[Leica] film and digi

[imagist at imagist.cnc.net (George Lottermoser)]

> From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@comcast.net>

> As I didn't shoot slow film, I don't miss the fine
> detail, and I find I am getting more shadow detail in low light with 
> digital than with film.

I'm totally with you on this. The amount of shadow detail available to
play with, even if mistakenly underexposed, is a god-send. One of the
many advantages of digi-capture.

> Obviously, if you shoot large format, the standard medium is still 
> film there is know alternative - and in shooting large format you're 

But that's what's so strange in this brave new world. The scan backs are
there for large format work. Looking at those files is truly mind
boggling. Creating, again, insane lust. "For the price of a decent car I
could own one."

> In any case, my question was meant to be sarcastic, and was responding 
> to someone who in essence couldn't understand why someone would be 
> shooting digital. ;-)

And I appreciated your comment as you intended it, and thank you for it. 

Didn't mean to express any conflicting opinion - but rather seriously
answer what I felt about the question - 'cause I'm having these feelings
on a daily basis. One foot on either side of the fence - what do I buy?
what do I sell? will the digi-M actually arrive? will I be able to
afford one? should I give up film all together? do I close the darkroom?
what does one do with an 8x10 Durst with Color head? ad nauseum.

Last thought about film: I always had a fascination with the
'laboratory' and its beakers and flasks and balances and timers; that
together with a love of visual art fused into 'real' physical, material,
chemical fun. The computer imaging world is also full of magic - but I
don't really understand it. I know how to run the software but not how
the software does what it does with 1's and 0's. In the lab I have a
very deep knowledge of how the emulsion, time, temperature and chemistry
affects the aesthetics - having that feels solid, substantial. The
image-stuff in the computer feels insubstantial, almost non-existant,
until it's a print - until then - if the powers not available - it
doesn't really exist. Just feelings about the path we walk upon.

regards, George