Figure 1.--

Many believe that digital photography will replace chemical based photography within a few years. Digital photography has certainly made its presence felt in the industry, and it is conceivable that a large segment of the amateur point and shoot market will indeed be mostly covered by digital cameras, and a large segment of photojournalism is already covered by digital equipment. Yet conventional films still have a considerable advantage when it comes to overall sharpness and tonal range of the image. While digital cameras have the ability to equal 35mm and even medium format photography, at least with scanning systems, we must not forget the incredible possibilities offered by large format systems. Digital photography is still in its infancy and currently is still trying to catch up with the capabilities of conventional film materials. Film is now giving way to the digital image, according to Doug Nishimura, a research scientist at the Image Permanence Institute in Rochester, New York. However, he advises thinking twice before rushing out to transfer all your photographs on to CD-Rom. Mr Nishimura said: "You have to be prepared to refresh the images every five to ten years as the hardware evolves. "Otherwise, all you will have in the attic for your grandchildren is a rather nice frisbee." Hollywood films suffer the same colour shifts as any family photograph. Earlier movies filmed on cellulose nitrate became explosively unstable and prone to spontaneous combustion. Cellulose acetate, onto which many were copied, developed "vinegar syndrome" - disintegration accompanied by the smell of acetic acid. Vinyl records have a life expectancy of about 50 years before the material begins to break down. Acetate recordings, made before the invention of magnetic tape, have already passed their play-by date. Audio and video cassette tapes are relatively stable, but wear out quickly when played. Computer floppy disks, pictured, in regular use could last as little as a year. The newer fast back-up drive has no moving parts but the information contained is attacked by a constant bombardment of neutrinos and high-energy particles. There have been warnings that the metal and plastic from which compact discs are made will eventually delaminate, destroying the information they contain. Digital technology may appear to hold greater promise, but beware: you need the hardware to access the information and no one knows what will be available in 10 years time, let alone 100 years.

Chemical-based Photography

Many believe that digital photography will replace chemical based photography within a few years. Digital photography has certainly made its presence felt in the industry, and it is conceivable that a large segment of the amateur point and shoot market will indeed be mostly covered by digital cameras, and a large segment of photojournalism is already covered by digital equipment. Yet conventional films still have a considerable advantage when it comes to overall sharpness and tonal range of the image. While digital cameras have the ability to equal 35mm and even medium format photography, at least with scanning systems, we must not forget the incredible possibilities offered by large format systems.

Speed

The graet advantage of digital photography is speed. The speed is especially important to the news media, but it equally applied to family. Photographers in the most remoye area of thde world can take photogarphs and deliver them to newspapers and magazines or for that matter family within minutes. Celbrations like weddings, birthdays, graduations, a wella s smaller events like learning to walk, the first day of school, or the prom can be shared with family members and friends virtually ibnstantaneosly.

Limitations

Digital photography is still in its infancy and currently is still trying to catch up with the capabilities of conventional film materials. Film is now giving way to the digital image, according to Doug Nishimura, a research scientist at the Image Permanence Institute in Rochester, New York. However, he advises thinking twice before rushing out to transfer all your photographs on to CD-Rom. Mr Nishimura said: "You have to be prepared to refresh the images every 5 to 10 years as the hardware evolves. "Otherwise, all you will have in the attic for your grandchildren is a rather nice frisbee."

Film Longevity

Hollywood color films suffer the same colour shifts as any family photograph. Earlier movies filmed on cellulose nitrate became explosively unstable and prone to spontaneous combustion. Cellulose acetate, onto which many were copied, developed "vinegar syndrome" - disintegration accompanied by the smell of acetic acid. Vinyl records have a life expectancy of about 50 years before the material begins to break down. Acetate recordings, made before the invention of magnetic tape, have already passed their play-by date. Audio and video cassette tapes are relatively stable, but wear out quickly when played. Interesting the most durable photographic prints are the old silver nitrate black and white prints. Ghese may well last for centuries if properly care is given to them

Digital Storage

Computer floppy disks, pictured, in regular use could last as little as a year. The newer fast back-up drive has no moving parts but the information contained is attacked by a constant bombardment of neutrinos and high-energy particles. There have been warnings that the metal and plastic from which compact discs are made will eventually delaminate, destroying the information they contain. Digital technology may appear to hold greater promise, but beware: you need the hardware to access the information and no one knows what will be available in 10 years time, let alone 100 years.

Concern

One concern to social historians is the rise in use of digital cameras. Often images are sent over the internet and never printed. Many of these images are lost as computer hard drives fail or new computers are purchased. It may well be that we are leaving a more limited visual recoird of the first digital generation than any generation since the mid-19th century.

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Created: May 3, 2003
Last updated: May 3, 2003