Digital filmmaking equipment runs the gamut from inexpensive consumer cameras to expensive high-definition (HD) cinema cameras that appear to capture exactly what the human eye perceives in real life. Digital cameras put images directly onto digital videotapes that can be loaded onto computer hard drives for editing.

Pros and Cons

Shooting digital video is much less expensive than shooting and processing with traditional film equipment. Film costs are basically eliminated, although video does require transferring to 35mm film prints for theatrical release. Also, because videotapes can be used over and over, and unwanted or unusable images can simply be erased, there's no waste of film. One of the great advantages is time savings — you can see what you've shot within minutes of shooting it.

Video images can produce noticeable defects. Because digital images are made up of tiny square pixels, hard edges can often look jagged and rough. The brighter areas in images, such as skies and windows, can become completely blown out — a stark and disorienting bright white. The sharpness of video can also appear to be a little too real and too crisp, lacking the organic softness of shooting to film. Many of these issues can be minimized by using filters to avoid overexposing highlights and to soften the sharpness of video. Good exposure techniques are helpful for reducing jagged edges.

The Creative Debate

There are many strong arguments for using traditional film cameras for feature filmmaking. In the 16mm format, cameras are relatively abundant and inexpensive, and 16mm film is much less costly than 35mm film. The downside is that the cost of blowing up 16mm film to 35mm prints for theatrical distribution is significant for a feature-length film. Arguments for starting filming with 35mm gear is that there are no additional laboratory costs for blowing up the image for theatrical release. It's argued that those cost savings can be absorbed into leasing 35mm equipment, purchasing 35mm film stock, and paying for processing during production.

The position that digital filmmaking is here to stay is undeniable. With state-of-the-art cinematography techniques, high-end digital filming today rivals the results of shooting with film. As digital technology advances and prices continue to drop, it's inevitable that traditional camera film will sooner or later be replaced.