Why do some people think 35mm automatically means SLR? And that a 35mm camera can be digital?

I'm talking about several answers to this question, and one of the wrong answers chosen as best:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

I'm most certainly not jealous. If you look carefully, you'll see I'm already at level 7. I didn't care if my answer was picked or not! There were other good answers that were also ignored. And now someone will take the wrong camera to a class, and have to go and get another one, because she believed someone's opinion. Well, opinions are fine, but they're not facts. And it's a fact that digital cameras do not take 35mm film. A 35mm camera takes 35mm film. That's why they call it a 35mm camera.

You are 100% correct Miss Terisu. Michael may have expressed his preference, but he incorrectly advised the asker to ignore her course requirement and get a digital camera. If she was a student in his class and he required a digital SLR and she showed up with a 35 mm SLR, I am sure that he would chide her for starting off on the wrong foot and wasting her money on an incorrect purchase. The same goes for Photo Girl, who sets herself forward as a professional. She doesn't even say that the asker might consider a digital camera, but falsely states, "35mm doesn't necessarily mean film... digital cameras can be 35mm as well." This is simply wrong information. Even if you were to argue that you can use a 35 mm lens on a digital SLR or a film SLR, for all but the most expensive digital SLR's, the effective focal length would not be the same on a digital camera when compared to a film camera.

I also see that the asker says, "I did some more research online at the class and I get to choose between film and digital, as long as its 35mm and has M mode." This is total nonsense. "As long as it is 35mm" means a 35mm film camera.

I hope she posts a question asking for a recommendation for a good 35mm digital SLR. Even better, I'd like to see how they treat her if she goes to a camera store and asks to buy a 35mm digital SLR. They will probably be polite to her face, but they will be laughing at her as soon as she leaves. They will probably offer to sell her some of that digital film that comes in card form. Maybe they'll throw in a skyhook as part of the accessory kit.

Thank you. Report It

I know - Terisu. I know. Film has been "under seige" for years. People have been claiming that film will die for years. I've yet to see it. Digital has its purposes, but I find film far more aestheticly pleasing and enjoyable to do. Not to mention the beauty of the printing process.

The feeling of seeing the picture show up in the developer is something that digital will never be able to replicate.

Edit: Soular, that would be HILARIOUS! I would actually enjoy being behind the camera counter when that happens...

Probably for the same reason so many seem to think that buying a DSLR and a couple of lenses immediately qualifies them to be professional photographers - i-g-n-o-r-a-n-c-e.

Of course, we are all ignorant of many things. I haven't a clue as to how to perform brain surgery or design a jet engine or build a computer so I'm ignorant in those areas.

However, I won't buy a text book on brain surgery or jet engine design or computer building and begin offering my services.

EDIT: Well you have to give Photo Girl credit for being consistently wrong and seemingly unashamed of it.

They are from different generations.

My first 35mm camera was a rangefinder ... now, a good rangefinder is beyond most peoples budgets.

Leica 7 = $ 2550 body only
Nikon F6 + $ 1600 body only

I am guessing because cameras like the Nikon D200 is built on the basic F100 frame and look a lot a like, there are those who think of them as a 35mm converted to digital so should be able to use both film and record digital image files as well.

Another misconception is that since there are digital cameras (so called) that there must be analog cameras and they assume those to be a 35mm or film camera. The fact is that until the image strikes the film and/or sensor, everything is analog ... it is not until the data that strikes the sensor is sent to the analog to digital converter does anything digital appear within the camera ... that said, both cameras are essentially analog the differences being between film and sensor digital file capture, not the analog information entering the lens ... thus NO analog and digital lenses ... just camera lenses.

Based on the wording of the question and added explanation, there is a good chance that the person who wrote the course requirement doesn't know the difference between 35mm and digital sensors, either. Maybe the asker should interview the instructor before paying the fee.

As Fonzi said to his poster of James Dean hanging inside his closet door..... "they just don't understand".

steve

LOL...That's funny. A 35mm digital camera. I prefer 35mm myself. I shoot with a Nikon F3HP. Most digital cameras do all the work for you. That's cheating to a real photographer. Except for your high priced digital SLR's...

http://www.dcviews.com/press/Leica-Digit...

No longer in production well look at the size of this thing. off topic but made me think of this.

She had no idea what she was talking about. I sent her a message and left a comment. Hopefully she will realize her mistake BEFORE she buys the camera.

Photo Girl, your answer has nothing to do with either this question or the previous one (the one linked in this question). I am not saying that your information is wrong, but it is totally useless in this situation.

There is a huge difference between a camera being a 35mm camera and a lens being a 35mm lens. In the other question, the asker was directed specifically to get a 35mm camera.

Details details !

Like a very wise answerer said recently, with the dslr you don't need that bulky battery in there, just take it out and put the film in there...

VIOLA! Digital 35mm slr !!!!

Yeah. Good story.

Our school has a photography class--and these kids rushed out to get the latest DSLR and they were told to put them away and the teacher brought out a cabinet full of manual film cameras for them to use (with 50 mm "normal" lens). Some whined but later appreciated the fact that they truly learned it without taking any shortcuts.

My first camera real camera was the little Rollei!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/co...

there is just no explaining it... i gave him a thumbs down after the fact... fat lot of good it did, but i feel better now.

Focal length is a measure of the distance (in millimeters) from the optical center of a camera's lens to its focal point, which is located on the image sensor. Because digital cameras' focal lengths are measured differently than traditional film cameras, manufacturers usually give a "35mm equivalent" focal length in their specs. This helps 35mm film photographers get a better idea of just how wide-angle or telephoto a digital camera will be in relation to their film cam. A typical digital camera's 35mm equivalent focal length might be 28-280mm, while its actual focal length measures 4.6-46mm. The reason that a range of numbers is given here (28mm to 280mm) is due to the fact that most digital cameras have a zoom lens, which can change focal lengths. A fixed lens has only one focal length.

geeez louise... why start an argument about this... people ask questions and other people answer them, then they choose what they think is best. no need to get all jealous and sh1t because your answer wasn't chosen!

some people think 35mm is just film and others think it's both film and digital... this debate will go on for years...

by the way, just to stir things up a bit... I agree, 35mm can be digital!