We’ve come a long way from the $15,500 AP/Kodak NC2000. Introduced in 1994, the first professional digital SLR made for photojournalists, the NC2000 was bulky, had a paltry 1.1 mp (megapixel) resolution, no LCD preview, and no removable storage media. But it created a digital hunger for higher speed, image quality, resolution, and mass interest. Fast forward to today, where prosumer 8+ mp digital bodies now are very affordable option (at $1,000-$1,500) and any photographer with an existing 35mm body, lens, and a home computer can join the revolution without taking a 2nd mortgage.

I come to you from an old school photojournalistic background where B&W film was the standard, dipping and dunking film & prints in a soup of chemicals was the norm, and FedEx was the fastest mode of delivery. I now live in a world where reusable high speed Compact Flash cards are my film, Photoshop is my darkroom, and I deliver my work exclusively through the internet from anywhere in the world. My magazine and newspaper work requires a maximum need of a 2 page spread (or let’s say a 12x18 print), and today I find my final digital pictures rival any of my 2 decades worth of scanned and archived 35mm film.

Film purists, Kodachrome shooters, and silver halide printers don’t be offended, I still happily shoot film when a client requests it, and I still shoot Kodachrome for my personal projects when my time and patience allows. But from a competitive professional standpoint, digital has given me more time to create and market my work and requires less time and expense waiting for processed film, scanning, and time consuming trips to the lab.

For this discussion, rather than bore you with side-by-side comparisons and print magnifcations, let’s look at 2 real world examples of my digital work, where the proof is in the final print.

Example 1, Corporate Report Cover:
For this shoot, my corporate report client requested 35mm transparency film that would be scanned for the final print. The prosumer 3 megapixel Canon D30 had just been introduced so I decided, time allowing, I would shoot both film and digital. In the end the client chose the 3 megapixel digital images for the 8 1/2" x 11" cover and a few inside shots, convincing me to be an enthusiastic digital photography cheerleader.

Example 2, Fine Art Print:
My popular photograph of a West Coast sea nettle, shot with the 11.1 megapixel Canon 1DS produces 11x14 fine art prints with the tonality, sharpness, and contrast that I would expect from film. I make outstanding velvet fine art paper prints directly from my digital file to my Epson 2200.

As with any new technology, digital photography continues to evolve and for some time there will be undoubtedly be debates within debates. The film grain arguments of the past are now replaced with resolution arguments, and so on. I encourage you to evaluate your own personal and professional needs and consider how digital can benefit your talent and workflow. Whatever you choose, shoot often- life is short!

David Honl’s photography, including his scanned and archived work from the past 20 years is available through his archive at Digital Railroad (http://www.DigitalRailroad.net)

David Honl's Bio