Should You Go Digital?

For many people, digital photography means getting photographs immediately and sharing them with a vast network of people. For others, digital photography means cheapening the time-honored art of photography. How do traditional and digital photography differ and what are the pros and cons of digital photography?

Digital photography differs from traditional in how the image is captured. Rather than an image being processed onto a piece of film, digital photography utilizes thousands (or millions) of small squares called pixels to create an image. Each pixel stores information about the contents of that particular pixel, such as color, brightness and contrast. In this way, digital photography cameras act more like computers than traditional cameras.

The biggest pro of digital photography is immediacy. Most digital photography cameras have an LCD screen on the back where the photographer can see the picture immediately. Being able to see the photo immediately and being able to download the photo to either a computer or a digital picture printer eliminates film and developing costs.

The biggest drawback to using digital photography rather than traditional photography is the resolution. Although traditional has a higher resolution than digital photography, for many laypeople it isn't an issue. Digital photography can produce a resolution high enough to satisfy all but perhaps print-layout needs.

Lack of creative control is another con, particularly with point and click digital photography. This feature is great for amateurs, but for professionals, it can be frustrating to have light, contrast, and focus decided for them. However, many different types of digital photography cameras are offered, and professionals don't have to settle for "point and click" photography.

In the end, it depends on what you want from a camera. For ease of use, lower cost, and better storage options, digital photography is the way to go.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, pros and cons of digital photography