Digital Photography Advantages

Digital photography has emerged as the best way to take
pictures for most people and in most situations

In the past decade the use of digital photography camera has overtaken the traditional film camera both in the amateur as well as in the professional field. The digital photography advantages are the main cause for this major shift in photographic technology.

In this section, we will take the time to compare the new technology with the old and in the process highlight the inherent advantages and disadvantages of the digital vs film photography.

If you still have not done the switch to digital photography, one of your most pressing concerns will be about image quality. But digital images are equal to, and often better than those taken with a film model. The real reason why you should consider switching to digital photography comes from the fact that once captured, digital photographs are already in a format that makes them incredibly easy to share and use.

The beauty of digital photography is in its immediacy and versatility.

For example, the digital camera allows you to take a photo and review it instantly to see if it has turned out the way you like. If it has not, you can adjust the camera settings and re-shoot the image to ensure you get the photograph you want. From, there you can transfer the image to a computer and easily resize it, adjust colour and brightness, and then print them at the size you want at a kiosk or even at home. Then you can take the same picture and e-mail to a friend or post it on the Web or store it in your organiser. It is this ability to instantly share photographs with anyone and anywhere that makes digital photography so attractive.

Why Go Digital ?

Here are a few more reasons to get even more serious about going digital .

Saves money in the long run since digital photography does not require buying rolls of film and spending money of film processing.

Digital cameras have the ability to instantly show you your image results via the LCD screen viewfinder so that you can avoid disappointments a couple of days later when you develop the film.

You can review your images before they are printed and make any improvements and adjustments with an image-editing software to make them perfect. For example, you can adjust colour and contrast, remove red-eye, crop them eliminate clutter.

With digital photography there is no more waiting to finish a film roll before having it processed and there is no use of toxic processing chemicals either.

But one of the most important reasons for moving to digital photography is that it gives you freedom to explore creative photography. No being limited by the size of your film roll can be liberating from the nagging question of whether each shot is worth taking or not allowing you to release your creativity.

The below table looks at the different aspects associated with photography and summarises the major advantages and disadvantages of digital vs film photography:

Aspect	Advantages	Disadvantages
Convenience	Digital: Much smaller and Portable	Film: Much bulkier
Instant Gratification	Digital: The LCD screen allows you to preview your images right away	Film: You have to wait for processing
Durability	Digital: There are less moving parts to wear out Film: They resist bumps and drops better	Film: They have more moving parts to wear out
Accessories	Film and Digital: SLRs can use a wide range of lenses, filters and flash accessories	Digital: Non-DSLRs do not have as many lens options
Power	Film: They use much less battery power although flash units and motor drives can be battery intensive	Digital: They have high battery consumption
Memory	Digital: Removable storage media results in unlimited shots. You are only limited by the amount of memory you have. It can also be reused.	Film: Limited by the film roll size Digital: Removable memory can be damaged or lost
Cost	Digital: You do not have to pay for film and processing	Film: You have to spend money on films and film processing
Storage	Digital: You can store many images on a small amount of space, like a CD or DVD Film: You do not need a computer	Digital: You need a computer and software to edit images. Film: Film and paper archiving takes space and care
Lifespan	Digital: Images do not degrade like film and paper do	Digital: Images can become corrupt or lost if the storage device crashes Film: Film and paper prints deteriorate over time
Flexibility	Digital: Images are easily edited and printed; can be easily e-mailed put on the Web	Film: making printing tweaks is limited; moving from colour to black-and-white and vice versa is difficult