Film vs. Digital | A side-by-side comparison
- Ashley Krause
- Apr 30
- 10 min read
Updated: May 1
When I started sharing that I shoot "film," I got a lot of questions - and still do! In this digital age, it makes sense that many of us Gen Z-ers / Millenials aren't so familiar with the medium (aside from maybe disposable cameras). My hope is to share some of the technicalities of film and emphasize what makes the medium so! special!
Film is what preceeded digital photography. It's what our parents and grandparents lives and weddings were documented on, maybe even some of our early childhoods. Here is an extremely brief history - photographing originated in the early 1800's, where images were produced on metal plates, with chemicals, over a long period of time until an "exposure" was revealed from a chemical reaction with light. Over time, this method was simplified and cameras became commercially produced by Kodak later that century. Film cameras of different sizes (35mm being the most common, then medium and large formats) and functions (instant, like Polaroids or motion picture, like super8) came and went over the years, with 35mm, 120 (medium format), and Polaroids being most commonly accessible these days.
Digital camera sales surpassed film in the early 2000's and the rest is (very recent) history. Today, film could very well be a dying medium, but there are nostalgic nerds like myself that admire it too much to let that happen. Soooo I'm here today to talk all about "film" and to debunk the buzzword its become, especially recently. To share about why it's so special. What exactly is? the difference from digital. Stating things plainly to help educate because I understand that most of my clients aren't photographers and aren't as obsessed with this stuff as I am, but (!) that I hope you see the beauty of film and become curious to learn more or have your portraits/wedding documented the old fashion way.
Keep scrolling if you're only here to see side-by-side comparisons between digital & film.
Continue reading if you want to nerd out with me & learn about film!
Debunking the Buzzword
I'm personally not on TikTok but I catch a few IG reels every now and then, so I know that film wedding coverage is a hot topic right now. On one hand, I love the attention film is getting and have my fingers crossed that this means more and more labs will pop up, new cameras may get made, more people will shoot film, and learn to love it!
A downside about trends is that (1) they fade and (2) quality of things can suffer (i.e., taking a page from fast fashion's book). So, a few things to note about that: "filmic edits" are not real film. Film simulating digital cameras are not film. Disposable cameras are technically film but are not worth what some may up-charge, claiming that they shoot film when it's really disposable camera quality or phony film. While disposables are fun for wedding guests and for personal memories, professionals should have professional equipment. Especially if they're offering and charging for the cost of film.
If you want the real deal, here's a few questions to ask a prospective film photographer:
What film mediums do you shoot?
How long have you been shooting film?
What balance do you have between shooting film and digital?
Roughly how many film images will I receive?
Will you deliver my film negatives?
When it comes to any trend, I'd always encourage someone (and myself!) to look past the social pressures and think about that thing's inherent value is for me. Do I *really* like it? Or do I only want that thing just because everyone else does? Maybe I really do love it and should seek it out. So, I'd say to look inward about why film speaks to you - is it the composition, the style of the image, the color, the nostalgic feeling, the variability? No matter what it is, if the art of film speaks to your heart - go for it, get that film photographer for your wedding! There are many talented ones to choose from.
Another thing that comes up when talking about film, is the cost. (Jumpscare!) It's expensive versus digital photography which, outside of the barrier cost to entry of the
camera/lenses/SD cards/editing software/so on, is unlimited imagery at no cost after those initial expenses. Similar costs are incurred for film cameras but add the price of purchasing the film, shipping it to the lab, developing, and high-res scanning. The trade-off is absolutely one-of-a-kind imagery, it’s worth every penny. My packages that have more film are higher in value for this reason. For me, the price I integrate into film-focused packages is directly comparable to the cost on my end. This is because I love shooting it and I want it to be as accessible to clients as possible.
Varieties of Film Cameras/Stocks/Formats
"Film"refers to the medium and can be used interchangeably with "analog,"meaning a camera using chemical processes to create a *negative exposure while "digital" uses a sensor or mirror to display the image instantly. In the bucket of "film" there is so much variety when it comes to how the medium can be shot. Contrasted with digital, where aside from your camera brands, choice of lenses, and post-production editing style, you just need to pick up your camera, change a few settings, and shoot to your heart's content.
*After shooting a roll of film, it's critical that it is rolled back up into the canister to remain in the dark. Then, a lab will do ~mad science~ to reveal the image on the negative with a chemical reaction. "Negative" meaning that the colors are naturally inverted, and only through scanning the film will the colors be turned into a "Positive," like all the images you see here!
Film cameras take rolls of film. Depending on your chosen film stock, a roll could produce somewhere around 24 or 36 images for 35mm and 12 or 16 images for 120. There are many film stocks to choose from - for non-photographers, think of stocks as a "filter" or a certain look that the stock will give your images. On top of that, there are different ISO options for each stock, to be used in various lighting conditions (lower ISO = brighter light and higher ISO = lower light). When I first started shooting film, I tried out just about every stock and found the ones that best complement my style and are versatile enough for a wedding day where we have a variety of lighting conditions. I love: Kodak Colorplus 200, Kodak Gold, Portra 400, and Ilford HP5 (for black & white film).
So a big contrast to digital, is that film is finite. With my digital camera and a 64GB memory card, I can shoot about 2,500 photos compared to 36 per roll of 35mm film. For reference, SD cards cost about $16 and can be used indefinitely, while one roll of film costs anywhere between $9-$20 to purchase, $20+ to scan, plus shipping. It makes it a more tedious yet intentional medium, which is a huge reason why I love it. I'll spare you on talking more about how expensive it is, lol. Anywho, I keep talking about 35mm and 120 - but what does that mean?
35mm film is the most common (it's what is in disposables) and the name describes its size, it's a small but mighty format of film. 120 is a bit bigger, considered a "Medium Format," so the resulting image resolution will be larger. There are plenty of cameras for both formats and the quality of those cameras/lenses will impact the outcome of your images. You'll often hear the term "point and shoot" to describe film cameras which is a simple model that you push a button, the camera sets auto setting and auto focus, then will auto advance to the next frame. There's semi-automatic cameras (like the famous Canon AE-1) that has an auto mode, but you have to crank the film forward manually. Then there's range finders, fully manual, reflex, panoramic, plastic ones like the infamous Holga, and even cameras that will make GIFs. My go-to cameras are: Canon Elan II, Contax N1, Contax G2, Pentax 645N, Holga, Olympus mju II.
I love my 35mm cameras for weddings because they're light weight and quick to focus. My 120 camera is a unit and needs to be manually focused, so I bring her out for slower moments like portraits. As a client, I'd want you to know that when choosing the cameras and film stocks for your wedding/session, I meticulously think about the lighting conditions and our time frame for portraits - then I bring along a variety of options and backups to interchange as the moments call for it.
My Hybrid Approach
Here's what a wedding day would look like with me shooting "hybrid" (digital and film) or 100% film. I browse my film shelf for cameras and choose a handful based on what the specific day calls for. I pack them up, with the ones I plan to use frequently in my backpack and backups in my roller case. Then I pack my extra battery bag (sadly just about every film camera I have uses different batteries!). Next, I'll pack up film stocks, selecting a variety of ISO levels to use whether we'll be outside in the sun or in a dark room or both. I overpack in case I over shoot (more likely than not).
Arriving to the wedding, I'll arrange my camera harness with anywhere between 2-5 cameras at a time. I only add more when each camera serves a different purpose (i.e., 35mm color, 35mm b&W, 120, digital, or other combo). When shooting digital, that camera will be around my neck since I'll be reaching for it most often. Then throughout the day, I'll pick up different cameras to capture different moments on different mediums *as I see fit. The variety of the cameras/film stocks = more variety in your gallery.
My current balance between digital and film is 70/30, with priority to digital. *"As I see fit," meaning that once I capture a moment or detail on digital, then I can play with film and capture it from a different angle or with a different composition. Sometimes, I'll be bold and decide to capture a moment on film first, then capture a few digitals as backup. It depends on many things, but is so fun nontheless. I have loved expanding my creativity and feeling confident in my discernment to document moments authentically, across mediums.
When booking with me, couples have the option to add unlimited film in addition to digital or just a dash, depending on their preference. I also offer the option to book me to photograph 100% on film, which I'm grateful to be doing twice in 2025. I can only daydream about how soul fulfilling it'll be and how much fun I'll have curating those galleries. It takes a lot of trust in the digital age, but this is all the proof I need that film lives on and is still very meaningful.
Lastly, what happens to your film after I shoot it? I carefully package it all up, with an Airtag so I can track it in transit. I ship it to a trusted lab, then the lab develops and scans each image in high-resolution. I receive digital scans back and will edit them slightly if needed. For B&W film, I develop it locally and scan myself! I used to do color scanning as well, but with how much I shoot now, it became too much. Sometimes I'll still scan my personal work or go back to old negatives and sharpen my skills because it is so meaningful to learn how to color grade your own film and train your eyes.
The Main Takeaway (!!)
If you take anything away from this mini lesson on film, I hope its that film is so special. There's a lot of moving parts that a photographer is responsible for controlling, manipulating, experimenting with to produce film work. Film is still around today for a good reason - there's truly nothing else like it. For me, it's the unknown. I can do everything I can and think I know how an image will turn out, and my camera may surprise me. With how film captures light, colors, movement, each time I receive scans back from the lab its like Christmas morning. Sharing the joy of film photography with my clients is a highlight of being a photographer.
This is not at all to say there's nothing to rave about with digital photography, just as much skill is required to compose beautiful digital images. Don't even get me started on how many times a wedding day I change manual settings & white balance on my digital camera. The majority of my work is digital, only supplemented by film at this time. So I'm not poo pooing on digital-only photographers by any means (!!). There is so much talent in this industry, with everyone doing their own thing. It's inspiring and keeps me eager grow in this craft.
Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer | Digital & Film
I briefly pause this blog post for a message from our sponsor: Ash K. Captures (me)
((Can you tell I listen to too many podcasts))
If you're in the market for a wedding photographer and are loving the idea of hybrid - film and digital - coverage, let's connect! I'm actively booking 2026 weddings. Visit my 'Weddings' tab to read more about my approach and browse my customizable packages.
Differentiating Film from Digital
Now it's time for what the title of this blog suggests, side-by-side images to see the difference between digital and film with your own eyes! In the following image sets, the film will be on the left (on a computer) or will be the first/top image (on a phone). Seeing them together reveals how much different, but also how much is the same. From my view, I see a big change in composition, specifically. They don't make lenses like they used to - that's part of the magic of film. I also see slight variations in color and graininess, however over the years I've aimed for my edits to resemble my film work and to shoot film stocks that match the style I want to achieve - natural, colorful, ambient, tack sharp composition, so on.
Happy scrolling! If you like what you see, I'd love love love to chat about how we can customize your wedding photography package with an emphasis on film.
120
35mm | Slight Light Leak
35mm | Double Exposed
35mm
35mm
35mm
35mm
35mm
120
35mm
35mm
35mm
35mm
35mm
35mm
35mm with flash | Digital with no flash
35mm
*I wanna acknowledge the speed on this one because I solo shot this wedding, so it's a good examle of how I can switch back and forth insanely fast!!
35mm
35mm
120
35mm
35mm
35mm
35mm | Happy accident
35mm
35mm
35mm
35mm
35mm with flash | Digital with no flash
35mm
35mm
35mm
Personal Film Images
While I'm at it, I'll share some personal photos, which has been fundamental for learning how to shoot film. I always test out cameras before adding them to my wedding line up. However, this year it's a goal to take a film camera everywhere - not just on vacation or to friend's wedding, to finish off an old roll or to test a new roll. I desperately want to shoot more for FUN!
Love ya, film!
Thank you kindly for reading - I LOVE film (and love digital). I just love being a photographer. It's my life's work and I'm having so much fun learning more as I go. Can't wait to capture even more on film in the 2025 season!!!
If you're curious to learn how to start shooting film yourself - I am always happy to ramble on about that, but will save it for a future blog post!
Comments