synapseman said:
You're missing the point. Pardon me, but I'm not trying to raise a film v digital debate. It's not a matter of how good one format is over the other, but how long more can film sustain itself in the digital age.
I'm just kinda sad that the major players are pulling out of film.
Perhaps we read and interpret questions differently.
What you said here seems to me to be not quite the same as the question you raised in the thread. Or perhaps the point you were trying to raise was not so apparent in your question.
You had asked "Any reason to use it these days?", suggesting that there is little reason to use films in this digital age. And if there are reasons, what are these?
In any case, I think it is unfruitful to debate which is better on whatever reasons. There is absolutely no need to debate that whatever megapixels films have or how wonderful films are, commercial photography is now digital based, and for very good reasons! And really, for practical reasons, they do not care a damn how good films are.
For me, the reasons why I chose to use films, and black & white films, are these
1 I like the finished look of silver black & white prints more than inkjet. Yes I know that professionals like Ken Seet in Singapore and others elsewhere had converted to inkjet. They like the inkjet look. While I do like some inkjet look, my preference is for silver.
2 I like the entire package of exposing the negative, developing it, and printing the image. I like the craft of making a silver print. Yes I know that Streetshooter do not like such things. But we are different. And there are still many like me who like the entire process of traditional B&W print making.
So there are reasons for films. And it boils down to personal preferences.
However if one day, I chose to depend on photography for a living, there is no doubt on my mind I will switch to digital. Right down, my preference and my personal quirk tells me to stick to film. And there are still many like me!
The big players might not be interested in the lesser profits films bring, but there are smaller companies whio would love the crumbs that the big boys ignore.