflow and you don’t really like modern DSLRs with all kinds of weird modes.
You might want to try something in the Fujifilm X world. They started with the X100, modeling it after classic rangefinder cameras, with awesome manual controls, but a very competent digital camera. I think if you could find a late-model X100 (e.g. the x100f) you would enjoy using it–that model has a standard aperture ring, shutter speed dial, and a lift-and-turn ISO dial.
Its party trick is a spiffy viewfinder that can be switched between fully optical (with overlays) to digital, with variations like a little digital patch in the corner of the optical showing the center content.
That is true. I really like film cameras. I have 24 of them. I’m really not interested in digital photography other than for snapshots. I did find out that the Nikon has a night mode, which my iPhone SE doesn’t. I was miffed that I couldn’t see the aurora borealis recently with my own eyes, and someone said I just had to switch my iPhone to night mode to see them.
You’ll get no pushback from me on this. I also am no longer interested in digital photography other than snapshots on my iPhone. But I’ll avoid polluting a digital thread with my analog comments. See you back at the film place!
My recommendation of Fuji X cameras still stands for anyone who really does want to have the digital experience with classic film controls.
Okay, I’m a little different. I always have my phone with me and no longer want to haul my DSLR and associated gear. iPhone cameras and software are decently advanced and my son and I want to learn how to utilize their capabilities.
Can someone recommend an online iPhone photography class? (iPhone 13 ProMax)
What’s a good online photography class for iPhone that my son (he’s 40) and I can take remotely together? He lives an hour away and this is something we want to do together but remotely.
We have iPhone 13 ProMax, so it’s a decent iPhone camera, and we both understand the basics of SLR and DSLR photography. But, very basic. I’ve also shot with my dad’s old Rolleicord in 120mm format, many years ago. I still have that old camera box. But I’m interested in iPhone photography.
