Cameras Sharp
Which is better: Old cameras that produce grainy images or HD cameras that give clear, sharp images?
Why do some people (like photography teachers) prefer the former rather than the latter? Is this the same for video?
Thanks, but what about for VIDEO?
Your comparison isn't fair. Grainy results come from fast films (+ ISO400) just as noise comes from digitals at higher ISOs. Use ISO 25-100 films and you'll need to search for grain. Film has grain, but lower ISO films don't show it easily. A film compact is much better than any digital compact past ISO400.
Put some fujichrome Provia 100F inside a film camera, and you'll need a very good lupe for see grain. Plus-X or Pan-F on Microdol won't show grain that easily. And that in 35mm. Medium format has a much much finer grain, and it has better quality then all 35mm and most digitals (except medium format digitals; H3D, PhaseOne; but compare prices!).
Use your "HD" digital camera in low light, and see where there's good noise.
Use a good scanner for scanning film. And you got an HD image!
Simply, a good 35mm SLR is much better for teaching photography; it just takes photos and needs full manual control. No Auto modes to cheat with.
It's different media. You won't get film results with a digital, you can play hours and hours with PS but you won't get film look. It's like trying to make that CD to sound like an LP.
There's people using Super 8 cameras, even professionals (motion picture), because they love their look, just as lots like to listen LP's.
Kodak Tri-X souped in Rodinal and pushed to 800 is very nice. Lovely sharp salt and peeper grain. I like medium sized grain in most of the situations I photograph (interiors, portraiture, don't want it for landscape, though).
Sharpness and super hiper definition isn't everything. Grain can be a great addition to a composition. Having a high res. camera won't help you make better photographs. Cartier bresson used TriX (grainy) and he is one of the most recognised photographers. In the mass, having digi cameras able to take great images, most of the people make boring crappy images (not worth the photograph title).
"Old" cameras, can still kick arse to much of the digital cameras. Film doesn't mean 35mm. Film formats range from 16mm to 20x24" (the negative measures 20x24"). The film formats are classified in 3 categories: Small format (minox, 16mm and 35mm); Medium format (120 film); and large format (4x5" to 20x24").
A last sentence:
Grain is beautiful, Noise is not.
I love the film media look and feel, I love the old cameras, much better made than most digitals today (100% metal), much tougher and the good ones (such as mine) more reliable. My OM1 doesn't need batteries for shooting. Only for the meter.
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