Film vs Digital - yet another comparison

Check out Will Postlethwaite's article in this month's issue of www.uwpmag.com

Yet another apples to oranges comparison of film to digital...sigh.

This time it's a housed F90x vs an Oly 5050! Guess which one comes out looking better? ;-)

A more apples to apples comparison would perhaps be an MX-10 or a Sealife Reefmaster compared to the Oly - I think the results would be a bit different then...

FWIW, there is still some very good comparison information in the article.

Cheers

James

Well, it was worth downloading the magazine for an excellent article on photographing fish behavior by Alex Mustard.

The comparison of the two cameras was bogus of course - comparing apples to oranges, as you say. In another year or two, the article will look even more absurd to those who go back and re-read it. It looks like the kind of self-serving trash that Kodak publicists would write!

Well, let's not be too harsh, the author clearly states that he understands he is not directly comparing the two systems. To most "casual" readers - they will miss that point or ignore it.

Cheers

James

Swings & round-abouts comparison, and valid I feel having used both within minutes of each other.

Bob could you repeat that in American?

I took identicle shots using both cameraz.

Bob, you can't compare a point and shoot digital result to an F90x result - that's just not fair. Sure, you can TAKE the same shots - one using a fixed WA lens and one using something like an Inon - but it's the image captured that matters.

A better comparison would be a shot from the D100 compared to a shot from the F100 or F80.

Cheers

James

I got that part Bob, I meant:

Swings & round-abouts comparison,

Another thing that I noticed is that most (almost all) of the digital shots are a full stop more exposed than the film shots.

As we know, this is REALLY important for wideangle shooting with a digital camera. It's easy to "blow out" the sunball and highlights.

I think the digital shots would have looked a lot better if they were a half or even a full stop underexposed.

Cheers

James

Bob, you can't compare a point and shoot digital result to an F90x result - that's just not fair.  Sure, you can TAKE the same shots - one using a fixed WA lens and one using something like an Inon - but it's the image captured that matters.

 

A better comparison would be a shot from the D100 compared to a shot from the F100 or F80.

Yes I can!

Some of the results I got from the 5050 I prefered over those of the 90. I'm not arguing over the fact one is SUPPOSED to be better than the other!

However, I will agree that these articles should be written by people who know what they are talking about, they are just page fillers and should be taken with a pinch of salt. I also question the editorial decisions to include them!

Unfortunately there is no direct film equiv. of the 5050 for a 1:1 comparison.

Regarding the cameras v D100 why not the F90x here? Or the S2.

Sure, that would work for me.

Cheers

James

Swings & Round-abouts = Apples & Oranges.

Swings & Merry-Go-Rounds for us Colonials

"What you lose on the swings you make on the roundabouts."

This is an old fairground saying/proverb that encapsulates the concept of a loss leader. Nowadays it is usually used to mean "everything evens out in the end".

So: What you lose in total resolution you make up with ease of handling and instant feedback...

"What you lose on the swings you make on the roundabouts."

OK, in American: Six of one, a half dozen of the other.

And I'm not even going to get into a "Baker's Dozen"...:-)

Jack

Thanks guys, very enlightening...

I will buffer my following opinion with the fact that Mr. Postlethwaite most definitely has more experience than I, but...

What I found most interesting was his use of "Auto exposure" settings on the c5050, resulting pale backgrounds, and the subsequent acceptance of 1/30 - 1/40th sec shutter speeds.

BTW it makes me curious if he had the digicam actually set to Aperture priority and not Program

Reading that article actually made me mad!

From: Eric Cheng

Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2004 8:28 PM

To: 'Peter Rowlands'

Subject: Letter to the editor

Will Postlethwaite's article entitled, "The great digital debate" (UwP17) gives almost no insight into the true differences between film and digital underwater photography. It is hard enough to make a qualified comparison with properly chosen digital and film rigs; choosing to compare an Olympus C-5050 to a Nikon F90X makes an analysis virtually impossible. Compared images were framed differently, exposed differently, and generally compared using superficial observations. One of digital imaging's key workflow differences is that the image is not complete after the shutter has been depressed. Most good digital photographers shoot to capture as much raw information as possible, which does not typically yield a perfect, competing photo straight out of the camera (although there are settings that can overcome much of this). There are many more grievances I have with Mr. Postlethwaite's statements, but it would take considerable real estate to go through them all. I recommend that he spend some quality time -- both during, and after the dive -- to learn what his new digital camera is really capable of.

Eric Cheng

Editor, Wetpixel.com

I am glad my article hasn't raised so much debate. I must go and read Will's article.

O.K., I just now noticed the existence of this General Chat forum, saw James' post and reviewed both Will's and Alex's articles. First of all, I enjoyed your article Alex. The medium does not do justice to your images, just as it minimizes those by Doug Perrine. Still, a good read.

In terms of the digital to film comparison article, without intending to demean Will's skills as a writer or photographer, I found it be stale, as if it should have been published a couple of years ago. Regardless of the improper comparision between photographic systems, the content is dated. It did not seem like Will was comfortable with the topic or content, almost as if he was pushed into writing it.

Film still has its advantages and disadvantages, as does digital. However, I would prefer to read (and write) fresh perspectives that offer creative ideas to push the reader's imagination, helpful hints to delicate problems and "I wish" lists for manufacturers to consider.

Scott

Your central paragraph hit the nail right on the head, and hence my comments.