Is This the Closest Digital Can Come to Feeling Like Film?

Is there a way to replicate the feel of film but with the cost and convenience of digital?

Ask any film photographer why they prefer shooting analog, and among the answers, you will almost certainly hear a deep discussion about intentionality. If you get your rolls developed at a lab, every frame is likely going to cost you upwards of 50 cents apiece (even before you’ve scanned the image), and knowing this creates a different mindset when out photographing—a more considered and thoughtful approach, something that disappears with digital thanks to its ephemerality and throwaway nature. There’s also a distinct feeling that comes with using a film camera, given that it’s often older than the user, full of moving parts, and creates an image through a physical process (of sorts).

Is it possible for a digital camera to replicate that analog feel? Film photographer Jason Kummerfeldt heads out with the Hasselblad CFV 100C digital back attached to his Hasselblad 501c.

For me, I’m not sure I could ever escape the knowledge that each frame no longer comes at such a cost. While I seem to accumulate another film camera with each passing year (albeit very cheap ones), my budget is woefully tight when it comes to buying and developing film, and that feeling is present with every push of the shutter button. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however, as it makes the process feel more special rather than worryingly expensive.

Would this work for you? Let us know in the comments below.

Andy Day's picture

Andy Day is a British photographer and writer living in France. He began photographing parkour in 2003 and has been doing weird things in the city and elsewhere ever since. He's addicted to climbing and owns a fairly useless dog. He has an MA in Sociology & Photography which often makes him ponder what all of this really means.

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9 Comments

Thank you for the article. I DO have fond memories of using my 500 C/M, especially for up close portraits and do miss working with it....sometimes. This Hasselblad model is attractive, too bad it doesn't shoot in square format as default.

I think CCD sensors are closer to the film experience and output. Especially the Dalsa sensors without microlenses, like the Phase One IQ260. The Sony BSI CMOS sensors like this IMX 461 or its big brother IMX-441 are too clinical. Also the Live View capability is cheating.

Andy, I really enjoyed this video—such a great sense of humor throughout. The idea of merging the film experience with digital convenience is something I have thought about often. While nothing quite replaces the tactile joy and discipline of shooting analog, the Hasselblad CFV 100C looks like a dream setup that gets closer than most.

That said, part of what makes film special is the mindset it forces—a slower, more intentional approach that is harder to replicate when there is no cost per frame. Still, having a system that encourages that kind of deliberation while offering digital flexibility is an exciting prospect. Hopefully, it is something I can afford one day.

Paul Tocatlian
Kisau Photography
www.kisau.com

Great follow on YT. Love his sense of humor.

I'm not subscribed to many photographers on YouTube but Jason is top of that list. His content is golden and his photos are excellent. Despite being completely wrong about the Olympus XA.

I also like Ted Forbes and The Art of Photography: https://www.youtube.com/TheArtofPhotography

Agreed. Big fan. Notably, neither succumb to the algorithm.

I hope your ceiling is feeling better... quite an entry! I have used Hasselblad for decades in the studio and for commercial work. It is, as far as I am concerned the best optical system in the world; period. I use large format cameras for my personal work, with a small amount of digital thrown in, and very much do prefer the film process. An interesting thing for me is that since I grew up using film I find myself working the same way, even when using digital, not bracketing exposures and making only one, or at most two exposures that are in the same location - and that only if something significant changes like a cloud structure, angle or quality of light etc. When you say that film is more expensive, OH YEAH, it really is. A sheet of film is now almost $5.00 before processing, so we tend to be selective in our exposures. I would love to use my Hasselblads more, I have a 500Cm and an ELm, but they are more often used in my studio work. Interesting article; BTW.

"Is it possible for a digital camera to replicate that analog feel?"
Yes, an for way less money. All Fuji X100 models as well as all X-Pro modells can replicate that analog feel. Just use the OVF and switch off the screen.