Why Film Photography Still Makes Sense in the Digital Age

Film is expensive, inconvenient, and unreliable. There’s a huge choice of digital cameras that make photography so much easier and more accessible. So, does shooting film still make sense in the digital age? Oh yes, very much so. In this brilliant video, Tim Jamieson shares his thoughts on shooting film in the digital era and why it still holds a special place for many photographers.

The debate around film photography often turns into a technical argument, involving resolution, dynamic range, convenience, cost… And sure, digital cameras clearly win in many of those areas. But Tim says that focusing only on those metrics misses the real point of photography.

I’ve resonated so much with this part of the video, that I’ll quote Tim directly:

“This debate isn’t about which medium is superior. I think what many people misunderstand about photography or any art is that it’s really about finding conviction and a process that resonates with the artist, not the tool used to get the result or what pleases other people.
Different people connect with different subjects, tools, and outcomes. That’s the beauty and the challenge of photography in general, to keep conviction in your own direction.”

One of the biggest reasons film still appeals to many of us today (even though we can’t always afford it) is the pace. With digital cameras, you can shoot thousands of frames in a single outing. You immediately review each image on the screen, adjust settings, and shoot again. It’s efficient and useful in many scenarios, and I definitely highly appreciate this!

On the other hand, shooting film forces you to slow down and think through every frame. After all, every click costs money. You can’t instantly check the result, which can be frustrating for some. But it makes you truly learn the light, exposure, and composition, so you’re sure of what you’re doing and why. I also love that waiting period before my photos return from the shop. Sure, they sometimes return with imperfections, as it happened after my vacation last year, when it turned out my dad’s old Zenit was leaking light. But it adds a bit of magic to the final photos. Film’s unpredictable sometimes, but hey, so is life.

[Related Reading: Ethereal images from a broken Leica camera]

We live in a world where everything and everyone competes for our attention. So, this slower pace is meditative and even healing.

Another valid reason why film still matters in the digital age is that it encourages you to create for yourself. No algorithms, trends, technical comparisons, or followers. Just you being in the moment. As Tim notes, he’s not a professional photographer and he simply finds film fun – and I can definitely relate. This gives him the luxury of shooting without pressure in any way he wants. Still, even if you’re a professional photographer and shoot digitally for work, shooting film could give you a sense of joy and challenge you may have lost with digital photography and doing it for a living.

In the end, shooting film in 2026 doesn’t have to be logical or justified. It just has to be meaningful to you. If you can afford it, I say – go ahead! Stock up on film and enjoy this beautiful, creative process that will either give you a throwback if you’re older, or help you discover a whole new world if your photographic journey started with digital camera. Either way, you can only win.

[Film Photography Is Silly via FStoppers]

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