Many commentators claim digicams replace film. However, this implies that the two are interchangeable which
I argue elsewhere is an oversimplification. Some examples:
RLROUSE Directory & Essential Information Resources states:
Do you still buy film, take it to the developer, and wait for the photos to be printed? If so, you're wasting valuable time and money....Considering the great advances in digital camera technology coupled with the convenience and relatively low costs of owning and using one, there is really no reason to ever buy another film camera.
D'Lynn Waldron, PhD advises:
Digital still cameras are now the best choice for almost all uses, both amateur and professional.
Circuit City's online shoppers are told:
Digital cameras offer amazing convenience for everyday fun and advanced photography. One of the coolest benefits is the ability to view a picture an instant after you take it. If someone blinked or it’s blurry, just press a button to delete it and save the expense of printing it. Photos can also be edited, stored on a computer, printed at home and emailed to friends and family. You know it’s time to go digital, but how do you choose a camera? We can help.
Noted photography expert
Norman Koren says,
The handwriting is on the wall for film. 16 megapixel sensors (10 for the X3 sensor, if they can produce it) have resolution challenging medium format film. Large users of film have already switched to digital. Film sales are rapidly dropping. Film production lines will shut down as sales drop. Variety will decrease and prices will increase. Traditionalists will complain, but the quality of digital images will carry the day.
Best Buy brings us
You Gotta Go Digital:Actually, could there be anything better for the photo fanatic than a digital camera? Think about it — with a digital camera, you'll have the power to keep your best shots. You'll be liberated from the limits of film. You'll never again have to wait for prints. And you'll find that sharing your shots is easier than ever before. That's why you've just gotta go digital.
Image-Acquire.Com has this advice:
Wanna go digital? The time is right. With camera prices down and features up, you'll wonder how you ever lived without one. It's time to throw away your 35mm camera and get a digital camera, it captures scenes better than your favorite 35mm camera and outweighs conventional cameras when it comes to saving on film and processing. In fact, the biggest problem (if you can call it that) when converting to digital is adjusting your mindset: Whether you shoot 10 shots or 10,000, the cost is still the same--zero.
Peter Killey of ManxScenes.Com says:
Digital photography can also improve the overall quality of your photo collection because you can delete pictures you don't like, take pictures you never would have tried before, and use your computer to fix pictures that almost came out just right. With all these benefits, there's no reason not to go digital.
All of these statements rely on the assumption that nothing distinguishes film from digital cameras beside inconvenience, obsolescence, or resolution. However,
as I've tried to show, this is a misleading assumption for serious photographers to make.