What Is the Difference Between Digital vs. Regular Film?

Film photography is anticipated to endure for some time, as dedicated amateurs and skilled artists often prefer the use of traditional and familiar materials and techniques. The comparison of resolution between film and digital photography is complex.

While the resolution of commercial 35 mm color film is estimated to be 19 megapixel, this measure may be misleading. When considered in the context of film and lens in a camera, typical film achieves a resolution of about 40 line pairs per mm, or 80 dots per mm. This is equivalent of about 5.5 megapixels in the image of 35 mm film.

In contrast to that, advertised pixel counts on digital cameras do not account for the actual number of pixels used to store the image, nor the effect of the Bayer pattern of sensor filters on the digital sensor, nor the image processing algorithm used to interpolate sensor pixels to image pixels. In addition, digital sensors are generally arranged in a rectangular pattern, making images susceptible to moire pattern artifacts, whereas film is immune to such effects due to the random orientation of grains.

The resolution of modern black and white slow speed film, exposed through a high quality prime lens working at its optimum aperture yields usable detail at a scanned file size of greater than 30 megapixels, with consumer 35mm colour negative film an effective resolution of over 12 megapixels is achievable and in an inexpensive 35mm point and shoot camera a resolution of over 8 megapixels may be achieved.

 Film also offers ease of processing with drop off services for processing available in many locations, in contrast to digital photography where the process of printing can require the time and effort of the user in areas where commercial digital to print services are not yet readily available. A market of online printing of digital images has developed in response to this demand.

One major advantage of Digital photography is the ability to manipulate images given access to a personal computer. Software bundled with nearly all digital cameras today allows the user to modify the characteristics of the recorded image to produce a more desirable final image.

More sophisticated users may choose to manipulate or alter the actual content of the recorded image. Another important advantage is the ability to evaluate a shot in real time, to decide if you wish to take another shot of the subject, in a different manner or with different settings. Images that are not appealing may be erased, freeing up storage space.

One useful approach to deciding between a film or digital camera is to consider the ultimate medium of display for your photographs. If your pictures are for display on computer or television screens, small format prints such as snapshot or 8x10" photo paper, then the resolution provided by a 5 to 9 megapixal digital camera may be adequate.

If your final medium is magazine or poster images, or slides for projection, then you may need the resolution provided by film in order to get a satisfying product. Lower resolution images will look soft and/or noisy when printed or projected in large format.

A hybrid approach wherein film is used for image capture which is then subsequently scanned to bring the image into the digital domain is an additional option, bringing together film and digital techniques. Scanning resolution is then an additional factor.

 Typical consumer grade labs will scan film at 1200 dpi, resulting in a 2.2 megapixel image. In this case the resolution advantages of film disappear. High resolution scanners are available for higher quality work.