Probably gone Digital

As I slowly changed my workflow from film to digital, I realize the incremental changes, but I was not aware that I had “gone to the other side” in a manner of speaking. I still have my Nikkor enlargeing lens (no enlarger), all of my Canon 35mm cameras & ton of lens (non-EOS), which I have not used in years.  I usually shoot film with my Hasselblad, the old 500C/M with 120 color film. I had the color film professionally processed, then I would start my digital work flow by scanning the selected negative on my Nikon 8000 scanner and head into Photoshop.

My serious consideration of a full digital workflow was after a week and half photography trip with the Hasselblad kit over to Red Rock Canyon in Nevada, then on to Vail, Colorado and back again. Then getting that fateful call from Paul at ProPhoto that after processing my film, not much sense doing anything else, since a part of the felt light-trap on my A-12 back had broken and ALL of my images were ruined. That was not a good feeling. All of a sudden, the idea of getting instant feedback on the exposure that I just made was good or not made a lot sense.

But when do you realize that you have made the full committment to a new process and workflow? For me it came yesterday. I had purchased the upgraded ball head from RRS which requires new quick shoes for the camera. On the advice of my friend Paul, I also bought the L bracket for my Canon XTi. That was about a $550 US investment. When I received the ball head, I was pretty excited as this would resolve my current problems with ball head drift when I was using the XTi and the 70-200f/4 zoom.

But then it dawned on me. Yikes, I had made a nice investment in some new gear, but I had not even consider getting the parts for the Hasselblad so that I could use it with the new ball head. The Hasselblad/film was just not in my mind set.  I would not have done that a year ago. Now thinking back to the last three or four months, I understand that I had made the full committment to digital.  It is neither good or bad, it just is.

Best regards, Doug