Digital vs analog photography | Grain: Analog Renaissance | True Story Documentary Channel

[@stayuntilforever]

I love film but that said I've sold big prints I shot on digital with vintage lenses that look like film. I've sold digital made images to film photographers who actually was sure it was shot on film.

[@igaluitchannel6644]

I'm not saying digital can't make great photos or analog look-alikes, but anyone who's fooled by the look-alikes can't really be qualifed as an expert film photographer.

[@stayuntilforever]

@@igaluitchannel6644 not true at all. I've been photographing film since 1998 and digital since 2003. I'm a working professional photographer and have even fooled myself a few times. Vintage primes with a pro mist filter, Canson bryta fineart paper and some added grain and it will be very hard to see what’s what.. I have a print on my wall I took 10 years ago with both digital and film. I was sure it was the film one but turned out to be the digital file. Even my dad who has been photographing hundereds of thousands of images on film since 1969 sometimes think my digital images are 35mm prints.

[@JeremyBrubacher]

@@igaluitchannel6644 there is no difference between the 2 it is just the process.

[@Arlando4.0]

@@igaluitchannel6644 Who decides who's and expert these days? Certainly not you; a unknown person of the internet.

[@theartofflying3580]

The fact that you’re talking about it looking like film is exactly the point.

[@hatonafox5170]

Great documentary. I see no battle between digital and film. This documentary featured artists who rely on film and all it's tools to make their art. They can't imagine doing it any other way. I love to see the passion and zeal of these photographers. To me it's like painters who can't imagine painting with anything other than the specific paints and brushes they use despite there being many other types of paints/brushes/tools. If digital is your proverbial paint brush keep painting. The world needs more art.

[@dondekeeper2943]

Well said

[@andyvan5692]

a great documentary, a greater back story on the piece Ilford did (on community Darkrooms), same story, just the un-abridged one. LOVE analogue, as a person with Autism, the slowness IS the thing, it calms you, makes you do things right, as once you open a darkslide, or hit the shutter that is like the Cash registers bell going off, as you've spent the money, if it turns out good, or bad, no computers helping, JUST YOU, your skills and artistic vision, like Ansel Adams, you control everything, its showing the world how you see things.

[@VictorReynolds]

If film is your photographic cup of tea, I’m happy for you. I was shooting film when these Millennials were a twinkle in God’s eye or learning how to fingerpaint. Today I will shoot with Polaroid, however my celluoid film days are over. This has been exacerbated by the cost of roll film and processing. Although I do shoot with Polaroid, the bulk of my shooting is on an iPhone. And before anyone accuses me of doing the “spray and pray” photography- that’s plain nonsense. You be zen-like with digital just as much with film. To me, whatever medium in photography makes you happy-be it film and/or digital. One medium is not better than the other; both are different paths to the same destination: the shot. That’s my two cents.

[@TimGreig]

I'm sure you know that processing your own film costs hardly anything thing and Polaroid? Love it but that's super expensive!

[@Blackgreygrain]

What I wouldn't give to watch this in 2160. Alas this is still such a gift to watch.

[@dan_brett_rosenthal]

Great insights with amazing artists and beautifully shot! I love film. Shooting on film is a completely different mindset. This matters more or less depending on budgets, taste, is it art or commerce .... I'm currently about to dive back into film after a while - this came at the perfect time.

[@jeremyrowlettmedia]

Thank you for this. As a film photographer. This warmed my heart so much.

[@animegeek6118]

I picked up an F3 recently and now I’m actually considering dropping digital completely. Modern cameras make it to easy for everyone to feel like they’re a pro. You don’t even have to try on cameras these days. The only benefit for digital is the lack of money spent on film. But knowing every shot cost something it also makes me think more about my composition.

[@michialharris1850]

I shoot both. I see the art in photography in general. Love this Documentary!

[@mikaeljohansen6498]

Glad I was introduced to the magic feeling of the darkroom before most got torn down, and seeing the picture evolve sometimes in unexpected ways, giving it original feel

[@JeremyBrubacher]

Digital photographer here, I have never ever understood people saying film gets me to stop spraying and praying. If that is the problem it does not sound like digital is your problem it sounds like you are an undisciplined photographer. I have only ever shot Digital and I never have this massive amount of photos after I go out and shoot. I take the few shots of things that urge me to take a photo and then Maybe some variations on those if I feel I did not get it right the first time.

[@Ovidiu209]

That is very nice of you. But most people (and all people I know, anyway) have either quit taking pictures because of the spraying urge digital gives them, or are just not looking back at the pictures they take, like ever

[@BilBrown]

Bruce is in this for two minutes. Interesting. He was right, it's about the photograph. Noting else.

[@JeremyBrubacher]

I find it hilarious that some people here are saying there is so much control and artistry you have over film photography but then they say if you do that with digital then that is some how not legitimate?

[@j75099]

I like to occasionally use film (it's a nice change, but expensive) but surely all that matters is the final image. Besides how are most film photographers posting their images online?

[@6x6travelmedias25]

An interesting documentary.... but flawed in so many ways. Firstly, to validate myself. I’m well into my 60’s, literally grew up with analog film and every format from 110 to 5x4 in pro scenarios. I still view digital and auto-focus etc as new technologies. Yes.... analog slows you down, but if. All it needs is a slower pace to make great photos.... well that’s not a gear or medium problem is it? Also..... the idea that digital pics are all the same... whereas film is somehow not..... not true either. I’ve certainly seen a whole lot of same sterile images on film long before digital arrived. A great photograph endures regardless of medium is a wonderful thing......it could be a drawing and still be amazing. Again..... if I go out with my Hassy 500 .... take my time and shoot 10 pics on film... change to a digital back and shoot the same pics, are people saying that the digital are sterile and bad? Surely not? And what if I took the exact same pics on a 35mm or a Fuji GFX? And finally...... all this talk about being limited by those 11 or 36 shots on film as being a creative plus? What about all those 29:32 revered Steet photographers ..... Winogrand, Meyerowitz, Guilden etc....... you really think they went out or go out on the streets with just 1 roll of film? Winogrand especially would shoot maybe 10 rolls of film in a morning...... when he sadly passed he left behind 1000’s of rolls of undeveloped film. When we did fashion or marketing shoots back in the day we would go through 10 or 20 rolls of 120 film easily. We would have given our high teeth and family silver for a digital camera in a heartbeat. So....... it’s all about art..... it’s about choice and that a great pic will always be a great pic regardless of medium used. We spent all our time when using film trying to improve it’s quality...... clarity, sharpness, contrast etc etc...... we strived for perfection and sometimes we achieved it..... most often not. But many professionals saw films’ character as a limitation..... not a choice. So ..... now we have more choices...... choose wisely..... make ART if you must ...... but be honest and see that skill, practice and experimentation are far more important to good photography than grain or analog or handiwork....... Because if you believe that then you have become no different to the maligned digital world where people often believe it’s “equipment & technical process” that makes a great photograph or photographer.

[@funkymop2520]

Why this ideological battle as to what is better, just enjoy the photography whatever the process is that suit you

[@JeremyBrubacher]

💯

[@jorbin7417]

Preferences aside film is still relevant, especially medium/large format and for archival purposes. I can print/scan negatives that are 90 years old, and have almost every picture my parents took until they got cell phones.. But it’s almost impossible to get family to back up anything from the last 20 years.

[@RobBro_mf]

This is beautiful. Thank you to Nicolas Arnold for the recommendation

[@nelsonclub7722]

Everything they say. I agree with. As a pro who has worked in film through to the digital age - I find it cold, uninteresting and ever so slightly meaningless - and I have spent nearly a hundred thou on digi kit - yes it works and it is quick and easy - but I find the artistry has been removed for convenience sakes.

[@anthonyrivera6683]

Inspirador!! Gracias por esto!!

[@SteveMillerhuntingforfood]

One question: was this shot on film?

[@phillnavin1212]

Doubt it, since it’s intended distribution was via digital means

[@munarong]

I believe it's not, but the graded color is super good make it look pleasing to the eyes like film. I could be completely wrong though. Nothing to be serious about. ✌

[@dondekeeper2943]

Nice catch 😆

[@MARKLINMAN1]

Film is ABSOLUTELY so ORGANIC. Digital is cool, but film has SOUL!

[@JeremyBrubacher]

So does digital.

[@themeage3605]

Good pictures that have something to say got SOUL regardless the format. Picture of a gasstation/basketballhoops/whatnot on Portra400cinestill have nothing.

[@JeremyBrubacher]

@@themeage3605 👏👏👏👏👏 100%

[@joemoss8106]

I’m in bed at midnight watching this and I now want to grab my old Mamiya 645 and my 2008 Fuji 400 H film and shoot something!!

[@synkuk]

Superb

[@terry2you]

Thanks, very enjoyable Documentary! I see film and digital to be specific tools for specific jobs, I really can't compare them as so many seem to want to do. After fifty years of photography, pro and am, I personally can see a difference in what "I" produce film vs digital. For my work I prefer film. If I were doing something time critical or scientific I would go digital. A friend told me "I can make a digital photo that you can't tell it's not film". I said, OK, you probably can, given enough time with your $3000 camera you replace every couple of years plus $200+ every year for photoshop/lightroom subscription, I bet you can produce something similar to what I get with my ancient Olympus OM2 ($75) and a roll of HP5 ($10) developed and printed in my bathroom. No argument here, just what's more fun for me!

[@munarong]

I love film grain. As a no budget hobby photography, I embrace digital grain and never de-noise my own photos. those grains look similar and create texture to the digital photos which I like it. But if I have some budget I'll take film any day.

[@Arlando4.0]

I found a great middle ground...shooting with my digital cameras and using my OLD Canon FD Lens.

[@animegeek6118]

As of right now I shoot both. Picked up an F3 last week so I can decide what I wanna stick with. I’m really loving shooting an older film camera and it’s nice not living in the back of a screen. Digital convenience is nice……..but I feel like I’m learning more having to slow down and think of every shoot because it cost money.

[@meganburbick1292]

Are these photographers not aware that you can disable the screen on the back of the camera? You can also decide what speed you wanna shoot at. Or, god forbid, you restrain yourself from going shutter happy. It’s not the medium, it’s the mindset.

[@MegaShowmaster]

beautiful 😍😍😍

[@TimGreig]

Seems to be a renaissance...mostly in one city. I'm a film user for decades, but I enjoy both now and I would hope any artist would explore all the tools at their disposal. Film is definitely more tactile and even the cameras feel better in the hand. There hasn't been much progress in digital cameras for quite a few years now except for things like superfast focusing which almost nobody needs. Time to stop chasing the upgrade cycle and return to the art, analogue, digital or both.

[@janradtke8318]

I like shooting film too (mostly digital though), but this is a little over top, and too much rationalizations that don‘t hold up to scrutiny. They are so much in love with being different and the analogue process, that the end result seems to be irrelevant.

[@gonzalodica]

Love it!

[@earvinquero2037]

I started using analog cameras. Now I have digital. Im not coming back. Super happy Im out of it.

[@4351steve]

Should be film photography in New York. It is an international phenomenon, in the states there is a lot going on in the West Coast, NW, and SW.

[@PaulaHeartland]

Great Doc. Only prob, your artist names are barely readable in soft pumpkin orange... But, love reviewing history, my history with film in the 70's 🙂

[@ThePhotofit]

With eye tracking; film simulations; subject following; usable ISO up to 6400, pixel shift etc etc, when I photograph with a 2024 digital camera, I feel like I’m cheating.

[@earvinquero2037]

It really doesnt matter.

[@MegaShowmaster]

film about film shot on digital 😄

[@dondekeeper2943]

LoL

[@dondekeeper2943]

Films don't make better photograph. The film lovers are no different than those going from digital music media back to vinyl. It's just nostalgia. Nothing more. I'm sure there are plenty of great photographers out there who would vouch for digital. In my case, i actually gave up on photography due to the pain dealing with films, only to find my way back after Canon released their life altering 300D

[@aaronalbores3999]

There was a time when one picture had the power to change the world. Today one picture means nothing. It's too easy, anybody can do it, even computers can, so it became worthless. Shooting film is a way to give back some value to photography. It's a much better way to learn, understand and appreciate photography... or even life. When you only get a few chances to do something, you try to make them count, or at least you try to screw things up less. That said, the excess of hipsterism and consumerism in film photography gets boring. But i guess we all need to grow, individually and collectively, to appreciate the big and the small things in life

[@loitremac]

Am I the only one hating the idea of faking the film look on a digital image? Why make something look as something it is not?

[@Arlando4.0]

Its ok it U don't understand ArT *

[@MegaShowmaster]

why not😊

[@TheKuroneka]

Nope not the only one

[@lolkthnxbai]

Especially when the film look is pretty ambiguous. Development time, chemical temps, developer used even how much you agitate when developing can impact the "film look". Not to mention the film stock, lens, format.

[@dkkeyz8815]

Why film in log and color grade?

[@DRGBTL23]

30:49 wasting a perfectly fine cigarette

[@fintonmainz7845]

Love Photography Hate Photographers

[@deeveeoh]

This film is just about near nauseating enough to make a response video about 🙄

[@JeremyBrubacher]

💯 their is no better format it is just whatever process you gravitate to. I gravitate to digital myself just cause that is what I have always shot and I see reason to ever switch to film.

[@andresjaime9634]

I shoot film and digital, neither i like it

[@JeremyBrubacher]

The amount of pretentiousness here is off the charts.

[@ChristineWilsonPhotography]

😂😂😂 I have to agree slightly

[@themeage3605]

"I... capture fleeting moments/forever chase light.... on film...."

[@fintonmainz7845]

It's sad really.

[@canturgan]

Some pretentious 'artists' in this video. Look at me, I'm using a Film camera. Yeah yeah.

[@Arlando4.0]

Jealous Much?

[@Justaperson717]

Analog is overrated.

[@postrock12]

I don’t think it’s overrated,I just think it depends on what look you’re going for and what you like. I think it’s great to use both. But this is just my opinion just like your comment 🙂👍

[@heinzhagenbucher4714]

Overrated? Well, that's everybodies own decision. 😉 For me it's not just the end result, it's the way to get there. I'm not saying, I'm not proud of my digital images, but I'm sure more proud of an analogue one, even if it's with far less perfect, or clean. It might not be the best comparison, but it's like cycling up a mountain on a mountain bike, or on an E-bike. It's harder, but more rewarding, and makes me, more proud of what I've archived. 😊

[@Arlando4.0]

Nah...some people are just lazy and will never take the time to learn. Others just can't afford Film!

[@dondekeeper2943]

Indeed

[@TheDerisavi]

Did you shoot this episode on film cameras?!!! And then you digitized it to show us that film is better than digital?! I thank God everytime I look at my digital cameras. If you can see, it doesn't matter if you use a brush or film or a sensor to document what you're seeing. Film😂 Good luck with film, specially for the people who are on tight budget! You're beginners compare to the people who sell mechanical watches and convince people that mechanical watches have soul! And are better than quartz watches! Go learn from them.

[@Ovidiu209]

Now that's some apples and oranges here

[@Ovidiu209]

First of all, why would you even need a watch these days, mechanical or quartz, it just doesn't matter, don't you have a phone?

[@Ovidiu209]

Secondly, phones actually killed digital SLRs and they nearly killed digital photography as such, as a separate medium of taking pictures. We'll see how these mirrorless wonders (which I generally like, much more than the bulky DSLRs anyway) will work in time

[@JasperBunschoten]

Nothing pained me more than seeing velvia being dunked in crap... 🥲