[shuttertalk]

One of the things you often hear people say is "shooting digital is less expensive than shooting film". This is probably true with regards to no developing costs, but then again, film users generally take less shots than digital. Also, with digital, if you do want prints, you still need to pay to get them printed (or chew through your inkjet cartridges). In addition to that, digital cameras become obsolete after a couple of years (months even??), prompting you to "upgrade" to the latest. Whereas film cameras tend to have a longer lifecycle.

Hmm.... what do you think? Is digital less expensive than shooting film?

[EnglishBob]

I don't know about less expensive, but to my mind it is less wasteful.

Example.... I got out with my film camera, I shoot 2 rolls of film ($7), I then pay to develop 48 pictures... $20.00 give or take a buck or two.... I have 2-3 keepers. $9-$13.50 per shot.

I take out my digital, I shoot 90-150 pictures ( I tend to double up on shots, don't do that with Film) I have the same 2-3 keepers. I go to the local Costco Photolab, I print my 3 keepers in both 4x6 and 8x12, total cost $6.42... $2 for 8*12, 12c for 4*6.

Now onto hardware itself.... I have spent $2800 on Digital cameras in the last 6 years.... $250 I have recouped selling old cameras. Net cost $425 / year.

I am still using the same Film Camera I bought in 1997, and my prior one occasionaly 1984. Total cost $380 $19 / year.

Admittedly my Digital Set-up far out performs my Film setup, but I feel much better about getting Digital prints than spending 4-5 bucks on film, $10 moe on developing and throwing 80% ort more of the pictures in a box to never look at again.

[slejhamer]

It's a lie! Especially if one is a do-it-yourselfer. Add up cost of camera, printer, new computer, photoshop or other software ... and you'll want to upgrade your camera within a few years too!

Arguably, a film shooter could have an in-home darkroom with those messy chemicals (few do), and could also be scanning their work and thus incurring many of the same costs as the digital shooter.